SALT LAKE CITY, Utah. – The Bureau of Land Management today announced that it was postponing its National Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board meeting scheduled for March 27-28 in Salt Lake City, Utah. The meeting was delayed when one of its members threatened to sue the BLM because it did not provide 30 days’ notice of the meeting.
The dispute arose when the BLM gave 15 days’ public notice, as required by the Federal Advisory Committee Act and – when “urgent matters arise” - BLM regulations. For non-urgent matters, BLM regulations require 30 days’ public notice. In this case, the terms of three board members are expiring on March 31, and without them, the board would not have the quorum necessary in order to provide recommendations to the Secretary of the Interior.
A meeting for the board will be set when its new members are seated.
The National Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board was established pursuant to the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act and is regulated by the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972 (Act, which governs the establishment and operation of advisory committees and by BLM advisory committee regulations. The Act and the BLM regulations recognize the merits of seeking the advice and assistance of our nation's citizens to the executive branch of government.
