Showing posts with label wild horses and burros. Show all posts
Showing posts with label wild horses and burros. Show all posts
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
The American Equine Protection Act of 2010
In passing the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act of 1971, the 92nd Congress Declared: That wild free-roaming horses and burros are living symbols of the historic and pioneer spirit of the West; that they contribute to the diversity of life forms within the Nation and enrich the lives of the American people;
In 2004,the 108th Congress recognized the first official National Day of the Horse. The text of the resolution states:
Encouraging citizens to be mindful of the contribution of horses to the economy, history, and character of the United States and expressing the sense of Congress that a National Day of the Horse should be established.
Whereas the horse is a living link to the history of the United States;
Whereas, without horses, the economy, history, and character of the United States would be profoundly different;
Whereas horses continue to permeate the society of the United States, as witnessed on movie screens, on open land, and in our own backyards;
Whereas horses are a vital part of the collective experience of the United States and deserve protection and compassion;
Whereas, because of increasing pressure from modern society, wild and domestic horses rely on humans for adequate food, water, and shelter; and
Whereas the Congressional Horse Caucus estimates that the horse industry contributes well over $100,000,000,000 each year to the economy of the United States: Now, therefore, be it Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), That Congress--
(1) encourages all citizens to be mindful of the contribution of horses to the economy, history, and character of the United States;
(2) expresses its sense that a National Day of the Horse should be established in recognition of the importance of horses to the Nation's security, economy, recreation, and heritage; and
(3) urges the President to issue a proclamation calling on the people of the United States and interested organizations to observe National Day of the Horse with appropriate programs and activities.
On the fifth anniversary of the first official National Day of the Horse, horse enthusiasts are encouraged to celebrate the horse's contribution to the United States.
Why Should We Celebrate and Protect Our American Equines?
The people of the United States need to be mindful of the contribution of horses to the economy, history, heritage, society, and character of the United States from the beginning starting with the Native Americans.
There are 9.2 million horses in the United States.
4.6 million Americans are involved in the industry as horse owners, service providers, employees and volunteers.
2 million people own horses.
The horse industry has a direct economic effect on the U.S.of $39 billion annually.
The industry has a $102 billion impact on the U.S.economy when the multiplier effect of spending by industry suppliers and employees is taken into account.
The industry directly provides 460,000 full-time equivalent (FTE) jobs.
Currently the horse industry has more than a $ 102,000,000,000* ( 102 billion) impact on the U.S. economy when the multiplier effect of spending by industry suppliers and employees is taken into account. Including off-site spending of spectators would result in an even much higher figure.
Currently the horse industry has a direct economic effect on the U.S. of more than $ 39, 000,000,000* ( 39 billion) annually.
Currently more than 4,600,000* ( 4.6 million) Americans are involved in the industry as horse owners, service providers, employees and volunteers. Tens of millions more participate as spectators.
The Horse industry pays 1, 900,000,000* ( 1.9 billion) in taxes to all levels of government.
Forty-five states have at least 20,000 horses each*.
There are 9,200,000* ( 9.2 million) horses in the United States. Including horses used for racing, showing, competition, sport, breeding, recreation, farm and ranch work, rodeo, carriage horses, polo, police work, informal competitions etc. This includes horses used both commercially and for pleasure.
Horse Competitions including the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) games involve over 60 countries, 1000 horses and contestants which will be competing for the first time in the United States specifically in Lexington KY in 2010. The popularity of horses is increasing among the world countries. The FEI is the international governing body of equestrian sport recognized by the International Olympic Committee.
The Horse industry directly employs 701,946* people. Some people are part time and some people are seasonal, so this equates to 460,000* full-time equivalent (FTE) jobs.
Spending by suppliers and employees generates additional jobs for a total employment impact of 1,400,000* (1.4 million) jobs.
