Guinn opposes suit over wild horses

Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2004 | 8:40 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- Gov. Kenny Guinn said Tuesday the federal government is working toward a solution to thin the herds of wild horses on Nevada rangelands and that he does not want to sue the Interior Department over the issue.

Guinn has rejected the proposal of the state Wildlife Commission to bring suit on grounds the Bureau of Land Management is mismanaging the state's 18,000 wild horses and burros and that the excess numbers are ruining the rangeland.

The governor said he met with Interior Secretary Gale Norton for an hour Saturday while she was on a tour of Northern Nevada.

"She's doing everything she can to get more money in this year's budget to solve our problem," Guinn said. "I'm satisfied she is working toward it as best she can. She can't transfer the money from another account."

The money would be used to remove the excess horses from the public range.

Guinn said local BLM manager Bob Abby agrees with the state about the problem.

The Wildlife Commission voted last Friday to ask Attorney General Brian Sandoval to file suit on grounds the wild horses are overgrazing the range. The suit would have required Guinn's approval. Sandoval said he is reviewing whether the Wildlife Commission must retract its motion to sue.

The governor, in a Nov. 12 letter to Norton, asked for "immediate and decisive action to ensure that the 6,000 or more horses in excess are removed from Nevada's rangelands by July 2004."

BLM spokeswoman Maxine Shane said Tuesday the agency has $4.2 million this fiscal year that started last October for the wild horse program. She said there is not enough money to remove any more horses from the range unless there is a rearrangement of the budget in the federal agency.