[ADEQ Media] ADEQ Director Owens Announces Waste Cleanup from Illegal Border Crossings in Arivaca Area of Pima County

[media@lists.azdeq.gov]

ADEQ Director Owens Announces Waste Cleanup from Illegal Border
Crossings in Arivaca Area of Pima County 

PHOENIX (Dec. 1, 2008) -- Arizona Department of Environmental Quality
(ADEQ) Director Steve Owens announced today that ADEQ will participate
in a cleanup on Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 6 and 7, near the community of
Arivaca to remove waste discarded by undocumented migrants on trails in
prime hunting habitat.

ADEQ is participating in the cleanup as part of its Undocumented Migrant
(UDM) Waste Project, through the department's Office of Border
Environmental Protection. The cleanup is being organized by the Arizona
Game and Fish Department and the organization Hunters Who Care. Trash
will be picked up on the Marley Ranch, Rancho Seco and Sopori Ranch in
Pima County during the two-day event near the Mexican border.

"The trashing of the desert by border crossers is a huge problem,"
Director Owens said. "We have been working with officials at the state,
federal and local levels, as well as community groups, to develop a
strategy for addressing this enormous issue and organizing cleanups of
waste that has been left in the desert."

Two cleanups earlier this year organized by ADEQ in the Yuma area and
along the Santa Cruz River north of Nogales produced about 100 tons of
trash that was hauled out of sensitive riparian areas.  

In addition to its UDM Waste Project, ADEQ has a broader, ongoing effort
to address the overall problem of illegal dumping throughout Arizona.
The agency has established a program to work with local officials to
prevent illegal dumping and clean up illegal dump sites across the
state.

"Dealing with the problem of illegal dumping is a priority," Owens said.
"Illegal dumping poses a serious threat to public health and the
environment, as well as to the well being of communities. We are
committed to working with local leaders to address this major problem in
our state."

-30-

News media interested in additional information on this or any other
topic concerning the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality should
contact the Office of Communications at (602) 771-2215 or via email at
communications@azdeq.gov.

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