*American Horse Council Statistics
To: The 111th Congress of the United States
Be it that the BLM is currently holding more wild horses and burros in captivity than it can afford to maintain, (said to be approximatly 35,-40,000 and growing) and be it that by BLMs own admission, there is far more adoptable horses being held in these holding facilities than there is a demand for,...and be it that again, by the BLMs own admission, the Wild Horse and Burro Management Program is in crisis because of the great number of wild equines currently being held in captivity at these facilities,....We, the People of the United States who care about the welfare of Americas Equines and in particular our Wild & Free-roaming herds,...hereby submit this proposal to our representatives as well as to all members of Congress in hopes of providing a way for interested parties to come together and work towards enactment of these clauses as listed below which would allow a viable, cost-effective alternative to "un-restricted sale" and/or the extreme measure of euthansia that these thousands of American wild horses and burros being held in captivity are facing.
A Proposal
A BILL TO AMEND THE WILD FREE-ROAMING HORSES AND BURROS ACT OF 1971
Preserving those provisions of the 1971 Act not amended herein, including that provision which entitles the wild horses and burros to principal use of their historic rangelands "as found in 1971," and;
Amending,removing,replacing and/or adding certain portions and provisions of The Act to:
1. Declare American Equines a National Treasure;
2. Prohibiting the slaughter of any American Equine as well as prohibiting their sale or transfer to other parties for the purpose of slaughter.
3. Remove the Burns/Reid rider amendment that allows for the unrestricted sale of some wild horses or burros and replace with a "Pickins Plan" Amendment that would allow for placement of excess wild horses and burros in private or public sanctuaries while still maintaining the protections of this Act.
4. Correct the Omission of the 92nd Congress in failing to provide protections in the 1971 Act for ALL wild free-roaming horses and burros on all of our Nations public lands.
5. Declare, as the 109th Congress did, and re-affirm that December 13th is a National Day of the Horse and is to be celebrated annually.
The New Act, once written up and incorporated with the un-amended portions of the Old (1971) Act,...will superceede and replace the Wild Horse & Burro Act of 1971, and will be known as "The American Equine Protection Act of 2010."
*This is only a rough draft and suggestions on improvement are welcome and strongly encouraged.
In 2004,the 108th Congress recognized the first official National Day of the Horse. The text of the resolution states:
Encouraging citizens to be mindful of the contribution of horses to the economy, history, and character of the United States and expressing the sense of Congress that a National Day of the Horse should be established.
Whereas the horse is a living link to the history of the United States;
Whereas, without horses, the economy, history, and character of the United States would be profoundly different;
Whereas horses continue to permeate the society of the United States, as witnessed on movie screens, on open land, and in our own backyards;
Whereas horses are a vital part of the collective experience of the United States and deserve protection and compassion;
Whereas, because of increasing pressure from modern society, wild and domestic horses rely on humans for adequate food, water, and shelter; and
Whereas the Congressional Horse Caucus estimates that the horse industry contributes well over $100,000,000,000 each year to the economy of the United States: Now, therefore, be it Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), That Congress--
(1) encourages all citizens to be mindful of the contribution of horses to the economy, history, and character of the United States;
(2) expresses its sense that a National Day of the Horse should be established in recognition of the importance of horses to the Nation's security, economy, recreation, and heritage; and
(3) urges the President to issue a proclamation calling on the people of the United States and interested organizations to observe National Day of the Horse with appropriate programs and activities.
On the fifth anniversary of the first official National Day of the Horse, horse enthusiasts are encouraged to celebrate the horse's contribution to the United States.
Why Should We Celebrate and Protect Our American Equines?
The people of the United States need to be mindful of the contribution of horses to the economy, history, heritage, society, and character of the United States from the beginning starting with the Native Americans.
There are 9.2 million horses in the United States.
4.6 million Americans are involved in the industry as horse owners, service providers, employees and volunteers.
2 million people own horses.
The horse industry has a direct economic effect on the U.S.of $39 billion annually.
The industry has a $102 billion impact on the U.S.economy when the multiplier effect of spending by industry suppliers and employees is taken into account.
The industry directly provides 460,000 full-time equivalent (FTE) jobs.
