Sulpher Stallion after cpature (Utah)

HCR-22  passed on a 10-1 vote in the Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment Committee in the Utah State Legislature.

The resolution calls on the president and congress to repeal the Wild and Free-Roaming Horses and Burro Act of 1971.

This resolution demands that the federal government take steps to humanely preserve
11     the wild horse and burro population in the state, either by relinquishing federal control
12     to the state or completely fulfilling the mandate of the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and
13     Burros Act of 1971.

Essentially this bill asks that federal control of wild horses be given to the state. It also, as we have seen time and again, asserts that Appropriate Management Level (AML) is some magic number that mandates removals. BLM has authority to manage land and horses using a variety of standards and methods.

EDITED TO ADD: This is an article on the WFRH&B Act. We have had several emails asking what is it https://wildhorseeducation.org/2015/12/14/wfrhb-act/

We have been writing, for years, that the agenda of certain political factions in the West is state control over federal resources. Wild horses have always been part of that agenda. States and counties in the West have been trying to either take over management (rescind federal jurisdiction) or force the sale or euthanasia of wild horses for a very long time. In the current political climate these types of maneuvers may gain full legislative approval at  the state level and gain traction at a national level.

These bills need to be watched closely.

Interior Secretary nominee Ryan Zinke has said he supports killing, or sale, of horses in holding. Wild Horse Education joined 170 organizations in opposition to Zinke’s nomination. https://wildhorseeducation.org/2017/02/06/the-land-they-stand-on/

In a strange twist of irony the trials of Cliven Bunby are happening right now in Nevada. There is a connection with Utah’s wild horses.

Iron County in Utah commissioners came out in support of Bundy (by attacking BLMs wild horse program) in news articles. When questioned about that support (that garnered bigger news headlines by speaking in support of Bundy) Iron county commissioner Dave Miller made several statements showing a real lack of understanding about wild horses and the BLM. You can read our interview with Miller here: https://wildhorseeducation.org/2014/04/10/wild-horses-targeted-today-in-iron-county-utah/ Livestock ranchers in these particular counties had been asked to reduce their livestock on public land during drought. The historic target of public land ranchers is to attack wild horses. The Bundy issue gave the county an opportunity to appear in “solidarity” in the media and create a huge push against the BLM through media and political pressure to fast track the removal of wild horses while pushing an agenda for states to take control of federal land. http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/news/57881862-78/horses-wild-blm-utah.html.csp

The BLM made Utah a priority and we have seen more removal/fertility control operations in Utah than we have in a very long time. The Cedar Mountain roundup actually ending today.

It’s obviously not enough for the State of Utah. They want control. horses gone and sale authority or euthanasia.

Expect other states to begin these measures throughout the West. This is part of the agenda in this political climate.

We have been trying to inform you of this push for some time. This political move goes by many names; Grass March, State’s Right’s, Sage Brush Rebellion.

If you look at how the legislative machines are operating at both state and national levels please remember the agenda we published of this movement. It includes removing sage grouse protections, removing federal employees they don’t like that work for BLM, taking control of the wild horse program and the resumption of horse slaughter.

This bill needs to be watched as it may very well lead to the introduction of similar legislation at the national level. We will keep you posted.

Many of these initiatives have already passed the House. Many introduced from the desk of Bishop (R, Utah) at the federal level.

We have an action item at this link to address one of them and will have more soon. https://wildhorseeducation.org/2017/02/19/actionderangedwar-tools-strategies-and-tactics-factweek-part-one/

We have gotten a lot of precipitation this winter in the American West. But it is gonna get hot and “fire season” will not be the biggest threat to our wild horses.