BLM Seeks Public Comment on Proposed Wild Horse and Wild
Burro Gathers at Garfield Flat and Marietta Wild Burro Range
Carson
City, Nev. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Carson City District,
Stillwater Field Office released the Preliminary Garfield Flat and Marietta Herd
Management Areas Gather Plan and Environmental Assessment (EA) for public review
and comment. The proposed gather area is southwest of Hawthorne, in Mineral
County, Nev. The BLM would appreciate receiving substantive comments on the EA
by Oct. 24.
The
EA analyzes two proposed gathers; a wild horse gather to apply fertility control
to mares and remove 223 excess wild horses from the Garfield Flat Herd
Management Area (HMA), and a wild burro gather to remove 66 excess wild burros
from the Marietta HMA. The proposed horse gather is tentatively scheduled for
February 2012, and the wild burro gather is tentatively scheduled for 2013.
The
proposed gathers are needed to achieve and maintain the established appropriate
management levels (AMLs) and remove excess wild horses and burros. The proposed
gather also would prevent further range deterioration resulting from the current
overpopulation of wild horses and wild burros within the areas.
The
Garfield Flat and Marietta HMAs Gather Plan and EA analyzes the application of
fertility control on mares, and the removal of approximately 223 excess wild
horses from inside and outside of the Garfield Flat HMA. About 240 wild horses
would be gathered, 26 - 33 mares would be vaccinated with a two-year fertility
control vaccine (Porcine Zona Pellucida - PVP-22), then released back into the
HMA, leaving 83 wild horses in the Garfield Flat HMA. Treating the mares will
slow the rate of herd reproduction, assisting in maintaining the AML, and
reducing the number of excess wild horses that would need to be removed in the
future. The AML for the Garfield Flat HMA is 83 to 125 wild horses.
The
proposed gather for the Marietta HMA would remove 66 excess wild burros leaving
78 wild burros within the area. The AML for the Marietta HMA is 78 to 104
burros.
The
EA may be reviewed online:
http://www.blm.gov/nv/st/en/fo/carson_city_field/blm_information/nepa.html
The
BLM would appreciate receiving substantive comments on the EA by October 24,
2011. Comments
received during the public review period will be analyzed and considered as part
of the decision-making process.
Only written comments will be considered. Written comments for the Garfield
Flat and Marietta Gather Plan and EA may be submitted by email to: GarfieldEA2011@blm.gov,
by mail to: BLM Stillwater Field Manager Teresa Knutson, 5665 Morgan Mill Rd.,
Carson City, NV 89701, or by fax to: 775-885-6147
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.
For
additional information about the proposed gathers, call or email Steve Kramer,
planning and environmental coordinator, 775-885-6005, skramer@blm.gov.
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