Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board Meeting Scheduled for September
The Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) National Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board will convene on September 8-9 in Elko, Nevada. This meeting will address key issues concerning the management and protection of wild horses and burros on Western public rangelands.
The two-day meeting is scheduled for Thursday, September 8, from 1:00 p.m. to 5:15 p.m., and Friday, September 9, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The meeting will be live-streamed at blm.gov/live.
The agenda is available in the August 1 Federal Register. The meeting will take place at Stockmen's Hotel and Casino, 340 Commercial Street, Elko.
The advisory board advises the BLM on its responsibilities under the 1971 Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act, which mandates the protection and management of these animals to ensure healthy herds at sustainable levels. The BLM estimates approximately 67,027 wild horses and burros roam on BLM-managed rangelands across 10 Western states.
The public can address the board on Thursday, September 8, from 3:15 to 5:15 p.m. Those wishing to speak should register in person by 3:15 p.m. at the meeting site. Depending on the number of speakers, presentations may be limited to three minutes.
Speakers should submit a written copy of their statement to the BLM at the addresses below or bring a copy to the meeting. Comments can be sent to: National Wild Horse and Burro Program, WO-261, Attention: Ramona DeLorme, 1340 Financial Boulevard, Reno, NV, 89502-7147. Alternatively, comments can be emailed to [email protected] with "Advisory Board Comment" in the subject line.
For more information, contact DeLorme, wild horse and burro administrative assistant, at 775/861-6583. TTY users can reach DeLorme via the Federal Information Relay Service at 800/877-8339.
The advisory board typically meets twice a year, with additional meetings called by the BLM Director as needed. Members serve without salary but are reimbursed for travel and per diem expenses according to government regulations.
The BLM is implementing measures to ensure healthy horses and burros thrive on public lands. These include a research program on fertility control, transitioning horses to cost-effective pastures, increasing adoptions through new programs and partnerships, and seeking legislative authority for immediate horse transfers to agencies needing work animals and for establishing a congressionally-chartered foundation to support adoption efforts.