Beginning Feb. 1, the $3.00 per vehicle entrance fee at Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge will be waived until further notice.
Refuge Manager, Boyd Blihovde, decided to waive the entrance fee due to the condition of the county roads leading to the refuge.
FM 106 is currently undergoing construction and is closed to through traffic, making the trek from Harlingen and Rio Hondo difficult, including several detours, officials said.
The refuge has decided that until the construction of FM 106 makes it easily passable, and the condition of Buena Vista Road improves, there will not be an entrance fee to visit the refuge.

**LEAD**
Lead guide Jim Garrett launches Cynthia Rodriguez and Eric Jaime as they begin a kayak tour on Saturday, Jun. 23, 2012 at Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge.
Paul Chouy / The Brownsville Herald