Lister also confirmed to CNSNews.com the incidents involving the deputy who was wounded and the drug smugglers who were killed at the monument, and added that there also was an attempted car-jacking at the monument.
Lister said one reason the BLM kept the monument open is that the “law-abiding people” who use the area for recreation “are aware of the conditions, are familiar with the surroundings, and desire continued access to these public lands.”
Warning sign posted in Sonoran Desert
Since May 2009, signs “intended to help people make informed decisions” have been posted on BLM lands to warn about drug smuggling and illegal immigration, said Lister.
“Another consideration is that smugglers passing through the Monument have tended to be focused on delivery of their illegal products,” said Lister. “Violence and threats have generally not been aimed at recreational users of the Monument lands.”
“We feel that we have the tools and the ability to evaluate whether an area is in ‘extreme danger,’” he said. “If the process of making such a determination becomes more standardized as a result of the GAO report, then we, of course, will abide by those standards.”
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