Ely District Office
| Contacts: | Chris Hanefeld | , 775-289-1842 | , chris_hanefeld@blm.gov |
BLM to Gather Wild Horses from Moriah Herd Area
Ely, Nev. – The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Ely District, Schell Field Office has issued the Decision Record for the Final Environmental Assessment (EA) for the Moriah Herd Area Wild Horse Gather.
The BLM will gather and remove approximately 72 excess wild horses from in and around the Moriah Herd Area (HA), located about 48 miles northeast of Ely, beginning on or about Aug. 10, 2010. The gathered animals will be transported to the Delta Wild Horse and Burro Facility, in Delta, Utah, where they will be offered for adoption to qualified individuals. Unadopted horses will be placed in long-term pastures where they will be humanely cared for and retain their "wild" status and protection under the 1971 Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act. The BLM does not sell or send any horses to slaughter.
The Moriah HA gather and impacts are described and analyzed in the EA, which is available online at www.blm.gov/nv. Click on the Ely District map and then click on Moriah HA gather under "In the Spotlight." The BLM will also provide updates and information at the same Web address on a regular basis throughout the course of the gather.
The BLM Ely District is implementing the Ely Resource Management Plan that was signed in August 2008. Through the planning process, a decision was made to remove all wild horses and change the management classification from Herd Management Area (HMA) status to Herd Area status on12 HMAs. This was due to insufficient habitat resources to sustain healthy wild horse populations, including forage, water, space, cover and reproductive viability. The Moriah HA was included in this decision.
For more information, contact Chris Hanefeld, BLM Ely District public affairs specialist, at (775) 289-1842 or chris_hanefeld@blm.gov
The BLM manages more land - over 245 million acres - than any other Federal agency. This land, known as the National System of Public Lands, is primarily located in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The Bureau, with a budget of about $1 billion, 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 public lands.
Ely District Office 702 N. Industrial Way Ely, NV 89301