Currently the horse industry has more than a $ 102,000,000,000* ( 102 billion) impact on the U.S. economy when the multiplier effect of spending by industry suppliers and employees is taken into account. Including off-site spending of spectators would result in an even much higher figure.
Currently the horse industry has a direct economic effect on the U.S. of more than $ 39, 000,000,000* ( 39 billion) annually.
Currently more than 4,600,000* ( 4.6 million) Americans are involved in the industry as horse owners, service providers, employees and volunteers. Tens of millions more participate as spectators.
The Horse industry pays 1, 900,000,000* ( 1.9 billion) in taxes to all levels of government.
Forty-five states have at least 20,000 horses each*.
There are 9,200,000* ( 9.2 million) horses in the United States. Including horses used for racing, showing, competition, sport, breeding, recreation, farm and ranch work, rodeo, carriage horses, polo, police work, informal competitions etc. This includes horses used both commercially and for pleasure.
Horse Competitions including the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) games involve over 60 countries, 1000 horses and contestants which will be competing for the first time in the United States specifically in Lexington KY in 2010. The popularity of horses is increasing among the world countries. The FEI is the international governing body of equestrian sport recognized by the International Olympic Committee.
The Horse industry directly employs 701,946* people. Some people are part time and some people are seasonal, so this equates to 460,000* full-time equivalent (FTE) jobs.
Spending by suppliers and employees generates additional jobs for a total employment impact of 1,400,000* (1.4 million) jobs.
*American Horse Council Statistics
To: The 111th Congress of the United States
Be it that the BLM is currently holding more wild horses and burros in captivity than it can afford to maintain, (said to be approximatly 35,-40,000 and growing) and be it that by BLMs own admission, there is far more adoptable horses being held in these holding facilities than there is a demand for,...and be it that again, by the BLMs own admission, the Wild Horse and Burro Management Program is in crisis because of the great number of wild equines currently being held in captivity at these facilities,....We, the People of the United States who care about the welfare of Americas Equines and in particular our Wild & Free-roaming herds,...hereby submit this proposal to our representatives as well as to all members of Congress in hopes of providing a way for interested parties to come together and work towards enactment of these clauses as listed below which would allow a viable, cost-effective alternative to "un-restricted sale" and/or the extreme measure of euthansia that these thousands of American wild horses and burros being held in captivity are facing.
A Proposal
A BILL TO AMEND THE WILD FREE-ROAMING HORSES AND BURROS ACT OF 1971
Preserving those provisions of the 1971 Act not amended herein, including that provision which entitles the wild horses and burros to principal use of their historic rangelands "as found in 1971," and;
Amending,removing,replacing and/or adding certain portions and provisions of The Act to:
1. Declare American Equines a National Treasure;
2. Prohibiting the slaughter of any American Equine as well as prohibiting their sale or transfer to other parties for the purpose of slaughter.
3. Remove the Burns/Reid rider amendment that allows for the unrestricted sale of some wild horses or burros and replace with a "Pickins Plan" Amendment that would allow for placement of excess wild horses and burros in private or public sanctuaries while still maintaining the protections of this Act.
4. Correct the Omission of the 92nd Congress in failing to provide protections in the 1971 Act for ALL wild free-roaming horses and burros on all of our Nations public lands.
5. Declare, as the 109th Congress did, and re-affirm that December 13th is a National Day of the Horse and is to be celebrated annually.
The New Act, once written up and incorporated with the un-amended portions of the Old (1971) Act,...will superceede and replace the Wild Horse & Burro Act of 1971, and will be known as "The American Equine Protection Act of 2010."
*This is only a rough draft and suggestions on improvement are welcome and strongly encouraged.
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Tragedy at Dakota Wild Horse Auction
ASSHOLES! Look at what you have done by treating wild horses like domestic cattle at livestock auction-you DO NOT go yelling at them and poking at them with things!!I will say it again: ASSHOLES!! 
from dickinson press newspaper, dickinson, north dakota
http://www.thedickinsonpress.com/event/article/id/28646/
Issues arise with TRNP wild horses at auction
Lisa Call - 10/24/2009
A wild-horse auction turned chaotic when a stud tried to jump a fence, another horse escaped during loading into a trailer and another reportedly died Friday afternoon in Dickinson.
