The Bureau of Land Management NEWS |
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The Bureau of Land Management NEWS |
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Last updated: 04/09/03
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Bureau of Land Management For Release: Thursday, March 20, 2003 |
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| Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board Meeting Scheduled The Bureau of Land Management's (BLM) Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board will meet to discuss the management and protection of wild, free-roaming horses and burros on the nation's public lands, according to a notice in the March 17, 2003 Federal Register. The meeting will be held Monday, April 7, 2003 from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm local time, and on Tuesday, April 8, 2003 from 8:00 am to 3:00 pm local time. The Advisory Board will meet at the Four Points Sheraton Hotel, 10220 N. Metro Parkway East, Phoenix, Arizona. The BLM re-established the Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board in 1998 to provide input and guidance for the management of wild horse and burro herds on the Western rangeland. Under the 1971 Wild Free-Roaming Horse and Burro Act, the BLM manages nearly 44,000 wild horses and burros, which roam public lands in the West. The law mandates the protection, management, and control of these wild horses and burros in a way that ensures a healthy, viable free-roaming herd population within the limits of available public land resources. The BLM gathers excess animals and places them in good homes. After one year, qualified adopters may acquire a title for the animals. The BLM manages animals in compliance with the Wild Free-Roaming Horse and Burro Act, as amended. The public may address the Advisory Board on April 7 at approximately 4:00 pm. Individuals making a statement should register with the BLM on April 7, by noon, at the meeting location. Depending on the number of speakers, the Advisory Board may limit the length of presentations. Speakers should address the specific wild horse and burro-related topics listed on the agenda. Speakers must submit a written copy of their statement to the BLM at the meeting. Individuals who are unable to attend the meeting but would like to comment may submit a written statement by March 27, 2003, to: Bureau of Land Management, National Wild Horse and Burro Program, WO-260, Attention: Janet Nordin, 1340 Financial Boulevard, Reno, Nevada, 89502-7147. For additional information regarding the meeting, please contact Janet Nordin, Wild Horse and Burro Public Outreach Specialist, (775) 861-6583. Individuals who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may reach Ms. Nordin at any time by calling the Federal Information Relay Service at 1-800-877-8339. The BLM, an agency of the U.S. Department of the Interior, manages more land – 261 million surface acres -- than any other Federal agency. Most of this public land is located in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The Bureau, with a budget of about $1.9 billion and a workforce of some 10,000 full-time, permanent employees, also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. The BLM’s multiple-use mission is to sustain the health and productivity of the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. The Bureau accomplishes this by managing such activities as outdoor recreation, livestock grazing, mineral development, and energy production, and by conserving natural, historical, cultural, and other resources on the public lands.
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