When President Donald Trump tapped the military to build his signature wall along the border with Mexico, the Pentagon zeroed in on what looked like a project of opportunity -- 37 miles along a drug-smuggling route in Arizona where, most importantly, it already owned the land.
With Trump eager for results, the Navy started planning work on a 30-foot steel bollard barrier along its Barry M. Goldwater bombing range at an estimated cost of $450 million. But there was a catch: unlike the Department of Homeland Security, which typically handles border barrier projects, the Defense Department can’t waive environmental regulations ...