TRIC Developer Warns Governor: Horse Giveaway Risks GOP Candidates

The developer of a Northern Nevada industrial park, home to Tesla, Google, Walmart, and other major companies, has intensified efforts to convince the state to reconsider a plan to relinquish ownership of about 3,000 free-range horses. Lance Gilman, a Storey County Commissioner, has expressed concerns that the plan could become a significant political issue in Northern Nevada, potentially jeopardizing Republican candidates who support the preservation of these horses.

Gilman delivered a letter to Governor Brian Sandoval, warning that the state's giveaway plan could put Republican candidates at risk with constituents who favor the horses running free. This marks the second time Gilman has reached out to Sandoval, urging intervention to prevent the Nevada Department of Agriculture from enacting the plan affecting the Virginia Range horses, which includes the Tahoe Reno Industrial Center.

At stake is the future of approximately 3,000 horses living in an area bounded by U.S. Highways 395 and 95A, and Interstate 80 and U.S. Highway 50. Unlike other wild horses in Nevada managed by the federal Bureau of Land Management, the Virginia Range horses are state property. Until recently, they were managed through a cooperative agreement with the American Wild Horse Conservation (formerly American Wild Horse Campaign), a private, non-profit advocacy group.

The agreement, which aimed to keep horses off roadways and manage their population through birth control, fell apart due to mutual accusations of bad faith. Instead of issuing a new agreement, the agriculture board decided to request proposals from non-profits willing to take ownership of the horses.

Board members view this as an opportunity for better management, but horse advocates warn it could doom the animals. They argue that Nevada law treats the horses like livestock, making new owners liable for horse-vehicle collisions, and fear the horses could be removed or sold for slaughter, as they are not protected by the federal Wild Horse and Burro Act.

Deniz Bolbol, spokesperson for the American Wild Horse Conservation, criticized the governor's administration for not being open to reasonable discussions. Gilman's letter followed a meeting with Department of Agriculture Director Jim Barbee, which Gilman found unproductive. He has called for a mediator and a delay in finding new owners, emphasizing the horses' importance to major tenants like Tesla.

Gilman suggested shifting management responsibility to the Department of Wildlife and mentioned that private businesses and advocates would contribute financially to horse management. Despite repeated attempts, Governor Sandoval did not respond to inquiries about the issue.

Republican candidates for governor showed little interest in the problem. Attorney General Adam Laxalt agreed with Sandoval's stance on public safety and population management, while candidate Dan Schwartz deferred to local counties. Jared Fisher, a Las Vegas businessman, confused the Virginia Range horses with federally managed ones but acknowledged the need for humane management.

Originally posted by Reno Gazette-Journal.