BLM Extends Public Comment Period on Environmental Assessment of Burro Contraceptive Pilot Program
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KINGMAN, Ariz. – The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Kingman Field Office is extending the public comment period to obtain feedback on the Environmental Assessment (EA) of a fertility management pilot program as proposed by the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS). The EA, released July 18, will have a new deadline for comments of August 22, 2016.
Approximately 5,000 wild burros currently roam public lands in the state of Arizona. The BLM protects and manages wild horses and burros under the authority of the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act of 1971 as amended, to ensure that healthy herds thrive on healthy rangelands. Because these animals have virtually no natural predators, their herd sizes can double nearly every four years.
The HSUS in cooperation with the BLM proposes to treat female burros in the Black Mountain Herd Management Area (HMA) with the immunocontraceptive vaccine Porcine Zona Pellucida (PZP), also known as ZonaStat-H PZP.
The HSUS’s focus for this project is to assess whether booster doses of ZonaStat-H PZP could be applied via opportunistic darting in a safe, effective, and economical manner as one method of reducing reproduction rates to wild and free roaming burros.
The BLM is accepting substantive comments through August 22. Substantive comments either question with reasonable basis the accuracy of information or present new information relevant to the analysis. Comments are not considered substantive that are emotional in nature or in favor or against the project. The BLM does not take into consideration the amount of comments on one particular issue.
The EA titled DOI BLM-AZ-C010-2016-0004, as well as online comment submissions are available on the BLM ePlanning portal at:http://bit.ly/BLM-AZ-KFO-WildBurro
A printed copy is available for public review during business hours at the Kingman Field Office located at 2755 Mission Blvd, Kingman, AZ 86401.
Written comments may be mailed or delivered to the Bureau of Land Management, Kingman Field Office, 2755 Mission Blvd, Kingman, AZ 86401.
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.