Salazar: Public can no longer use email or fax, what you CAN DO, horses need your help! Telephone call, three messages…

AFTER MAKING TELEPHONE CALLS, PLEASE FOLLOW THREE STEPS BELOW

CALL WHITE HOUSE COMMENT LINE NOW
GIVE YOUR OPINION OF BLM, SALAZAR AND WILD HORSE DECIMATION
WHITE HOUSE COMMENT LINE IS (202) 456-1111
PLEASE FRY THE PHONE LINES

IMMEDIATE, CALL HARRY REID, HE WANTS PHONE CALLS ONLY…..NO EMAILS, NO FAXES. AND PLEASE BE POLITE, HE IS ON THE HORSE’S SIDE! HE HAS THE POWER, HE IS SENATE MAJORITY LEADER, TELL HIM TO Stop BLM roundups of wild horses; and get HR503 out of Homeland Security subcommittee where it is buried

He maintains three Nevada offices, in Las Vegas, Reno, and Carson City. Please locate the office closest to you. If you need to contact him directly, please go here.

Carson City
600 East William Street, #302
Carson City, NV 89701
Phone: 775-882-7343 / Fax: 775-883-1980

Las Vegas
Lloyd D. George Building
333 Las Vegas Boulevard South, Suite 8016
Las Vegas, NV 89101
Phone: 702-388-5020 / Fax: 702-388-5030

Reno
Bruce R. Thompson Courthouse and Federal Building
400 South Virginia Street, Suite 902
Reno, NV 89501
Phone: 775-686-5750 / Fax: 775-686-5757

Rural Nevada Outreach Contact
Matt Tuma
Phone: 775-686-5750 / Fax: 775-686-5757

Washington
528 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Phone: 202-224-3542 / Fax: 202-224-7327
Toll Free for Nevadans: 1-866-SEN-REID (736-7343) -Restricted to calls originating from area codes 775 and 702

Reid Newsroom
Sen. Reid’s Nevada Press Office 202-224-9521 (for inquiries from Nevada media).
Senate Democratic Communications Center 202-224-2939

Three requests, please click on each:

1. Mail SAMPLE LETTER
2. Submit COMMENTS VIA BLM WEFORM
3. Send AUTOMATIC LETTER

In Defense of Animals
Obama Administration Asks For Public Comments on Reforming Wild Horse Program and Refuses To Accept Public Comments Via Email – Please Mail Your Letter Today! Every Letter Counts!

Despite the Obama Administration’s claims that it wants to encourage greater public participation in government, this Administration is creating obstacles for Americans to submit comments on the Wild Horse & Burro program. The Department of Interior released its “Wild Horse & Burro Strategy Development Document” which outlines the Obama Administration’s direction for the program.

Instead of making it easier for Americans to submit comments, President Obama’s Interior Secretary has actually eliminated the public’s ability to submit comments via the traditional e-mail and fax methods – we are forced to submit comments in one of two ways: (1) U.S. postal service or (2) online using a cumbersome and unreliable software program. We have received numerous complaints that people using this online software have had their comments deleted and lost. In Defense of Animals submitted a complaint to the White House about this blatant contradiction, but the White House has been nonresponsive.

Therefore, we urge you to download and sign the letter (click here for letter) –  or you may copy/paste from below – you can write additional comments at the bottom of the letter and be sure to sign any local organizations you may represent. The address to mail the letter is on the top of that letter you’ll download.

Public comments must be received by August 3, 2010 – so please be sure to print the letter, sign and mail it today. Don’t delay – please don’t let the Interior Department’s attempt to thwart public participation in this important comment period succeed.

