U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT NEWS RELEASE
Utah State Office
Utah State Office
| Contacts: | Lisa Reid | , (435) 979-2838 | ||
| Gus Warr | , (801) 824-1632 |
Sulphur Gather Slated to Begin December 13
The BLM plans to gather approximately 250 wild horses from the Sulphur HMA beginning December 13, 2010. The majority of these horses, approximately 220 animals, will be released back to the range following the gather. Of these, about 90 would be mares vaccinated with a fertility control vaccine to slow population growth. The Sulphur HMA covers approximately 265,676 acres of public, state and private lands, located in Beaver, Iron, and Millard counties. The AML for the HMA is 165 to 250 wild horses. The current estimated population of wild horses within the Sulphur HMA is 276. Horses gathered from the Sulphur HMA will be shipped to the Central Utah Correctional Facility in Gunnison.
Members of the public are welcome to view operations once they begin. The BLM is planning to provide public observation of gather operations daily so long as the safety of the animals, staff, and observers is not jeopardized and operations are not disrupted. Those interested in participating in an escorted tour must meet at 6:00 a.m. MST at the Border Inn located in Baker, NV on the Utah-Nevada border on U.S. Highway 6 and 50. Current plans call for the Sulphur gather to operate December 13 through 20, although weather conditions may affect the projected schedule. Participants must provide their own transportation, water and lunches. The BLM recommends that the public dress for harsh field conditions. Binoculars are strongly recommended. No dogs or pets will be allowed on the gather, observation, or holding sites.
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.
Utah State Office 440 West 200 South, Suite 500 SLC, UT 84101-1345