Carson City District Office
| Contacts: | Mark Struble, Public Affairs Officer, 775-885-6107 |
BLM Seeks Public Comment on Proposed Wild Horse Gathers
Carson City, Nev. – The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Carson City District today released two preliminary environmental assessments (EA) for public review and comment that analyze four proposed wild horse gathers to apply fertility control on mares and remove 318 excess wild horses. The gathers are tentatively scheduled for November-December 2010 and February 2011.
The Clan Alpine/Pilot Mountain/Pine Nut Gather Plan and EA analyzes the application of fertility control on mares and the removal of about 224 excess wild horses in the Pilot Mountain (Mineral County), Pine Nut (Carson City, Douglas and Lyon Counties), and Clan Alpine (Churchill County) HMAs in Nevada. A total of approximately 1,111 wild horses in the three HMAs would be gathered. Approximately 420 mares would be vaccinated with a two-year fertility control vaccine (Porcine Zona Pellucida - PVP-22), and then released with a total 887 horses back into their respective HMAs. Treating the mares will slow the rate of herd reproduction, assisting in maintaining the Appropriate Management Level (AML), and reducing the number of excess wild horses that would need to be removed in the future.
About 171 horses of the 224 excess wild horses to be removed are residing outside the Pilot Mountain and Pine Nut HMAs. Approximately 104 of these wild horses often congregate well outside the HMA on and along U.S. Highway 95 near Walker Lake, Nevada, creating a serious public safety hazard.
The Lahontan Herd Management Area (HMA) Gather Plan and EA analyzes the proposed removal of approximately 94 excess wild horses within and outside of the boundaries of the HMA. The current wild horse population for the HMA is approximately 104, which exceeds the HMA’s appropriate management level of 10 horses. The Lahontan HMA is located in Lyon County.
The two EAs may be reviewed online at www.blm.gov/nv/st/en/fo/carson_city_field.html.
The BLM would appreciate receiving substantive comments on the EAs by September 23, 2010. Comments received during the public review period will be analyzed and considered as part of the decision-making process.
Written comments for the Clan Alpine/Pilot Mountain/Pine Nut Gather Plan and EA should be directed to: ccwhbEA_2010@blm.gov (note there is an underscore in between EA_2010) or mail to Stillwater Field Office Manager Teresa Knutson and Sierra Front Field Manager Linda Kelly, 5665 Morgan Mill Rd., Carson City, NV 89701. Direct phone inquiries to Steve Kramer, Planning & Environmental Coordinator, 775-885-6005.
Written comments for the Lahontan Herd Management Area (HMA) Gather Plan and EA should be directed to: lahonEA_2010@blm.gov (note there is an underscore in between EA_2010) or mail to Field Manager Linda J. Kelly, Sierra Front Field Office, 5665 Morgan Mill Rd., Carson City, NV 89701. Direct phone inquiries to Brian Buttazoni, Planning & Environmental Coordinator, 775-885-6004.
Only email comments received through the identified e-mail addresses will be considered. Written comments for either EA can also be sent via FAX to 775-885-6147.
Before including your address, phone number, e-mail address, or other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment – including your personal identifying information – may be made publicly available.
The proposed gathers are needed to achieve and maintain the established appropriate management levels (AMLs) and remove any wild horses residing outside areas designated for management. The proposed gather also would prevent further range deterioration resulting from the current overpopulation of wild horses within the areas.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land, the most of any Federal agency. This land, known as the National System of Public Lands, is primarily located in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. In Fiscal Year (FY) 2011, recreational and other activities on BLM-managed land contributed more than $130 billion to the U.S. economy and supported more than 600,000 American jobs. The Bureau is also one of a handful of agencies that collects more revenue than it spends. In FY 2012, nearly $5.7 billion will be generated on lands managed by the BLM, which operates on a $1.1 billion budget. 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 public lands.
Carson City District Office 5665 Morgan Mill Road Carson City, NV 89701