SAMPLE LETTER COURTESY OF IDA, COPY, PASTE INTO DOCUMENT, PRINT, MAIL

Wild Horse & Burro Strategy Document
BLM Washington Office
1849 C Street NW, Rm. 5665
Washington DC 20240

July , 2010

To Whom It Concerns:

Following are my comments on the Department of Interior’s “Wild Horse & Burro Strategy Development Document.” As per the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM’s) announcement on June 14, 2010 in Denver, Colorado, these comments are being submitted via the BLM’s Washington office. The Denver meeting was touted as a means to open public dialogue on the BLM’s management of the Wild Horse and Burro Program, yet since that meeting there has been no response to the overwhelming public opposition to the Bureau’s actions. If the BLM is sincere in its desire to work with the public, a moratorium on roundups must be effectuated in order to develop a sustainable program that manages horses and burros on the range.

I am disappointed with the Obama Administration’s policy of pursuing the same ill-conceived Bush-Administration policies that remove wild horses from our public lands at an unprecedented pace. Despite Interior Secretary Ken Salazar’s admission that this policy is unsustainable, the Administration is in the process of removing 6,000 additional wild horses and burros before the end of October 2010. This Administration has conducted little to no management of wild horses and burros on the range and has consistently rounded up, removed and warehoused horses at the expense of taxpayers and wild horses. As a result, for the first time in history, there are more wild horses warehoused in government holding facilities than free on the range. Below are my comments on the Strategy Document.

TOPIC: Treasured Herds

Every herd is treasured; I oppose how the BLM is interpreting the term because it involves manipulation and micromanagement. Congress already determined that every herd is treasured.

TOPIC: Preserves

– I urge an immediate moratorium on roundups to prevent creating need for more preserves.

– Preserves must not replace on-the-range management and should only be used to phase out long- and short-term holding.

– I support using the authority the BLM always had to re-establish horses in zeroed-out HAs and HMAs.

– I support commitment to not killing horses deemed “excess” and “unadoptable.”

– Preserves should only be located in western states.

– Preserves must strive to maintain the social integrity of wild horse herds, allowing horses to live in more natural conditions instead of the current imposition of domestic conditions on horses who are still designated as “wild” under the law.

– Support private-public partnerships, but BLM must immediately pursue Soldier Meadows, Winecup Gamble, Madeleine Pickens and similar proposal now on the table to reduce long- and short-term holding.

TOPIC: Sustainable Herds

– The concept of sustainable herds is based on the arbitrary AML system which is based on unfair allocation practices and incomplete, faulty range data by BLM’s own admission.

– I urge an immediate moratorium on roundups until a sustainable, solid plan is established.

– Only if proven necessary, I support fertility control with caveats.

– I oppose castration and spaying of horses and non-reproducing herds on the range.

– I oppose utilizing sex ratios to manage herds.

– I support increasing available forage through livestock allotment conversion to wild horses.

TOPIC: Adoptions

– I oppose reducing adoption requirements.

– Adoption programs should not be modified to accommodate financial incentives.

– I support exceptions can be made for international adoption only with bonafide humane association with authority to guarantee well being of horses.

– I oppose BLM’s double standard of care requirements for adopters and short-term facilities.

TOPIC: Animal Welfare

– BLM must have complete transparency; I strongly object to the lack of transparency and support equal opportunity for all to participate – not only those invited by the BML, but for all public members to participate in internal BLM meetings, public observations and be given access to information.

– Interested members of the public must be allowed at all aspects of range monitoring, aerial counts, roundups and all holding facilities – must not be limited to specific individuals or organizations – must be representational and fair.

TOPIC: Science and Research

– Currently the BLM does not have the science or research needed to manage this program; BLM acknowledges it’s lacking in this area.

– All gathering of information/data (i.e. census, etc) must be done with independent public observers or utilizing video technology to provide documentation to the public.

– A National Academy of Science (NAS) report must make a fresh and comprehensive review of the foundation of the BLM’s program – beginning with the scientific/legal basis for the establishment of Appropriate Management Levels (AMLs), the utilization of on-the-range management options, the environmental assessment process, operations of BLM as a whole and by field office, etc.

