WINNEMUCCA — Brushing aside the advice of legal counsel, the Humboldt County Commission voted 3-2 on Monday (March 1) to hear an appeal on the Regional Planning Commission’s decision to extend the conditional use permit issued to Jungo Land & Investment for the development of a class 1 landfill.  The extension was for five years and did not include any additional conditions concerning environmental protection, which was requested by some members of the public.

The appeal hearing was set for March 15.

Humboldt County Deputy DA Angie Elquist advised the commission that after further study it appeared as though Robert Dolan and Massey Mayo, who sought the appeal, did not have the legal standing necessary to do so. Elquist's legal findings were outlined for the commissioners in a memo (see page 2).

WINNEMUCCA – The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Winnemucca District has concluded the Calico Mountains Complex gather north of Gerlach, Nev., with 1,922 excess wild horses removed. The gathered horses were transported to the Indian Lakes Road holding facility in Fallon, Nev. where they are being prepared for the BLM’s adoption program or for long-term holding pastures.

Based on aerial reconnaissance by the BLM, an estimated 600 wild horses remain in the Complex, which is within the appropriate management level range of 600 to 900 established for that area. In late spring, the BLM will conduct a comprehensive post-gather inventory of all the herd management areas (HMAs) in the Calico Mountains Complex and the surrounding area.

WINNEMUCCA — The Humboldt County Commissioners suggested a new tour for singer Sheryl Crow, but not the kind with luxury buses and first-rate accommodations.  This tour would be to an area north of Gerlach where the rangeland has suffered from seasonal wildfires, an ongoing drought, and the overpopulation of wild horses.

The singer has been critical of a BLM decision to gather wild horses from the area and keep them at a facility near Fallon.  Crow is reported to have said the gather is “inhumane … and must be stopped.” 

Supporting the gather were the Humboldt County Commissioners who held a special meeting to issue a letter of support to Gene Seidlitz, BLM’s District Manager for the Winnemucca District.  Seidlitz was on hand to receive the letter and update commissioners on the gather.

WINNEMUCCA —   The Bureau of Land Management is proceeding with an effort to roundup more than 2,500 wild horses north of Gerlach as soon as a court-ordered injunction expires on December 28.  The Record of Decision was signed on Tuesday (December 8) by Gene Seidlitz, BLM’s District Office Manager in Winnemucca.  The decision was posted Thursday (December 10) and is featured below in its entirety.

In Defense of Animals was granted an injunction through the US District Court in Washington D.C.  IDA’s representatives argued the gather would be damaging to the herds and was unnecessary.  Animal-rights advocates have also protested the use of helicopters and vehicles that would be used during the gather.

The BLM contends it’s a far greater cruelty to do nothing and let the animals face starvation and dehydration due to overpopulation.