Dear Secretary Jewell,
I write to express my strong concerns with Department of the Interior's management of wild horses in the state of Nevada. As you know, more than half of all wild horses in North America are found in Nevada alone. That overpopulation has resulted in significant impacts on the health of Nevada's economy, wildlife, rangelands, riparian areas, and the horses themselves.
As I travel throughout Nevada, I continuously hear from ranchers, sportsmen, outdoor enthusiasts, horse advocates, and other concerned citizens alike that conditions on the range are deplorable. As a sportsman, I am strongly concerned resource degradation is causing irreparable damage to some of our cherished outdoor areas while negatively impacting Nevada's wildlife, including threatened species like the greater sage-grouse, as well as big game species like mule deer, elk, pronghorn and bighorn sheep. I think we can all agree that the status quo is not serving the state well.
In an effort to collect information and identify ways Congress can be helpful, I sent a letter alongside 19 of my Western Congressional colleagues on November 4, 2015, to the BLM requesting specific information laying out the gravity of the issue in Nevada and across the west, as well as specific strategies that could address overstocked Herd Management Areas (HMAs). I am disappointed the Department has not provided us a response nearly six months later. I have attached that correspondence to this letter as it is important we get a response so that together we can solve this important problem facing the west.
It is my understanding that the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) recently contacted a number of Nevada ranchers and informed them that animal unit months (AUMs) could be reduced or eliminated in some areas due to the damage incurred on rangelands by the overpopulation of wild horses. Over the past few years, many ranchers have already taken reductions in their grazing allotments; yet horse populations have only increased, not decreased, over that time. It is unfair for local ranchers to be penalized for the BLM's inaction. Additionally, it is important to note that horse impacts are just as bad, if not worse, on rangelands where little-to-no grazing occurs as they are on public lands where Nevada ranchers operate.
Earlier this week, Governor Brian Sandoval announced that the state is exploring legal options aimed at improving wild horse management in Nevada. I support the governor's efforts and agree that any strategy that will effectively deal with the problem in Nevada will require additional attention. With that said, the solution to this problem is much larger than simply more federal resources. I remain concerned that the BLM has no clear strategy for addressing this issue.
I recognize this issue is complicated and that interested parties have widely different opinions on wild horses. My office has had many positive conversations with State Director John Ruhs on this problem, and I appreciate the honest and transparent approach he has taken with local stakeholders. It is important that the people on the ground in our western states receive appropriate support from headquarters. Collaboratively, measures should be taken to reduce herd sizes and improve rangeland conditions.
Thank you for your attention to this matter. I look forward to receiving the Department's response to the letter dated November 4, 2015, no later than May 12, 2016. My colleagues and I stand ready to assist in alleviating this urgent situation.