Posted on 05/18/2012 4:37:55 PM PDT by Kaslin
In Arizona, it's no surprise that water can be hard to come by, but why is the federal government is cutting off the water supply to the famous Old West town of Tombstone?
Nearly a year ago, Tombstone's water supply lines were heavily damaged in a flood after a heavy rain due to a massive wildfire leaving loose soil in the area. (Read this article to find out why we can thank the Forest Service for catastrophic wildfires)
Since the damage, Tombstone residents have been fighting to repair the water lines, but because they run through a wilderness area, the feds are saying the only option they have is to literally dig up miles and miles of water lines by hand. Why? Machine use in wilderness areas is prohibited by federal law.
More from the Goldwater Institute:
Monday, U.S. District Court Judge Frank Zapata denied Tombstone, Arizona’s emergency request to restore its Huachuca Mountain municipal water supply. Over nine months ago, the historic town’s 130-year-old water system was destroyed by massive flooding resulting from torrential rains and the destruction of surrounding forests in the Monument Fire.
Despite the burial of water reservoirs and water lines under boulders the size of Volkswagens and as much as 12 feet of mud, the Court denied Tombstone’s request to allow it to use mechanized and motorized equipment to restore its water system. In denying the request, the Court ruled that the town did not exhaust efforts to obtain federal permits to use the equipment despite nine months of continuous efforts by the town to secure the U.S. Forest Service’s cooperation. The Court was not moved by a state of emergency declared specifically for Tombstone by Arizona Governor Jan Brewer.
The Goldwater Institute has already filed an emergency appeal of the decision.
“Requiring Tombstone to seek federal permits to repair its municipal water supply is like demanding a federal permit before the City can make repairs to a fire truck,” said Nick Dranias, Goldwater Institute director of constitutional studies and lead attorney in the case. “Under the Tenth Amendment, the federal government has no power during a state of emergency to stop a local government from repairing its own municipal property, which is essential to providing safe drinking water and adequate fire protection.”
The Goldwater Institute is representing the City of Tombstone in this clash with the federal government. Tombstone has property rights to 25 mountain spring heads and all of the water rising and flowing in two canyons in the Huachuca Mountains. Bundled with those rights are access roads and pipeline rights of way. Until last year, the U.S. Forest Service recognized and respected those rights, which date back to the days of Wyatt Earp. Today, the federal government denies they exist and refuses to allow Tombstone to restore more than three of its spring water catchments.
"Tombstone (1993)" Theatrical Trailer
Because it’s in Arizona. The commie piggies in D.C. hate Arizona.
UN Agenda 21’s ultimate goal is to herd all excess human beings into urban compounds where they can be processed more easily, leaving the rest of the country a pristine Walden paradise where UN bigwigs and their corporate cronies can enjoy nature from their lavish dachas.
Are they messing with my pizza??
Give an inch and they’ll take a mile. This is just more conditioning of the all-powerful federal government over the unwashed masses.
Likely to start a real water war.
Because Tombstone is a significant cultural landmark for distinctly American courage. The Washington government will not allow that. We Southerners have been under that hammer for a long time. The suppression is simply spreading out now.
Until 2009 the United States did not have a Dictator in Chief.
The feds are trying to kill all the little towns one way or another.
Any blood spilled goes against the feds.
/johnny
Tombstone needs to go ahead and just get their water. Let this regime step in to stop it and pick their ass off one by one.
Yep.
Whiskey is for drinkin’,
water is for fightin’...
They need to do what Catron county NM did and throw all the FedMob agents out. Then do what they need to do. There are plenty of people that will back them up.
It’s time to pass the hat and start sending water trucks to Tombstone now. And lobby Congress to force the feds to allow the repair work to commence.
Will Tombstone go the way of Gleeson?
I don’t think Cochise county has the guts.
He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone, for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.
He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harrass our people, and eat out their substance.
He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.
He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil power.
He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:
Once upon a time.... we quit lobbying, because it doesn't do any good.
/johnny
Someone ought to check out the satellite images surrounding the water supply area. Maybe someone is trying to hide something.
That is also true. Alter or abolish it, IMO.
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