BLM seeks public comment on Beatty area wild burro gather

This is Reno

November 30, 2011

By ThisIsReno

BLM NEWS RELEASE

TONOPAH — The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Battle Mountain District, Tonopah Field Office is seeking public comment on the Bullfrog Herd Management Area (HMA) Preliminary Environmental Assessment (EA), which addresses the need to remove excess wild burros from in and around the HMA to bring the number of wild burros to the lower range of appropriate management level (AML).  Approximately 58 to 70 wild burros would remain in the HMA after the gather depending on gather efficiency.  The proposed gather area surrounds Beatty, Nev., in Nye County, and is tentatively scheduled to begin in March 2012.  The BLM would appreciate receiving substantive comments on the preliminary EA by December 30, 2011.
The Bullfrog HMA proposed gather area includes areas outside of the HMA boundaries where wild burros have established residency.  The BLM estimates there are currently 144 wild burros within and outside the HMA.  The proposed gather is needed to remove excess wild burros to help prevent deterioration of the range, achieve and maintain a thriving natural ecological balance, achieve and maintain healthy, viable wild burro populations, protect threatened desert tortoise and sensitive Amargosa toad habitat and reduce human conflicts with wild burros in Beatty and along the Highway 95 corridor through the HMA.
Comments received during the public review period will be analyzed and considered as part of the decision-making process. The preliminary EA may be viewed at the BLM Battle Mountain District website under the heading Wild Horse & Burro Gathers.
Questions and written comments should be mailed to Thomas J. Seley, Tonopah Field Manager, 1553 South Main, P.O. Box 911, Tonopah, NV 89049.  Comments may also be provided through e-mail to: BullfrogHMA@blm.gov.
Before including your address, phone number, e-mail 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.