Reno Gazette Journal
September 1, 2013
A congressman from Arizona will hold a press conference Wednesday at the Palomino Valley National Adoption Center north of Sparks.
Rep. Raul M. Grijalva, a member of the House Subcommittee on Public Lands and Environmental Regulation and co-chairman of the House Progressive Caucus, reported on his House web site he will tour the facility and discuss the the Bureau of Land Management's wild horse and burro program.
Also scheduled to be at the press conference are Neda DeMayo, chief executive officer of Return to Freedom American Wild Horse Sanctuary, and actress and former model Wendie Malick, best known for the television show "Just Shoot Me."
"Over the past few decades, BLM has used a number of controversial management techniques to meet herd quotas required by the law," Grijalva's press release said. "Approximately 39,000 wild horses and burros roam land managed by the BLM and another 40,000 more are held in BLM facilities like Palomino Valley — the largest holding facility managed by the federal government."
The press release said the BLM puts a priority on roundups over other alternatives and calls the stockpiling of horses expensive.
A BLM representative could not be reached for comment.
The Democrat who represents a district north of Phoenix also referred to the National Academy of Sciences report.
“I’ve been asking for changes for years, and NAS has confirmed that we can save taxpayer money and horses’ lives at the same time by improving this program,” Grijalva said in a statement. “We have the information we need. Now it’s time to do something with it.”