To control population and administer a research contraceptive, wild horses in Theodore Roosevelt National Park near Medora were rounded up earlier this week and sold at auction Friday at Stockmen's Livestock Exchange. The auction was moving quickly when bidding on Bashful, a 2-year-old stud, began and about four minutes into his bidding, things came to a screeching halt. After being tapped on the rear by a ring attendant's flag, an anxiety-ridden Bashful attempted to jump a 6-foot fence separating him from the crowd. Screams erupted and people began to scramble. As the horse was struggling to get his rear portion over the fence, his rear right leg became entangled between thick wires. The horse began to violently thrash in an attempt to break free, biting anything in its way. Bystanders said the horse's front legs knocked an elderly man to the ground. As the horse began thrashing, its front legs stomped the man. "He landed in the crowd, then crawled over it (fence) and then he was in the first walkway and he was just stomping and kicking because the man was underneath him," said Dan Sparling of Bismarck, a witness to the incident.
Larry Schnell, manager of Stockmen's Livestock Exchange, said he was unaware if anyone was hurt, but had heard reports. Stark County Sheriff Clarence Tuhy said a man was transported to the hospital in an ambulance. No tranquilizers, rope or wire cutters were on hand to assist in freeing the horse. "I've been doing this for 35 years and I don't remember anything close to that happening," Schnell said. Status of the injured man is unknown. Some people experienced with wild horses feel the event could have been handled differently. "Anybody that's got a little common sense, you don't start bringing these wild horses in," said Frank Kuntz, executive vice president of the Nokota Horse Conservancy, a nonprofit group aimed at wild-horse preservation. "Bring them in separate. Plus, who knows how these guys are handling them out back? They should have the fence higher. It's total stupidity and total inexperience."
Horses were dropped off at the livestock yard Thursday afternoon, said Valerie Naylor, TRNP superintendent. "They bring them here to the sale barn, turn them loose to these guys and leave," Kuntz said. Rev. James Kilzer of Richardton said one buyer who loaded his newly purchased horse into a trailer found it dead a short time later. "The buyer checked for breath … the horse died of shock," Kilzer said. Calls to Dr. John Rowe, a veterinarian on hand during the auction, went unreturned. Later, a gray mare escaped a corral while being loaded into a trailer. Several people went after her with trucks and on foot. Michael Sparling of Bismarck, who didn't intend to buy a horse at the auction, purchased Bashful for $35 with plans to rehabilitate and train the horse using a natural training method. "A horse like this, you should never trap like that," Sparling said. Patty Griffith, a horse trainer from Toppenish, Wash., plans to train the 11 horses she and her husband purchased. Griffith has attended several wild-horse auctions and said horses and protocol at the auction could have been handled better. "Those horses wouldn't even be rattled if they didn't come along with those fly swatter things and scare them," Griffith said. "They are in a hurry. They're doing their job, but these aren't cows."
The horses sold for prices ranging from $35 to more than $1,400, surprising many. "The prices were much higher than we expected," said Marylu Weber, a volunteer for the roundup and a member of Nokota Horse Association, another wild-horse preservation organization. "This is phenomenal prices for these horses," said horse buyer Nola Robson of Hayfield, Minn. Naylor said 77 horses were sent to auction and 77 were sent back into the park, including most of the breeding-age mares. "Everything went very well," Naylor said. "It's unfortunate this had to happen at the sale."
BLOGGERS NOTE: I hope the injured man sues the pants off of the NPS as well as the livestock co for gross negligence in the handling of wild horses. Maybe they will stop offering them at public auction with no limitations. Maybe its time to amend the 1971 WFH&B Act to Include protections for the National Parkland Wild Horses & Burros - after all, it was clearly the intent of the Act to protect all of our nations wild horses on their historic lands everywhere. This is what we must fight for,...to keep them wild and free and in viable numbers on their historic rangelands, ....the ROAM Act will "strike out" the "where found in 1971" provision of the WFH&B Act which will effectively divest them of their right to stay upon their historic rangelands. Is this the kind of protection we want for our National Herds? To allow them to be shuffeled off of their historic rangelands and into the hands of public and/or private individuals all across the country who will put them in long term holding pens and/or in zoo-like settings the stallions to be gelded and the mares given birth control? That is what the ROAM Act will allow!!
