Conversation Contents My Turn: My In In our bell Imam" keep anye "Humphrey, Tue May 24 2015 15 33 49 eMmauu (MDT) Belh UIIenbevg Sm Slnne cc: Tmcher Suhlact My Turn Why us In our best mlevesl Io keep anve Jusl FVI me mad ran rn me Anznna Repunne on Fnday azcenllal com/SID /o mien/c dlleE/DSHB/hcm rossm usamewater My Turn: Why I 's in our best Interest to keep migrants alive Rohln HmnAzlsun Mswaym am My Tum: Leaving water in the desert saves lives, money and the environment. But we need the federal governmenr's ne/p. Roby" Homedezms mrgrams we <The problem was, no compatibility study was ever conducted. It was agreed that Humane Borders would place blue flags over existing wildlife watering holes and a few above-ground tanks to help reduce migrant deaths. 15 years later, it's a best practice The water tanks have been maintained now for 15 years without incident and no reported deleterious effects on wildlife. Today, there are far more migrants dying than ever before in the west desert, which includes Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge, Bureau of Land Management areas and the Barry M. Goldwater Air Force Range. SERIES: 'People are dying ... and we can't stand by' Water stations have proven to be statistically significant in reducing migrant deaths. The stations reduce county costs for health care and for medical-examiner services. They also reduce search-and-rescue operations and the destruction of natural resources. In 2010, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service did conduct a compatibility study at the Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge, which affirmed putting above-ground water tanks marked with blue flags as a best practice. The Fish and Wildlife Service also operates the Cabeza Prieta refuge. New challenge: Water in remote areas The Rev. Robin Hoover The Rev. Robin Hoover (Photo: Courtesy of Robin Hoover) This practice has been endorsed by the Department of the Interior. All southern Arizona land managers need to seriously consider deploying even more water as the rate of migrant deaths continues to increase. Humane Borders’ tanks are located in areas that can be serviced by vehicles. Other humanitarian groups place caches of 1-gallon jugs of water in remote locations. They are not marked with flags. RELATED: Border water tanks vandalized As the Border Patrol has pushed migrants into more treacherous trails, the border crossers are increasingly walking in areas that cannot be serviced by vehicles, thus exponentially expanding the areas where volunteers must walk to deploy water. These operations need to continue, but additional efforts are now needed. It’s time for the federal land managers to deploy large-scale above-ground water stations, serviced by their own water trucks and clearly marked so that anyone in the oesevmu Haue mess potable waler Such enons womd deams. oos<Republic) In March 2001, Humane Borders applied for a permit to install water stations on the Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge. The permit was denied in April; weeks later, 14 migrants in a group of 26 men died. The remaining 12 required extensive medical assistance. Border Patrol agents tracked the group's route. All 26 walked within three-quarters of a mile of one of the proposed sites (Charlie Bell Well), which would have been clearly visible for miles. The water tank story goes international The chief ranger at Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument and others were already advertising the water and the distinctive blue flags in Sonoyta, Sonora, Mexico. Upon retirement, a high-ranking official of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said, “That wasn’t our best day.” The story went international. Five film crews from five countries interviewed me at the same location in the western desert on the same day. A wrongful-death administrative complaint was filed one year later, and a $43 million lawsuit was filed a year after that. Both events went national and international again. VALDEZ: Why are the feds letting immigrants die? Attorneys representing families of 12 of the deceased migrants filed the claim and the suit. The suit did not prevail because the U.S. District Court ruled that the manager of the Cabeza Prieta refuge rightfully used his discretion to deny the permit based on incompatibility. The problem was, no compatibility study was ever conducted. It was agreed that Humane Borders would place blue flags over existing wildlife watering holes and a few above-ground tanks to help reduce migrant deaths. 15 years later, it's a best practice The water tanks have been maintained now for 15 years without incident and no reported deleterious effects on wildlife. Today, there are far more migrants dying than ever before in the west desert, which includes Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge, Bureau of Land Management areas and the Barry M. Goldwater Air Force Range. SERIES: 'People are dying ... and we can't stand by' Water stations have proven to be statistically significant in reducing migrant deaths. The stations reduce county costs for health care and for medical-examiner services. They also reduce search-and-rescue operations and the destruction of natural resources. In 2010, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service did conduct a compatibility study at the Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge, which affirmed putting above-ground water tanks marked with blue flags as a best practice. The Fish and Wildlife Service also operates the Cabeza Prieta refuge. New challenge: Water in remote areas Tne Rev Robin Hoover rn. 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Upon retirement, a high-ranking official of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said, “That wasn’t our best day.” The story went international. Five film crews from five countries interviewed me at the same location in the western desert on the same day. A wrongful-death administrative complaint was filed one year later, and a $43 million lawsuit was filed a year after that. Both events went national and international again. VALDEZ: Why are the feds letting immigrants die? Attorneys representing families of 12 of the deceased migrants filed the claim and the suit. The suit did not prevail because the U.S. District Court ruled that the manager of the Cabeza Prieta refuge rightfully used his discretion to deny the permit based on incompatibility. The problem was, no compatibility study was ever conducted. It was agreed that Humane Borders would place blue flags over existing wildlife watering holes and a few above-ground tanks to help reduce migrant deaths. 15 years later, it's a best practice The water tanks have been maintained now for 15 years without incident and no reported deleterious effects on wildlife. Today, there are far more migrants dying than ever before in the west desert, which includes Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge, Bureau of Land Management areas and the Barry M. Goldwater Air Force Range. SERIES: 'People are dying ... and we can't stand by' Water stations have proven to be statistically significant in reducing migrant deaths. The stations reduce county costs for health care and for medical-examiner services. They also reduce search-and-rescue operations and the destruction of natural resources. In 2010, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service did conduct a compatibility study at the Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge, which affirmed putting above-ground water tanks marked with blue flags as a best practice. The Fish and Wildlife Service also operates the Cabeza Prieta refuge. New challenge: Water in remote areas The Rev. Robin Hoover The Rev. Robin Hoover (Photo: Courtesy of Robin Hoover) This practice has been endorsed by the Department of the Interior. 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