Your comments are urgently needed to help Wyoming’s wild horses today!
You do not need to live in the U.S.A. to comment as we know Wyoming tourism draws people to the state from around the world to see native wild horses.
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) released an Environmental Assessment (EA) for the roundup and removal of wild horses from the “Checkerboard” region HMAs–Adobe Town and Salt Wells Creek (ATSW) in the Red Desert of Wyoming. The EA reads:
“All wild horses on private lands and on the checkerboard lands within the ATSW Complex would be removed in accordance with the 2013 Consent Decree.”
Since wild horses move freely from public land to private land in the “Checkerboard” region, will they chase the native wild horses with helicopters on to private land to remove as many as possible from the entire public-private land region? They have chased them on to public land in the past to trap them.
Does this roundup have a back-room connection to BP America’s Continental Divide – Creston (CD-C) natural gas project that will frack 8,950 new gas wells? The massive CD-C project already has 4,400 existing oil and gas wells.
Watch GASLAND Part II on HBO July 8th to see the answer to that question.
Comments are due to BLM Wyoming by 4:30 p.m. Central Time, June 10, 2013.
We encourage you to select Alternative C, No Action Alternative, No removal
Focus on the environmental damage because of the proposed Adobe Town Salt Wells Roundup. Oppose the roundup and request Alternative C, No Action Alternative, No removal. You can make it short. The point is to make a comment because they count how many come in. Below are some talking points:
More items will be listed later. Your suggestions below are welcome.
Read Debbie Coffey’s statement on using the fertility control agent known as PZP:
“PZP and other fertility control should not be used on non-viable herds either. Most of the remaining herds of wild horses are non-viable. The NAS and any advocacy groups that are pushing PZP and other fertility control have not carefully studied all of the caveats in Dr. Gus Cothran’s genetic analysis reports along with the remaining population of each herd of wild horses.” ~ Debbie Coffey, Director of Wild Horse Affairs at Wild Horse Freedom Federation
Read Jesica Johnston’s statement about overpopulation:
“The NAS findings clearly state that the BLM has failed to provide accurate estimates of the nation’s population of wild horses and burros. Therefore, the NAS cannot conclude that a state of over-population exists and or provide a recommendation for artificial management considerations such as ‘rigorous fertility controls’ to control populations for which the complex population dynamics are currently unknown.” ~Jesica Johnston, environmental scientist and biologist.
Here is the link to the BLM’s Environmental Assessment online:
Here is the BLM press release explaining their side:
Release Date: 05/10/13 | |||||||||||
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Adobe Town/Salt Wells Creek Wild Horse Gather EA Available |
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The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Rawlins and Rock Springs field offices are launching a 30-day public comment period on an environmental assessment (EA) to gather excess wild horses from the Adobe Town and Salt Wells Creek (ATSW) Herd Management Areas (HMAs).The two HMAs are managed collectively as the ATSW Complex due to wild horse movement between the two areas. The Complex is located in the checkerboard pattern of mixed public, private, and state land ownership in Sweetwater and Carbon counties, stretching from Interstate 80 south to the Wyoming/Colorado border. The BLM respects private land owner rights while managing wild horse populations. The ATSW Complex includes approximately 510,308 acres which are privately held. This gather would reduce landowner conflicts where the wild horses stray onto private lands.Population surveys conducted in May 2012 found approximately 1,005 wild horses in the ATSW Complex. However, wild horse populations are expected to increase by approximately 20 percent with the 2012 and 2013 foaling seasons, bringing the population in the ATSW Complex to an estimated 1,447 wild horses by summer.The appropriate management level (AML) for the ATSW Complex is 861-1,165 wild horses. The gather is necessary to maintain the wild horse herds toward the lower range of the established AMLs in compliance with the 1971 Wild Free-Roaming Horse and Burro Act, and the 2003 Wyoming Consent Decree. The AML for the ATSW Complex was established through an agreement with private land owners and wild horse advocacy groups. It was confirmed in the 1997 Green River Resource Management Plan (RMP) and through the 2008 Approved Rawlins RMP. The proposed gather is anticipated in 2013.
The proposed action in the EA is also in conformance with the Consent Decree with the Rock Springs Grazing Association (RSGA) ordered by the U.S. District Court on April 3, 2013, to remove all wild horses from private lands within the checkerboard portion of the ATSW Complex in 2013. According to the Consent Decree, if the numbers are likely to exceed 200 wild horses within the checkerboard portion of the ATSW Complex, the BLM shall prepare to remove the wild horses from the private lands. The ATSW Complex was last gathered in fall 2010. During that gather, 99 mares released back to the HMAs were administered the PZP fertility control vaccine. Fertility control is an alternative being considered in the EA. Public comments are most helpful if they cite specific actions or impacts, and offer supporting factual information or data. Written comments should be received by June 10, and may be emailed only to AdobeTown_SaltWells_HMA_WY@blm.gov (please list “ATSW Comment” in the subject line), mailed or hand-delivered during regular business hours (7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.) to: The BLM Rock Springs Field Office, ATSW Comment, 280 Highway 191 N., Rock Springs, WY 82901. Before including your address, phone number, email 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 may 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. For more information, please contact BLM Wild Horse Specialist Jay D’Ewart at 307-352-0256. Note to editor: A link to the EA and map of the proposed project area can be found atwww.blm.gov/wy/st/en/info/NEPA/documents/rfo/atsw-gather.html. |
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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–Rock Springs Field Office 280 Highway 191 North Rock Springs, WY 82901 |
Visit the GASLAND website for more information.