__._,_.___
Click on title above for article and place to comment;
http://www.thedickinsonpress.com/event/article/id/28646/
from dickinson press newspaper, dickinson, north dakota
http://www.thedickinsonpress.com/event/article/id/28646/
Issues arise with TRNP wild horses at auction
Lisa Call - 10/24/2009
A wild-horse auction turned chaotic when a stud tried to jump a fence, another horse escaped during loading into a trailer and another reportedly died Friday afternoon in Dickinson.
To control population and administer a research contraceptive, wild horses in Theodore Roosevelt National Park near Medora were rounded up earlier this week and sold at auction Friday at Stockmen's Livestock Exchange. The auction was moving quickly when bidding on Bashful, a 2-year-old stud, began and about four minutes into his bidding, things came to a screeching halt. After being tapped on the rear by a ring attendant's flag, an anxiety-ridden Bashful attempted to jump a 6-foot fence separating him from the crowd. Screams erupted and people began to scramble. As the horse was struggling to get his rear portion over the fence, his rear right leg became entangled between thick wires. The horse began to violently thrash in an attempt to break free, biting anything in its way. Bystanders said the horse's front legs knocked an elderly man to the ground. As the horse began thrashing, its front legs stomped the man. "He landed in the crowd, then crawled over it (fence) and then he was in the first walkway and he was just stomping and kicking because the man was underneath him," said Dan Sparling of Bismarck, a witness to the incident.
Larry Schnell, manager of Stockmen's Livestock Exchange, said he was unaware if anyone was hurt, but had heard reports. Stark County Sheriff Clarence Tuhy said a man was transported to the hospital in an ambulance. No tranquilizers, rope or wire cutters were on hand to assist in freeing the horse. "I've been doing this for 35 years and I don't remember anything close to that happening," Schnell said. Status of the injured man is unknown. Some people experienced with wild horses feel the event could have been handled differently. "Anybody that's got a little common sense, you don't start bringing these wild horses in," said Frank Kuntz, executive vice president of the Nokota Horse Conservancy, a nonprofit group aimed at wild-horse preservation. "Bring them in separate. Plus, who knows how these guys are handling them out back? They should have the fence higher. It's total stupidity and total inexperience."
Horses were dropped off at the livestock yard Thursday afternoon, said Valerie Naylor, TRNP superintendent. "They bring them here to the sale barn, turn them loose to these guys and leave," Kuntz said. Rev. James Kilzer of Richardton said one buyer who loaded his newly purchased horse into a trailer found it dead a short time later. "The buyer checked for breath … the horse died of shock," Kilzer said. Calls to Dr. John Rowe, a veterinarian on hand during the auction, went unreturned. Later, a gray mare escaped a corral while being loaded into a trailer. Several people went after her with trucks and on foot. Michael Sparling of Bismarck, who didn't intend to buy a horse at the auction, purchased Bashful for $35 with plans to rehabilitate and train the horse using a natural training method. "A horse like this, you should never trap like that," Sparling said. Patty Griffith, a horse trainer from Toppenish, Wash., plans to train the 11 horses she and her husband purchased. Griffith has attended several wild-horse auctions and said horses and protocol at the auction could have been handled better. "Those horses wouldn't even be rattled if they didn't come along with those fly swatter things and scare them," Griffith said. "They are in a hurry. They're doing their job, but these aren't cows."
The horses sold for prices ranging from $35 to more than $1,400, surprising many. "The prices were much higher than we expected," said Marylu Weber, a volunteer for the roundup and a member of Nokota Horse Association, another wild-horse preservation organization. "This is phenomenal prices for these horses," said horse buyer Nola Robson of Hayfield, Minn. Naylor said 77 horses were sent to auction and 77 were sent back into the park, including most of the breeding-age mares. "Everything went very well," Naylor said. "It's unfortunate this had to happen at the sale."
