UPDATE: On July 11, 2017, the U.S. District Court in Utah dismissed the ranchers' case.
Early in April of 2014, Iron County Utah commissioners and ranchers gave the BLM an ultimatium: Come up with an immediate plan to remove wild horses from the area or residents will do it themselves. As drought damages rangelands in the west, ranchers are scapegoating federally protected wild horses for the damage of the range when in reality millions of cattle are permitted to graze on our public lands.
Read our strongly worded letter to the Iron County, Utah Board of Commissioners and the Utah BLM
On April 30, 2014, these ranchers filed suit against the BLM, seeking removal of hundreds of horses from public lands in the area. Herd Management Areas targeted include: Bible Springs, Four Mile, Frisco, Muddy Creek, Swasey, Sulphur, Choke Cherry, Blawn Wash.
Between July 28, 2014 and August 5, 2014, the BLM conducted a roundup in the Bible Springs Complex, removing 143 wild horses from the Blawn Wash HMA and 36 wild horses from outside the Sulphur Spring HMA.
On September 5, 2014, the U.S. District Court - District of Utah granted AWHPC, The Cloud Foundation, Return to Freedom, wild horse adopter and advocate Lisa Friday and photographer John Steele were granted the right to intervene in the lawsuit.
In April 2014, Judge Dee Bensen rejectd our motion for judgement on the pleadings. The goverment subsequently entered into settlement talks with the plaintiffs, but they could not come to an agreement so the case proceeded on its merits.
Oral arguments in the case took place on April 11, 2017 at U.S. District Court in Salt Lake City, with Judge Jill Parrish presiding. Judge Parrish took the case under advisement and her ruling is pending.
News Releases/Blogs
- AWHC Attorney Stands Up to Utah Ranchers in Federal Court
- Advocates Ask Federal Court to Dismiss Utah Ranchers Anti-Mustang Lawsuit
- Federal Court Allows Wild Horse Advocates to Intervene in Rancher Lawsuit Against BLM
- Welfare Ranching Trumps Public Opinion: BLM Begins Utah Roundup to Appease Ranchers
- Record Number of Americans Protest Wild Horse Roundup Scheduled to Appease Handful of Utah Ranchers
- Faxes Pour in to Utah Governor in Defense of Wild Horses as Feds Cave to Threats
- Nat'l Coalition calls on Utah Governor to Stop Attack on Wild Horses
- New BLM Director Called Upon to Uphold Federal Law to Protect Wild Horses as Rachers Threaten Illegal Roundups
- Advocates Warm Ranchers and BLM: Removal of Wild Horses Violates Federal Law
News Articles
- Utah Ranchers Sue BLM, Demand Removal of Wild Horses
- Utah Ranchers Sue BLM for Wild Horse Roundup
- Deadline on wild horses comes and goes
- Utah weighs in on BLM plan for southern Utah's wild horses
- Under pressure, BLM OK’s roundup of 140 wild horses
- Whether Utah horses are native species is at heart of debate pecies is at heart of debate
- Wild Horse Advocates Fight Against Horse Roundup
- Record Number of Americans Protest Wild Horse Roundup Scheduled to Appease Handful of Utah Ranchers
- Wild horse advocates flood BLM with roundup opposition
- Iron County calls BLM horse roundup a 'joke'
- BLM Pressured to Bring Wild Horse Population Under Control
- Ranchers' next target: wildlife
- BLM to pull 200 hores from Utah's West Desert
- 200 wild horses slated for roundup, BLM says
- Iron County, BLM bring in first herd of wild horses
- Utah officials: Feds should round up wild horses
- Counties deploy new Utah law in fight over wild horses
- Faxes pour into Utah Governor's Office Protesting Anti-Mustang Stand
- Wild Horse Numbers In Utah Encourage Land Management Discussion
- Utah ranchers sue to force reduction in wild horse population
- Utah ranchers sue BLM, demand removal of wild horses
- State Wildlife Board sounds off to BLM over wild horse management
- Under pressure, Utah BLM fast-tracks plea to round up wild horses
- Gov. Gary Herbert slammed for wild horse comments
- Herbert Says Utah Should Take Control of Wild Horse Herds
- Wild horses targeted for roundup in Utah rangeland clash
- Iron County, feds work together to corral horses
- ‘Feral’ horse roundup is on in Iron County
- Trib Talk: Wild horse roundup – Iron County vs. federal law?
- Bureau of Land Management held hostage by Iron County Commissioners
- Amid criticism, Iron County, BLM plan wild horse roundup
- Utah county cites ‘hypocrisy’ in Clark County roundup
- Iron County to feds: Remove wild horses or we will
Legal
- Reply to Government Brief
- Reply to AWHC Brief
- Plaintiffs' Opening Brief
- Government Brief Utah Wild Horses
- Defendant Intervenors Response Brief
- Order Denying Motion for Judgment on the Pleadings
- Reply to Opposition to Motion for Judgment on the Pleadings Filed
- Plaintiffs' Opposition to Motion for Judgment on the Pleadings
- Motion for Judgement on the Pleadings Filed
- Order Granting AWHPC et. al. Intervention
- Government Response to Rancher Complaint
- AWHPC, et. al. Motion to Intervene
- Rancher vs. DOI Complaint