Obama Horse Agency Long Overdue in Naming Wild Horse Board Members

Horseback Magazine

February 17, 2011

HOUSTON, (Horseback) – The federal Bureau of Land Management has extended the expired terms of three long gone outgoing trustees of the BLM’s Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board. The board members continue to serve.
“The outgoing members terms expired on June 14, 2010.  These terms have been temporarily extended until new nominees are appointed, “ said BLM national spokesman Tom Gorey.  Each of the hold over trustees represents an area of the agency’s interest. They are:
Ms. Renee Taylor – Livestock Management
Dr. Vernon D.  Dooley – Wild Horse and Burro Management
Dr. J. Wayne Burkhardt – Natural Resources Management
All oversee areas that are in the direct line of fire of wild horse advocates critical of the agency’s massive roundups which some say will eventually cause the North American Mustang to become extinct.
“The nominations for the three positions are currently with the Director, who is reviewing them,” Gorey said. “Once he makes his choices, they go to the Interior Secretary for his review.  Once the Interior Secretary approves, the selections go to the Agriculture Secretary for his review.  Once the Agriculture Secretary signs off, the nominees can take their positions.”
 Gorey told Horseback Magazine that BLM Director Bob Abbey has already named the prospective replacement board members but refused to make them public. Asked if the secretive bureau was hiding the identity of its appointees, an official in Abbey’s office said the names are being kept secret, not by law, but through BLM Policy.