BLOGGERS NOTE: I hope the injured man sues the pants off of the NPS as well as the livestock co for gross negligence in the handling of wild horses. Maybe they will stop offering them at public auction with no limitations. Maybe its time to amend the 1971 WFH&B Act to Include protections for the National Parkland Wild Horses & Burros - after all, it was clearly the intent of the Act to protect all of our nations wild horses on their historic lands everywhere. This is what we must fight for,...to keep them wild and free and in viable numbers on their historic rangelands, ....the ROAM Act will "strike out" the "where found in 1971" provision of the WFH&B Act which will effectively divest them of their right to stay upon their historic rangelands. Is this the kind of protection we want for our National Herds? To allow them to be shuffeled off of their historic rangelands and into the hands of public and/or private individuals all across the country who will put them in long term holding pens and/or in zoo-like settings the stallions to be gelded and the mares given birth control? That is what the ROAM Act will allow!!
__._,_.___
Click on title above for article and place to comment;
http://www.thedickinsonpress.com/event/article/id/28646/
Friday, October 23, 2009
R.O.A.M. Act a Land-Grab!!! Do Not Support!!
Finally, I have formed an opinion on the ROAM ACT, thanks to George Lea, President of the Public Lands Foundation...and heres why. The ROAM Act would elimitate the provision in the 1971 WFH&B Act that stipulates the horses and burros are to be protected on "the lands they were found on in 1971,".....In other words, the equines would be robbed of their traditional, historic and statutorily protected rangelands. Any Wild Horse and Burro Advocate should be really concerned about this and think twice if they support the ROAM Act. Mr Lea is right. We DO NOT need no new act and we NEED to keep the herds on their historic rangelands. If anything needs amending it is the 1971 WFH&B Act to include protection for ALL our wild equines located on ALL our public lands, not just some as is the case now.(See earlier post about our National Parklands Wild Horses and Burros)
Senators Bingaman and Murkowski re: HR. 1018 and S.1579
October 14, 2009
Senator Jeff Bingaman, Chairman
Senate Energy and Natural Resource Committee
304 Dirksen Building
Washington D.C., 20510
Dear Senator Bingaman:
H.R. 1018, the Restore Our American Mustangs Act, was referred to your Committee July 20, 2009 and Senator Robert C. Byrd introduced the Senate’s version, S.1579 on August 5, 2009. The Public Lands Foundation (PLF), as it did with H.R. 1018, respectfully disagrees with the content and provisions found in S.1579.
PLF is a national non-profit, all volunteer membership conservation organization dedicated to the ecological stability of the public lands administered by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). Our mission is to advocate and work for the retention of America’s Public Lands in public hands, professionally and sustainably managed for responsible common use and enjoyment.
PLF does not believe amending the 1971 Wild Free-roaming Horses and Burros Act as proposed is necessary to deal with the problems associated with wild horses and burros. Overall, the Act has had considerable success. According to the GAO-09-77 report titled “Effective Long-Term Options Needed to Manage Unadoptable Wild Horses,” dated October 9, 2008, approximately 235,700 horses have been adopted from passage of the 1971 Act through 2007. However, since 2007, the adoption demand for horses has tapered off and BLM now faces a major crisis for the funding and continued management of the program.
Neither H.R. 1018 nor S.1579 address the resolution of the two major challenges facing BLM spelled out in GAO’s October 9, 2008 report. These challenges were addressed in a PLF letter to Congressman Rahall. They bear repeating.
1. If not controlled, off-the-range holding costs will continue to overwhelm the program. The percentage of the program’s direct costs for holding animals off the range increased from $7 million in 2000 (46%) to $21 million in 2007 (67%). In 2008 these costs could account for 74 percent of the program’s budget.