This Strategy Document is based on a flawed foundation given that the Salazar initiative does not represent the fundamental reform that is needed. While I agree with portions of the initiative, it is premature to forward to Congress. Actions speak louder than words. BLM talks about change, but actions suggest business as usual:

o 6,000 horses scheduled for roundup and removal before the end of October. Deepening the fiscal black hole.

o Proposals on the table offering a new direction and cost-effective solutions. Bob Abbey invites proposals from the public then ignores them.

o National office talks reform; field offices continue business as usual policies.

I urge the BLM to immediately place a moratorium on roundups and schedule public hearings to create a program that protects and manages horses on the range, rather than warehousing them in government holding facilities.

Sincerely,

________________________________________________________

(first and last name & Organization)

_________________________________________________________

(complete mailing address)

HOW TO SUBMIT COMMENTS TO THE BLM IN YOUR OWN WORDS
Courtesy Madeleine Pickens

The BLM is only accepting public input until August 3, 2010, on the proposal (called a Strategy Development Document) that it will use to develop a long-term plan. It intends to submit the plan to Congress this fall.

Please take a moment to submit your comments in your own words. Here are a few points to make:

• The BLM must place an immediate moratorium on removing horses from the range except in emergency situations (i.e. severe droughts and other natural catastrophes)
• It’s time for the BLM to initiate an aggressive sterilization program using immunocontraception [link] to stabilize and manage wild horse herds in a humane, effective, cost-beneficial manner.
• The BLM must honor its previous commitment to care for these animals and work with organizations and agencies to develop humane, sustainable programs for managing these animals on the range and in holding centers.
• Viable populations of wild horses and burros should be allowed to roam free on our public lands, and if need be, managed using humane, long-term, cost-beneficial methods, such as immunocontraception.

How to submit your comments:

The BLM is only accepting comments via a form on its website. It will take a few steps to submit your comments, but it is essential that your voice be heard. Follow these steps:

1. Go to the planning document » https://www.blm.gov/epl-front-office/projects/lup/4900/13613/13852/default.jsp?projectName=Wild+Horse+and+Burro+Strategy+Development+Document

2. Click on this text (in blue) near the top center of the page: “Click Here to Submit Comments.”

3. A new page will open (for me – SR – this was actually a “collapsed” page in a different browser window, I had to minimize all other windows to see, and the scrolling function must be used to navigate).

OR

Click HERE if the above does not work

Type your comments in the text box (you can ignore the Selected Content and Comment Title sections).
When you’re finished, click “Add Comment”

4. The page will appear again.

The text box will be blank, but the “Comments” section at the bottom will show the number “1” under “Comment id.”
Click the “Next” button on the bottom right.

5. Fill in your personal information and click “Next.”

6. Review your submission, and click “Submit” at the bottom right. A “Submission Successful” page will appear.

*I had to do it twice to get mine in, it is not a user-friendly webform whatsoever so please ask if you have any troubles, or share what happened in a comment if you would. Thank you. SR

After you’ve printed, signed and mailed the letter above, please click here to tell the White House that we oppose the Administration’s move to make submitting public comments more difficult by refusing to accept comments via e-mail and fax.

FYI, from Catherine Ritlaw

BLM missing > 2,000 mustangs?

After allowing for the deaths, the BLM should still have 36,073 horses in holding facilities but they are reporting only 33,791 on the June 2010 holding facility chart. “Where are the 2,282 horses that are missing from BLM’s accounting of the horses in holding facilities?” asked EWA vice president, Valerie James-Patton.

The GAO report states that BLM is not required to report the number of deaths in long term holding facilities, but if 2,282 horses have died there in just a nine month period, there’s a much larger problem taking place in BLM’s wild horse facilities than just what paper work reveals, certainly much more than what BLM is willing to tell.

“How can we have any confidence in BLM’s estimates of the wild horse population when they can’t even count the number of horses in their pens?” asked EWA’s president, John Holland.