Public comment due March 20th for proposed Red Desert wild horse roundup

 

(Wyoming) – The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Rawlins and Lander Field offices are accepting public comments prior to preparing an Environmental Assessment (EA) on a proposed wild horse gather in the Red Desert Herd Management (HMA) and surrounding area to be placed on the national schedule.

The Red Desert Complex includes the following HMAs and corresponding Appropriate Management Level (AML) ranges: Lost Creek HMA 60-82, Stewart Creek HMA 125-175, Antelope Hills HMA 60-82, Crooks Mountain HMA 65-85, and Green Mountain HMA 170-300. The proposed operation would include gathering wild horses, treating all mares to be released with PZP-22 (Porcline Zona Pellucida) fertility control vaccine, and removing horses which have moved outside the HMAs. Mares will be treated with the fertility control to slow reproduction rates, maintain population size within the AML, and to extend the time period between gather operations. Population surveys conducted in August 2013 reveal a number of wild horses have moved outside the HMAs. Those horses, as well as the foals, would be gathered and removed from the range.

Written substantive comments will be most useful if received by March 20 via fax, mail, email:RedDesertComplex_HMA_wy@blm.gov (please include “Red Desert Complex Scoping Comments” in the subject line), or hand delivery during regular business hours (7:45 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.) to:

Benjamin Smith, Wild Horse & Burro Specialist Trent Staheli, Rangeland Management Specialist

BLM Rawlins Field Office (Acting Wild Horse & Burro Specialist)

P.O. Box 2407 BLM Lander Field Office

Rawlins, Wyoming 82301 1335 Main Street

Fax: (307) 328-4224 Lander, Wyoming 82520

Fax: (307) 332-8444

For more information, visit: http://www.blm.gov/wy/st/en/info/NEPA/documents/rfo/red-desert.html.

–BLM

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