2. BLM has limited options for dealing with unadoptable animals. The Act provides that unadopted excess animals shall be humanely destroyed or, under certain circumstances, sold without limitation. However, BLM only manages these animals through sales with limitations because of the concern about the public’s reaction to the destruction of healthy animals.
PLF is gravely concerned that the thrust of S.1579 is to eliminate the cornerstone of the 1971 Act by striking out a key sentence in the first paragraph that states, “…in the area where presently found,...” BLM has relied on this phrase to build a system of Herd Management Areas (HMAs) and establish Appropriate Management Levels of wild horses so they can be, as Congress dictated, “an integral part of the natural system of public lands.” Removing this phrase to consider allowing wild horses to expand outside of their HMAs will result in management chaos by guaranteeing an increase in their numbers and direct conflicts with wildlife, recreation, livestock and most other uses of public lands. If S. 1579 is striving for “a thriving ecological balance” as stated in Sec.4, Definitions, (6) (g), this is undeniably not the way to achieve it.
Sec. 5, Inventory and Determinations, of S.1579 proposes to add a paragraph (7) that states, “ensure that, to the extent practicable, the acreage available for wild and free-roaming horses and burros shall never be less than the acreage where wild and free-roaming horses and burros were found in 1971.” The finality of “shall never” creates a potential impediment for future management options, which could include the establishment of a National Wild Horse Range(s), the redesign of the existing 199 HMAs and other options that more appropriately are focused on available forage rather than acreage.
There are a variety of opinions of how many wild horses the government should have. However, there is no legitimate argument that the thousands of horses making up the current Appropriate Management Levels are suggestive of a population either threatened or endangered of being lost. Portions of proposed legislation intended to increase the acreage devoted to wild horses and to increase their numbers is clearly the wrong fix at the wrong time.
PLF believes that amending the 1971 Wild Free-roaming Horses and Burros Act as proposed will drastically alter multiple-use management on public lands and threaten “a thriving natural ecological balance.” Instead of new legislation, PLF strongly recommends, as it did to Congressman Rahall regarding H.R. 1018, focusing on solutions to the immediate problems of 30,000 horses being held in holding facilities and management of another nearly 30,000 out on the range. The cost of maintaining these animals is spiraling out of control and accounts for three-fourths of BLM’s $37 million budget for the program. As the GAO report correctly states, BLM finds itself in a difficult position and has limited options for dealing with unadopted and unsold animals within its finite budget. There is a need to reconcile the difference between the tools given to BLM by Congress to manage excess horse numbers and the apparent reluctance of BLM to use them out of concern that they lack congressional support.
There is no doubt, that instead of amending the 1971 Wild Horse and Burro Act, it is imperative that discussions with Congress be initiated to address BLM’s reluctance to use the tools in the 1971 Act, as amended, and seek solutions to this crisis.
Sincerely,
/s/ George Lea
George Lea, President
Cc: Lisa Murkowski, Ranking Member
Energy and Natural Resources Committee Office
304 Dirksen Senate Building
Washington, DC 20510
Click on title above to go to the Public Lands Website. Lots of good info there that you wont find anyplace else; http://www.publicland.org/
Senators Bingaman and Murkowski re: HR. 1018 and S.1579
October 14, 2009
Senator Jeff Bingaman, Chairman
Senate Energy and Natural Resource Committee
304 Dirksen Building
Washington D.C., 20510
Dear Senator Bingaman:
H.R. 1018, the Restore Our American Mustangs Act, was referred to your Committee July 20, 2009 and Senator Robert C. Byrd introduced the Senate’s version, S.1579 on August 5, 2009. The Public Lands Foundation (PLF), as it did with H.R. 1018, respectfully disagrees with the content and provisions found in S.1579.
PLF is a national non-profit, all volunteer membership conservation organization dedicated to the ecological stability of the public lands administered by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). Our mission is to advocate and work for the retention of America’s Public Lands in public hands, professionally and sustainably managed for responsible common use and enjoyment.
