ELY — The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Ely District is seeking public comment on the Silver King Herd Management Area Wild Horse Gather Preliminary Environmental Assessment, which addresses the need to remove about 445 excess wild horses from in and around the Silver King Herd Management Area (HMA). The gather would bring the number of wild horses in the HMA to the appropriate management level of about 60 animals. The HMA is located about 70 miles south of Ely. The proposed gather is scheduled to begin in September. The BLM will accept comments until July 16.

The appropriate management level for the Silver King HMA is between 60 and 128 wild horses, but there are currently more than 500 wild horses within the HMA. The proposed gather is needed to remove excess wild horses to help prevent further deterioration of the range, achieve and maintain a thriving natural ecological balance and achieve and maintain healthy, viable wild horse populations. If more than 445 wild horses are gathered, selective removal criteria would be used to return horses to the range. Of the horses remaining on the range, the BLM would conduct fertility control measures on mares and adjust the sex ratios of the gathered animals to be returned to the HMA to 60 percent male to 40 percent female ratios.

Those interested in submitting comments can send letters to the BLM Ely District Office, HC 33 Box 33500, Ely, NV 89301 attn: Mary D’Aversa, Schell Field Manager. Comments may be submitted electronically by e-mailing SilverKinghma@blm.gov. Comments need to be post marked, faxed or e-mailed no later than July 16.