The project would convert all but the portion of the Spruce Allotment west of Highway 93 to a nonreproducing wild horse ecosanctuary, including 93% of the Spruce-Pequop HMA, 27% of the Goshute HMA and 14% of the Antelope Valley HMA, according to an undated scoping brief.
Portions of the HMAs not in the sanctuary would be evaluated to determine their ability to sustain wild horse populations with reduced acreage and water resources.
When the carrying capacity of the Spruce Allotment was determined in the early 1990s, AUMs were set aside for wild horse and wildlife. The analysis assumed that the majority of AUMs in the allotment would be utilized by cattle, whereas in the proposed sanctuary there would be no AUM consumption by livestock.
Western Horse Watchers refers to such changes as flipping the grazing preference to horses, the second step after acquiring the base property tied to said allotment.
Forage in the Spruce Allotment was split between the previous permittee, who retained 57 AUMs in the portion on the west side of the highway and Mustang Monument received 10,908 active AUMs and 2,458 suspended AUMs on the east side.
This is apparent today in the allotment master report.
The suspended AUMs require a carrying capacity analysis to determine if they are available before they can be made active.
When Elko County ranchers heard about the plan the battle lines were drawn.
The sanctuary would function like an ORP, except most of the acreage would be public, and up to three breeding populations would be lost.
Western Horse Watchers has been unable to find the project ePlanning.
The status of the NEPA review is unknown.
RELATED: Purpose of Mustang Monument?
Western Horse Watchers Association 