PLF does not believe amending the 1971 Wild Free-roaming Horses and Burros Act as proposed is necessary to deal with the problems associated with wild horses and burros. Overall, the Act has had considerable success. According to the GAO-09-77 report titled “Effective Long-Term Options Needed to Manage Unadoptable Wild Horses,” dated October 9, 2008, approximately 235,700 horses have been adopted from passage of the 1971 Act through 2007. However, since 2007, the adoption demand for horses has tapered off and BLM now faces a major crisis for the funding and continued management of the program.
Neither H.R. 1018 nor S.1579 address the resolution of the two major challenges facing BLM spelled out in GAO’s October 9, 2008 report. These challenges were addressed in a PLF letter to Congressman Rahall. They bear repeating.
1. If not controlled, off-the-range holding costs will continue to overwhelm the program. The percentage of the program’s direct costs for holding animals off the range increased from $7 million in 2000 (46%) to $21 million in 2007 (67%). In 2008 these costs could account for 74 percent of the program’s budget.
2. BLM has limited options for dealing with unadoptable animals. The Act provides that unadopted excess animals shall be humanely destroyed or, under certain circumstances, sold without limitation. However, BLM only manages these animals through sales with limitations because of the concern about the public’s reaction to the destruction of healthy animals.
PLF is gravely concerned that the thrust of S.1579 is to eliminate the cornerstone of the 1971 Act by striking out a key sentence in the first paragraph that states, “…in the area where presently found,...” BLM has relied on this phrase to build a system of Herd Management Areas (HMAs) and establish Appropriate Management Levels of wild horses so they can be, as Congress dictated, “an integral part of the natural system of public lands.” Removing this phrase to consider allowing wild horses to expand outside of their HMAs will result in management chaos by guaranteeing an increase in their numbers and direct conflicts with wildlife, recreation, livestock and most other uses of public lands. If S. 1579 is striving for “a thriving ecological balance” as stated in Sec.4, Definitions, (6) (g), this is undeniably not the way to achieve it.
Sec. 5, Inventory and Determinations, of S.1579 proposes to add a paragraph (7) that states, “ensure that, to the extent practicable, the acreage available for wild and free-roaming horses and burros shall never be less than the acreage where wild and free-roaming horses and burros were found in 1971.” The finality of “shall never” creates a potential impediment for future management options, which could include the establishment of a National Wild Horse Range(s), the redesign of the existing 199 HMAs and other options that more appropriately are focused on available forage rather than acreage.
There are a variety of opinions of how many wild horses the government should have. However, there is no legitimate argument that the thousands of horses making up the current Appropriate Management Levels are suggestive of a population either threatened or endangered of being lost. Portions of proposed legislation intended to increase the acreage devoted to wild horses and to increase their numbers is clearly the wrong fix at the wrong time.
PLF believes that amending the 1971 Wild Free-roaming Horses and Burros Act as proposed will drastically alter multiple-use management on public lands and threaten “a thriving natural ecological balance.” Instead of new legislation, PLF strongly recommends, as it did to Congressman Rahall regarding H.R. 1018, focusing on solutions to the immediate problems of 30,000 horses being held in holding facilities and management of another nearly 30,000 out on the range. The cost of maintaining these animals is spiraling out of control and accounts for three-fourths of BLM’s $37 million budget for the program. As the GAO report correctly states, BLM finds itself in a difficult position and has limited options for dealing with unadopted and unsold animals within its finite budget. There is a need to reconcile the difference between the tools given to BLM by Congress to manage excess horse numbers and the apparent reluctance of BLM to use them out of concern that they lack congressional support.
There is no doubt, that instead of amending the 1971 Wild Horse and Burro Act, it is imperative that discussions with Congress be initiated to address BLM’s reluctance to use the tools in the 1971 Act, as amended, and seek solutions to this crisis.
Sincerely,
/s/ George Lea
George Lea, President
Cc: Lisa Murkowski, Ranking Member
Energy and Natural Resources Committee Office
304 Dirksen Senate Building
Washington, DC 20510
Click on title above to go to the Public Lands Website. Lots of good info there that you wont find anyplace else; http://www.publicland.org/
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