The Bureau of Land Management Farmington Field Office has released a preliminary environmental assessment on proposed Jicarilla Wild Horse Management, including a proposal to gather wild horses. The EA can be found at: http://www.blm.gov/nm/st/en/fo/Farmington_Field_Office/ffo_nepa/ffo_range_eas_open.html The public comment period will end on Nov. 21, 2012.
The BLM has scheduled an information meeting about the preliminary EA to be held from 4 -7 p.m., on Monday, Nov. 5 at San Juan College in Farmington. The meeting will be in rooms 9010 and 9012 at the college. The public will be able to discuss all aspects of the gather with BLM specialists.
The horse gather is tentatively planned for winter 2013. Currently, the herd is estimated at about 400 horses that move seasonally between BLM and U.S. Forest Service lands in northwest New Mexico.
The appropriate management level the herd is 73128 horses. Methods for gathering the horses may include baiting, trapping, and using a helicopter.
Comment forms will be available at the meeting so attendees can provide their written comments about the EA. Comments can also be submitted by email to blm_nm_ffo_comments@blm.gov, or by writing the BLM Farmington Field Office, Attention: Jicarilla Wild Horse Management, 6251 College Boulevard, Suite A, Farmington, NM 87402. Comments must be emailed or postmarked by November 21, 2012. For more information about the meeting, please contact Bill Papich at 505-320-5161.