Turnabout: Interior Secretary Salazar is on the Run

Posted by theandbetween on October 9, 2009 · Leave a Comment 

This week, the Department of the Interior attempted to divert public attention from the Bureau of Land Management’s appalling mis-management of America’s free roaming horses and mustangs.

In a hastily conceived “conference call” and press release, BLM Director Abbey and Secretary of the Interior Salazar announced an “initiative” to create seven new “preserves” in the East and Midwest to replace 20 million of so acres of public land in the West that was dedicated to preservation of the horses and burros in 1971; land that the BLM/DOI has essentially stolen from the horses and burros–and the American taxpayer who owns the horses and burros–over the last 38 years.

Here is a link to the DOI’s press release announcing the proposal.  Here is the Cloud Foundation’s response taking issue with the bogus plan.  In a nutshell, the Cloud Foundation recommends:

1)  Cease all roundups until independent analysis can be made of each herd management area.  Move forward only with emergency removals if deemed necessary by independent as well as BLM specialists.

2)  Return wild horses and burros in good health to the 20.8 million acres of public land designated primarily for their use in 1971 that has since been taken away from them.

3)  Reanalyze appropriate management levels (AMLs) for herd management areas (HMAs).

4)  Congress should follow-up with hearings on the BLM Wild Horse and Burro Program as recommended by the Government Accounting Office (2008 report).

Stop the roundups now.

Give America back her wild horses and burros on public lands.

Filed under Slaughter, Wild Horses