EXPLANATION – Matter in bolded italics is new; matter between brackets [omitted material] is material to be omitted. Green numbers along left margin indicate location on the printed bill (e.g., 5-15 indicates page 5, line 15).

1-1 Whereas, On December 15, 1971, Congress enacted the provisions of

1-2 the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act, 16 U.S.C. §§ 1331 et seq.;

1-3 and

1-4 Whereas, The purpose of the Act is to preserve the wild horses and

1-5 burros living on the public lands managed by the Bureau of Land

1-6 Management and the United States Forest Service and to protect those wild

1-7 horses and burros from capture, branding, harassment and death; and

1-8 Whereas, Since 1971, the population of wild horses living on the

1-9 public lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management and the United

1-10 States Forest Service has increased dramatically, particularly in Nevada

1-11 where the largest population of those wild horses exists; and

1-12 Whereas, The Act requires the Secretary of the Interior and the

1-13 Secretary of Agriculture to manage the wild horses living on the public

1-14 lands administered by the Bureau of Land Management and the United

1-15 States Forest Service in a manner that will achieve and maintain a natural

1-16 ecological balance on those public lands; and

1-17 Whereas, Pursuant to that Act, if the Secretary of the Interior or the

1-18 Secretary of Agriculture determines that an overpopulation of wild horses

1-19 exists in an area of the public lands managed by the Bureau of Land

2-1 Management and the United States Forest Service, the secretary must

2-2 remove the excess wild horses from those areas to achieve an appropriate

2-3 level of management for the wild horses; and

2-4 Whereas, Although the provisions of the Act address the issue of

2-5 overpopulation of wild horses, the Act does not require that the population

2-6 of wild horses be maintained at a particular level, thereby allowing the

2-7 population of wild horses to expand far beyond the level envisioned by

2-8 Congress in 1971; and

2-9 Whereas, Allowing an excessive number of wild horses to live on the

2-10 public lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management and the United

2-11 States Forest Service causes those public lands to deteriorate from overuse

2-12 and contravenes the purposes of the Taylor Grazing Act, 43 U.S.C. §§ 315

2-13 et seq., and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976, 43

2-14 U.S.C. §§ 1701 et seq., which are intended to protect those public lands

2-15 from deterioration and overuse; and

2-16 Whereas, Requiring the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of

2-17 Agriculture to maintain the population of wild horses living on the public

2-18 lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management and the United States

2-19 Forest Service at the level established for those wild horses in 1975 will:

2-20 1. Improve the condition of the ranges used by the wild horses;

2-21 2. Increase the population and improve the habitat of deer, antelope

2-22 and other species of wildlife living on those public lands;

2-23 3. Allow an increased use of the public lands for grazing and the

2-24 development of native flora and vegetation;

2-25 4. Improve conditions for hunting and other outdoor sports;

2-26 5. Reduce the amount of money required to shelter, feed and prepare

2-27 wild horses for adoption; and

2-28 6. Reduce the risk of deaths of wild horses because of freezing and

2-29 starvation during the winter; now, therefore, be it

2-30 Resolved by the Assembly and Senate of the State of Nevada,

2-31 Jointly, That the Nevada Legislature urges Congress to amend the

2-32 provisions of the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act to require the

2-33 Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture to maintain the

2-34 population of wild horses living on the public lands managed by the Bureau

2-35 of Land Management and the United States Forest Service at the level

2-36 established for those wild horses in 1975; and be it further

2-37 Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly prepare and transmit a

2-38 copy of this resolution to the Vice President of the United States as the

2-39 presiding officer of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of

2-40 Representatives, each member of the Nevada Congressional Delegation and

2-41 each legislature of the other 49 states; and be it further

3-1 Resolved, That this resolution becomes effective upon passage and

3-2 approval.