BLM accepting public comments on environmental assessment for Blue Wing Complex wild horse and burro project
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Winnemucca, Nev. - The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Winnemucca District, Humboldt River Field Office (HRFO), is seeking public input as it initiates an Environmental Assessment for the Blue Wing Complex. As part of the scoping process, the HRFO is hosting a Public Scoping Tour of the Blue Wing Complex Saturday and Sunday, March 19-20. The purpose of this tour is to offer the public an opportunity to get out on the ground to see the condition of the range in regards to wild horse and burro populations.
The Blue Wing complex is located in Pershing County west of Lovelock, Nevada. The Complex is comprised of 1,230,364 acres of both private and public lands. Managing wild horse and burro populations is necessary to maintain healthy and viable wild horse/burro herds and prevent deterioration of range and water resources. There are currently an estimated 1,733 wild horses and 704 wild burros in the Blue Wing Complex based on an aerial population count conducted in December 2014, including the 2015 foal crop (20% reproduction rate for horses, 13% reproduction rate for burros). AML ranges for the Blue Wing Complex are 333-553 wild horses and 55-90 wild burros.
Day 1 – Saturday, March 19th
The public will meet at the Winnemucca BLM Office, 5100 E. Winnemucca Blvd., Winnemucca Nevada at 7:30 a.m. This portion of the tour will cover the northern part of the Blue Wing Complex and will end in Lovelock approximately 4:30 p.m.
Day 2 – Sunday, March 20th
The public will meet at the Temptations Cafe, 395 Main Street in Lovelock Nevada at 9:00 a.m. This portion of the tour will cover the southern part of the Complex and will end on Hwy 447 approximately 10 miles south of Gerlach approximately 4:00 p.m.
Visitors must RSVP by calling Terah Malsam, Winnemucca District Public Affairs Officer, at (775) 623-1518 or at BLM_NV_Blue_Wing_Complex_EA@blm.gov no later than 4:00 p.m. PST March 18th. Visitors must bring their own 4WD vehicle with good off-road tires. Please bring water and lunch and plan for cold or warm temperatures. Restrooms are available in Winnemucca and Lovelock, but not along the route. Cameras and binoculars are welcome.
For additional information or to submit comments, please send by mail to 5100 E. Winnemucca Blvd. Winnemucca, Nevada 89445, Attn: Samantha Gooch, Project Lead, or email at: BLM_NV_Blue_Wing_Complex_EA@blm.gov by April 7, 2016 to be considered in the development of the EA. Comments submitted for this project, including names and addresses of commenters, will be available for public review at the Winnemucca District Office during regular business hours 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, except federal holidays. 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 personal identifying information -- may be made publicly available at any time. While you can ask us in your comment to withhold personal identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so. Anonymity is not allowed for submissions from organizations or businesses and from individuals identifying themselves as representatives or officials of organizations or businesses.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.