BLM director says money and resources are issues to managing horses

Under fire by ranchers, county commissioners and several state officials who want the federal officials to “obey the law,” Bureau of Land Management Director Juan Palma said he faces financial restraints and lacks the tools needed to get the job done. During an interview, Palma said he can’t “print money” and is only able to spend what Congress appropriates — it isn’t enough to reduce the overpopulation of wild horse herds to the legal numbers required under the 1971 Wild Horse and Burro Act. “The public wants us to do more but I need help. We want to comply with what the public wants and the law but we’re hamstrung and limited to manage the problem. The fact is we haven’t been given the resources and tools necessary to deal with the issue,” Palma said. Palma’s response follows a statement issued Tuesday by the Iron County Commissioners and supported by their counterparts in Beaver County, calling the BLM’s most recent announcement to only gather 200 horses off the western range in 2014 a “joke.” The statement is one of many made in the last three months by both Iron and Beaver County commissioners to take care of the problem of overpopulated herd numbers on the range if the BLM won’t. While Palma said the 200 horses only are the initial roundup of what’s to come without being able to provide an exact timeline of when the rest of the excess herds would be removed, county officials say it’s not enough –they want to see the federal government turn over control of the wild horses to the state. “Here’s exhibit A: deer, elk, bison and wild horses are all managed wildlife. Three of these areas are managed by the state and managed well. One is managed by the federal government. Guess which one is managed by the federal government?” said Mark Ward, senior policy analyst and public lands counsel for the Utah Association of Counties. The association is in the process of filing a “friend of the court” brief in support of the Western Rangeland Conservation Association, a group of several ranchers and government officials, who on April 30 filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of the Interior. The suit is asking a federal judge to issue an immediate injunction against the BLM — if granted would force the agency to remove the wild horses now overpopulating the range and to bring the numbers down to AML...more

During an interview, Palma said he can’t “print money” and is only able to spend what Congress appropriates — it isn’t enough to reduce the overpopulation of wild horse herds to the legal numbers required under the 1971 Wild Horse and Burro Act.

By pointing to Congress as the culprit, Palma is throwing horse puckey at us and he knows it.  BLM's annual budget is $1.1 billion, of which around $960 million is in their Management of Lands & Resources category.  Money can be moved around in that account and BLM can even transfer monies from one state to another.

“The public wants us to do more but I need help. We want to comply with what the public wants and the law but we’re hamstrung and limited to manage the problem. The fact is we haven’t been given the resources and tools necessary to deal with the issue,” Palma said.

Palma may be "hamstrung and limited", but its by his bosses in DC.  BLM's budget request for 2015 actually calls for less money to be spent in this category overall.   However, BLM does want more money to manage Wilderness, cultural resources, recreation and oh yes, for land acquisition.  Point that finger at the real culprits Mr. Palma.