TONOPAH - The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Battle Mountain District, Tonopah Field Office is seeking public comment on the Stone Cabin Complex Preliminary Environmental Assessment (EA), which addresses the need to remove approximately 505 excess wild horses from in and around the complex to bring the number of wild horses to the appropriate management level (AML) of 404 wild horses.
The proposed gather area is 30 miles east of Tonopah in Nye County. The gather is tentatively scheduled to begin in February 2012. The BLM would appreciate receiving substantive comments on the preliminary EA by Nov. 29.
The Stone Cabin Complex includes the Stone Cabin and Saulsbury herd management areas (HMAs) and areas outside of designated HMA boundaries where wild horses have established residency. The BLM estimates there are currently 752 wild horses within and outside the complex. The proposed gather is needed to remove excess wild horses to help prevent further deterioration of the range, achieve and maintain a thriving natural ecological balance and achieve and maintain healthy, viable wild horse populations. If more than 505 wild horses are gathered, all mares selected for release back to the HMAs would be treated with fertility control vaccine and additional stallions would be released to adjust the sex ratio of the remaining population in favor of males (60 percent).
Comments received during the public review period will be analyzed and considered as part of the decision-making process. The preliminary EA may be viewed at the BLM Battle Mountain District Web site at www.blm.gov/nv/st/en/fo/battle_mountain_field/blm_programs/wild_horse_and_burro/stone_cabin_complex.html under the heading Wild Horse Gathers.
Questions and written comments should be mailed to Thomas J. Seley, Tonopah field manager, 1553 S. Main, P.O. Box 911, Tonopah, NV 89049. Comments may also be provided through e-mail to: StoneCabinHMA@blm.gov.
When submitting comments, be aware that your address, phone number, e-mail address or other personal identifying information in your comment may be made public.
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