5/29 – | SACRAMENTO , The Crest Theater Gasland Part II Grassroots Tour 5:30 PM * Reception 6:00 PM * Screening Followed by Q&A with Josh Fox. RSVP |
5/31 – | SANTA BARBARA, Buchanan Hall Room 1910, University of California, Santa Barbara Gasland Part II Grassroots Tour Followed by Q&A with Josh Fox.RSVP |
6/1 – | MONTEREY, Lecture Forum #102 Monterey Peninsula College Gasland Part II Grassroots Tour Followed by Q&A with Josh Fox.RSVP |
6/2 – | STANFORD, Cubberly Auditorium, School of Education Building Gasland Part II Grassroots Tour 12:30pm * Reception 1:00pm * Screnning Followed by Q&A with Josh Fox. RSVP |
6/2 – | OAKLAND, Oakland Asian Cultural Center Gasland Part II Grassroots Tour Followed by Q&A with Josh Fox. RSVP |
6/3 – | SANTA CRUZ, Rio Theater Gasland Part II Grassroots Tour Followed by Q&A with Josh Fox. RSVP |
6/5 – | BINGHAMTON, West Middle School Gasland Part II Grassroots Tour Doors open at 6pm. Followed by Q&A with Josh Fox.RSVP |
6/7 – | ITHACA , Alice Statler Auditorium Gasland Part II Grassroots Tour Followed by Q&A with Josh Fox |
6/8 – | CALLICOON, Callicoon Theater Gasland Part II Grassroots Tour Followed by Q&A with Josh Fox |
6/9 – | WALTON, The Walton Theatre Gasland Part II Grassroots Tour Followed by Q&A with Josh FoxRSVP |
6/9 – | PLEASANTVILLE, Jacob Burns Film Center Gasland Part II Grassroots Tour |
6/12 – | ALBANY, TBA Gasland Part II Grassroots Tour Followed by Q&A with Josh Fox. |
6/13 – | SYRACUSE , SUNY-ESF: Marshall Hall Gasland Part II Grassroots Tour Followed by Q&A with Josh Fox. |
6/15 – | TRENTON, New Jersey State Museum Gasland Part II Grassroots Tour Followed by Q&A with Josh Fox.RSVP |
6/15 – | TRENTON, New Jersey State Museum Gasland Part II Grassroots Tour Followed by Q&A with Josh Fox.RSVP |
PENNSYLVANIA
6/17 – | BETHLEHEM, Broughal Middle School Gasland Part II Grassroots Tour Followed by Q&A with Josh Fox RSVP |
6/18 – | CAMP HILL, Digi Plex Cinema Center Gasland Part II Grassroots Tour Followed by Q&A with Josh FoxRSVP |
6/19 – | WILLIAMSPORT, Community Arts Center Gasland Part II Grassroots Tour Followed by Q&A with Josh Fox. |
6/20 – | PITTSBURGH, Soliders & Sailors Memorial Hall Gasland Part II Grassroots Tour Followed by Q&A with Josh Fox. RSVP |
SUBMITTED ELECTRONICALLY
Bureau of Land Management
Attn: Mark Ames
Rawlins Field Office
P.O. Box 2407 (1300 North Third Street)
Rawlins, WY 82301-2407
Email: BLM_WY_Continental_Divide_Creston@blm.gov
RE: Continental Divide-Creston Natural Gas Development Project (CD-C Project)
Dear Mr. Ames,
We are against this massive fracking Continental Divide-Creston Natural Gas Development Project (CD-C Project) and ask you to stop this project before it ruins the environment and endangers America’s native wild horses in Wyoming.
The drilling proposed will not only displace native wild horses but also threaten the wild herds with environmental dangers/disease.
If you choose to go forward with this during the environmentally risky CD-C Project then we ask that you do the following:
1.) We request you take immediate action to ensure native wild horses will live in their native habitat and not be rounded up for permanent removal.
2.) We request you prohibit drilling in native wild horse habitat.
3.) We ask that you work with the energy companies involved including BP American Production to create a 50 million dollar “Protect Wyoming Mustangs Fund” to mitigate the impacts to native wild horse habitat, air quality and water sources from the proposed Continental Divide-Creston Natural Gas Development Project.
4.) We request you never grant NEPA waivers for any aspect of this project. Wild horses and other wildlife, the environment and air quality must be protected.
America’s wild horses are a native species and must be protected as such.
Kirkpatrick, J.F., and P.M. Fazio, in the revised January 2010 edition of Wild Horses as Native North American Wildlife states:
The key element in describing an animal as a native species is (1) where it originated; and (2) whether or not it co‐evolved with its habitat. Clearly, E. 6 caballus did both, here in North American. There might be arguments about “breeds,” but there are no scientific grounds for arguments about “species.”
The non‐native, feral, and exotic designations given by agencies are not merely reflections of their failure to understand modern science but also a reflection of their desire to preserve old ways of thinking to keep alive the conflict between a species (wild horses), with no economic value anymore (by law), and the economic value of commercial livestock.
Please respond directly to me with regards to our requests.
Thank you for your kind assistance to urgent this matter.
Sincerely,
Anne Novak
Anne Novak
Executive Director
Protect Mustangs
San Francisco Bay Area
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Protect Mustangs is devoted to protecting native wild horses. Our mission is to educate the public about the native wild horse, protect and research American wild horses on the range and help those who have lost their freedom.
“Give us some truth,” says Yoko Ono.
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