The Torres Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians of California and the Environmental Protection Agency are trying to stop the reservation from being used as an illegal dumping ground.

Nearly 25,000 acres of the reservation have become a haven for the region's trash. One pile of refuse burned for a week earlier this year before being put out.

The tribe says it doesn't have enough resources to police waste dumps located on the reservation. So tribal and federal officials are asking local governments to restrict the flow of waste in the region.

Some of the dumps are operating on individual Indian allotments within the reservation and are being run by tribal members.

Get the Story:
Dumping crackdown sought by Cahuilla (The Palm Springs Desert Sun 12/13)

Relevant Links:
Torres Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians - http://www.torresmartinez.org

Related Stories:
Fire burns for a week on Torres Martinez Reservation (04/11)
California tribe to use EPA grant to monitor water (02/02)
Calif. tribe gives members bottled water (02/11)
Church ordered to remove tent from reservation (10/05)
Judge asked to shut down reservation dump site (7/24)
Feds seek to close reservation mobile home park (07/11)
Waste dump on reservation told to stop burning (05/08)