NOTE to our readers:

Over the last few years you have seen a lot of things “that are not what they appear to be.” One of the most dangerous is moving in Appropriations debates, you can take action. Learn more and take action on the move to gut the Wild Free Roaming Horses and Burros Act: CLICK HERE.

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Press release from BLM (below image) on spaying at Warm Springs. This is the same area where we have seen two rounds of a presentation to spay. This is the third revision of paperwork.

You are going to see these types of actions increase as politics, popularity contests and propaganda have held headlines for too long.

BLM is moving spaying forward with a new EA out of Oregon.

Expect to see more proposals from BLM to sterilize portions of herds (including gelding)

We will post our comments on this soon for you to see… for now? just read it and know it is moving, again.

We will post our comments prior to the due date.

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BLM PREE RELEASE (BLM’s words, not ours at WHE)

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Burns District Office, has prepared an environmental assessment (EA) (DOI-BLM-ORWA-B050-2019-0013-EA) and an unsigned finding of no significant impact (FONSI) for the Spay Feasibility and On-Range Outcomes Environmental Assessment. The EA, unsigned FONSI, and EA appendices are available for your review at BLM’s ePlanning website:

https://eplanning.blm.gov/epl-front-office/eplanning/nepa/nepa_register.do.

Documents can also be found at the direct link to the project page:

https://eplanning.blm.gov/epl-front-office/eplanning/planAndProjectSite.do?methodName=dispatchToPatternPage¤tPageId=184356

The EA analyzes a proposed action to evaluate the safety, complication rate, and feasibility of ovariectomy via colpotomy (spay) on wild horse mares and to allow the United States Geological Survey (USGS) to evaluate the impacts of spaying on mare and herd behavior once spayed horses are returned to the range as compared with an untreated herd in the Warm Springs Herd Management Area (HMA). The horses proposed for use in the study were gathered from the Warm Springs HMA in October 2018.

This proposed action is similar to one proposed in the Spay Feasibility and On-Range Behavioral Outcomes Assessment and Population Management Plan for Warm Springs Herd Management Area EA from 2018 (DOI-BLM-ORWA-B050-2018-0016-EA). A decision record to implement portions of the 2018 EA was vacated in November 2018. The BLM, through this new EA, is now analyzing an updated management approach involving a portion of the horses gathered in October 2018.

The main difference between the proposed action from the 2018 EA and the proposed action in this EA is that none of the mares being treated with ovariectomy via colpotomy in the proposed study would be pregnant. This EA also includes an alternative in which on-range behavioral outcomes are not analyzed in the proposed USGS study, but rather through less formal data collection led by BLM staff. Otherwise, all aspects of this proposed BLM spay feasibility study and USGS on-range behavioral outcomes assessment would be the same as proposed in the 2018 EA.

Through this public comment period, the BLM requests your thorough review of the EA and unsigned FONSI and that substantive comments on these documents be provided. The BLM also requests particular review of the section titled Opportunity for Public Observation in Chapter II.D.1.c. In this chapter, BLM has included photographs of the proposed observation location, as well as an appendix with photographs depicting the layout of the handling facility and holding pens at the corrals. If you wish to observe the proposed surgeries and believe the public observation opportunities provided by BLM are inadequate, this public comment period is your opportunity to request additional opportunities. The BLM requests you utilize the included photographs to specify what additional observation opportunities or viewing locations you desire, and include this detailed description in your written comments.

If you have comments on the EA or unsigned FONSI, submit them postmarked or emailed by May 27, 2019, to Spay Project Lead, Burn District BLM, at the address above. Comments may be emailed to: blm_or_spaystudy@blm.gov. After consideration of your substantive comments, a decision outlining the action to be taken within the scope of the EA will be developed and issued. If you submit substantive comments to this EA or unsigned FONSI please include your name and mailing address and you will receive a copy of the decision. If you do not have comments but wish to receive a copy of the decision, please submit a written request, otherwise you will not receive a copy. The decision will also be posted to:

https://eplanning.blm.gov/epl-front-office/eplanning/nepa/nepa_register.do.

All comments provided, including the names and addresses of respondents, will be available for public review at the Burns District Office during regular business hours of 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday (except holidays), and may be published as part of the decision. Before including your address, phone number, email address, or other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment—including your personal identifying information—may be made publicly available at any time. While you can ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so. All submissions from organizations and businesses, and from individuals identifying themselves as representatives or officials of organizations or businesses, will be available for public inspection in their entirety. Similar comments or form letters will be considered one comment and summarized with one response given.

If you need further information, please contact the Burns District BLM Wild Horse and Burro Specialist at 541-573-4555.

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We are up against a very well funded opposition. Help us stay in the fight.