Bureau of Land Management Held Hostage by Iron County Commissioners

Compliance with Iron County's ultimatum to remove wild horses sets a dangerous precedent throughout the West.

COLORADO SPRINGS, CO. (April 7, 2013) -The Cloud Foundation(TCF), a national wild horse advocacy organization, is shocked at theBLM’s apparent agreement to comply with Iron County Commissioner’s ultimatum: "Remove Wild Horses from Public Lands or we will." TCF urgesBLMto fulfill their legal responsibilities to enforce the1971 Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act. Any roundup and removal of legally protected wild horses from public lands by Iron County is a violation of the Law. AnyBLMparticipation places them in violation as well.

TCF Board Member, Lisa Friday spoke with Iron County Commissioner, David Miller who told her that wild horses have devastated drought-strickenpublic lands. There was no mention by Miller of the ongoing damage topublic landsowned by the American people caused by federally subsidized privately ownedlivestock. Compared to the state’s 3,500 wild horses, 108,000 head of privately ownedlivestockare reported to graze on Utah’spublic lands.

And while the Iron County Commissioners say that the wild horseherd management areas(HMA’s) are extremely over-populated,BLMpopulation counts in March 2012 show that only one of the HMA’s, Bible Springs, has a population that would ensure their genetic viability (150-200 adult horses). Tilley Creek has 55 horses on 37,000 acres; Bible Springs 290 horses on 56,588 acres; 4 Mile, 71 horses on 61,273 acres. Only 518 wild horses are reported in these HMA’s – not 1,200 as reported by Iron County Commissioners.

TheBLMcannot proceed with a roundup of federally-protected wild horses without fulfilling requirements not only of the Act but also the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) which require full disclosure and analysis before any wild horse can be legally removed from designatedherd management areas.

However, this morning’s Salt Lake Tribune announcement of an upcomingBLMadoption on May 16-17 which states, “horses gathered as part of an emergency Iron County roundup, if it occurs could be available,” indicates that theBLMmay proceed in violation of the very Act they are charged with upholding.

“Rather than lying down to Iron County Commissioners, theBLMshould be on the ground in full force as they are in Nevada, to ensure that the wild horses are not harmed,” stated Paula Todd King, Communications Director for TCF. “Public landsmust be managed not only for federally subsidized privately owned ranchers but for all taxpaying citizens.”

Originally Posted By The Cloud Foundation