Comments needed to save wild horses

Release Date: 12/17/12
Contacts: Lisa Ross , 775-885-6107
News Release No. CCDO 2013-18

Carson City District BLM Seeks Public Input for Proposed Drought Environmental Assessment

Carson City, Nev. – The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Carson City District is seeking public input on the development of an Environmental Assessment (EA) for management of livestock and wild horses within the Carson City District during drought conditions. Input is needed by Jan. 16, 2013, to be considered in development of the EA.

According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, Nevada is currently experiencing moderate to extreme drought conditions. The proposed EA will be prepared to allow the BLM to respond to current and future drought conditions. Some of the factors to be examined will be winter/spring precipitation; water availability for livestock, wild horses, and wildlife; residual forage from previous growing seasons; current year’s forage plant growth; plant vigor; soil moisture content; soil/site stability and hydrologic function; riparian health and function; plant community composition; and wildlife habitat condition. Other factors may also be incorporated as needed.

The proposed EA will analyze a wide range of temporary drought response alternatives that could be used to mitigate the effects of drought. Input can be submitted via email to CCDODroughtEA@blm.gov, or mailed to BLM, Carson City District, 5665 Morgan Mill Road, Carson City, NV 89701.

Comments, including names, street addresses, email addresses, and phone numbers of respondents will be available for public review at the Carson City District Office during regular business hours. 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 at any time. While you can ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so. All submissions from organizations and businesses, and from individuals identifying themselves as representatives or officials of organizations or businesses, will be available for public inspection in their entirety.

Questions or comments regarding the EA can be addressed to Angelica Rose, Project Manager, at (775) 885-6008.

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.
–BLM–Carson City District   5665 Morgan Mill Road      Carson City, NV 89701