Suit Claims Feds Are Allowing Protected Desert to Be Trashed by target shooting
https://www.courthousenews.com/suit-claims-feds-are-allowing-protected-desert-to-be-trashed/
Case 2:19-cv-05008-MHB in the US District Court for the District of Arizona.
The lawsuit filing: https://www.courthousenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/SonoranDesertMonument.pdf
Environmental groups are attempting to stop the government from opening up 90% of a federally protected desert monument to target shooting in a federal lawsuit filed Thursday in Arizona.
The environmental groups state in the lawsuit that opening up the monument to target shooting will place much of the area at risk, as recognized by BLM employees.
“BLM authorizes target shooting in roughly 90 percent of the Monument, including within the area’s iconic saguaro cactus forests, occupied wildlife habitat, and areas known to contain high densities of cultural and historic sites,” the complaint states. “These are areas that BLM’s own staff deemed unsuitable for target shooting. Damage to the Monument’s objects from target shooting is well documented and continues to this day.”
The groups are asking the court to vacate the BLM’s decision and order it to take steps to repair damage done by target shooters.
Thomas Hulen, executive director of the Friends of Sonoran Desert National Monument said in a statement last year that damage caused to the monument by target shooters is “heartbreaking.”
“Furthermore, irresponsible target shooters leave literally tons of trash behind, which costs the public thousands of dollars to clean up,” he said.
https://www.courthousenews.com/suit-claims-feds-are-allowing-protected-desert-to-be-trashed/
Case 2:19-cv-05008-MHB in the US District Court for the District of Arizona.
The lawsuit filing: https://www.courthousenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/SonoranDesertMonument.pdf