As tensions escalate in Iron County Utah, Attorney’s representing Return To Freedom, AWHPC and The Cloud Foundation, sent a letter to the BLM reminding them that it is a Federal crime for the public to remove wild horses from Public Lands where they are protected by the Wild Free Roaming Horse and Burro Act. Additionally, the BLM may not remove Wild horses or burros from their Herd Management Areas without prior compliance with requirements from the WHA and NEPA ( National Environmental Policy Act).
It looks like the letter helped. “Rather than putting ourselves in a position to end up getting injunctions and lawsuits, we are going to stay in the clear and start by gathering horses on private land,” said David Miller, chair of the Iron County Commission, on Tuesday. “We will focus on astray and feral horses so we don’t get into a sticking point with state or federal laws. The roundup will focus on branded horses with “no apparent owner,” Miller said.