BISBEE — Construction has resumed on a section of border fence in the San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area where work had been temporarily halted.

A federal district judge on Oct. 10 sided with Defenders of Wildlife and the Sierra Club when she ordered a delay on the work because the government failed to fully study the environmental impact of the project.

Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff waived several laws Oct. 22 to allow for the construction to be restarted. The work resumed in recent days.

On Wednesday, Veronica Nur Valdes, spokeswoman for the Department of Homeland Security, said she sees the building of the fence as “a positive step.”

“The secretary determined that it was critical for us to begin construction in this particular area of the border. We stand by that,” she said.

Working in the critical area Wednesday morning, Susan Hueftle, an assistant archeologist with Northland Research in Flagstaff, looked for artifacts.

Standing nearby, Palominas resident Glenn Spencer remarked, “If we find some sensitive archeological items on the site that need to be preserved, then let’s preserve it. If we don’t than let’s continue construction.”

The conservation area is one of the country’s most biologically diverse areas. Its natural beauty and wildlife attract visitors from around the world.

Matt Clark, southwest representative with Defenders of Wildlife, said he is not pleased with the decision to waive the applicable laws and resume construction.

“The temporary restraining order was to slow down the process and encourage the government to take a harder look at the ecological impacts of this massive wall and a very sensitive conservation area,” he said Wednesday.

“They have chosen not to do that. So, they are throwing caution to the wind and going full speed ahead and I think we are very disappointed that is the case,” he added.

Valdes said the government is showing its serious commitment to protecting the nation by building the fence.

“We believe that the flow of illegal traffic in this region has not only jeopardized our ability to secure our borders but it has also caused severe and profound impacts to the environment,” she said.

Some supporters of the fence, including the Department of Homeland Security, counter that traffic from illegal immigrants has possibly a greater environmental impact on the border areas in the United States from the trash and human waste that is left behind.

Chertoff, in making the announcement in October, said that delaying the project also would present an “unacceptable risks to our nation’s security.”

“Congress granted to me the authority to waive all legal requirements that I, in my sole discretion, determine necessary to ensure the expeditious construction of barriers and roads,” Chertoff said in his formal declaration.

His order also exempts additional fencing the department was installing several miles east of the San Pedro River area to a point just west of the Naco port of entry. It allows for fencing that could be as tall as 17 feet, but also vehicle barriers, towers, sensors, cameras and other surveillance, communication and detection equipment.

The department has said it plans to place temporary vehicle barriers in the river instead of a wall. The barriers can be removed during flooding.

Chertoff’s press secretary said at that time that the Department of Homeland Security also planned to take steps to minimize damage created by the fence project in Cochise County.

It was only the third time Chertoff used the power Congress gave him as part of the 2005 Real ID Act, a law mainly meant to help create standards for identification for everything from airline travel to admission to federal buildings.