Feds back off on using funds for burros

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Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2004 | 10:48 a.m.

WASHINGTON -- The Interior Department confirmed this morning that it will back down from its plans to use money from Nevada public land auctions to control wild horses and burros.

The administration had proposed to use $2.3 million from the Southern Nevada Public Lands Management Act to put toward Nevada's share of it program to control wild horses and burros throughout the western states.

Nevada's congressional delegation objected to the idea. Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., called the proposal "dead on arrival" and Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev. made repeated calls to Office of Management and Budget Director Josh Bolton to tell Bolton the proposal was not going to fly.

Interior Department spokesman John Wright said the department will work on updating its budget proposal to reflect the change.

"We will work with Congress to find the necessary funds to protect Nevada's public lands ... from being destroyed by wild horses and burros," Wright said.