(Feb. 16) -- Governor Kenny Guinn is appealing to Congress for help to control our state's wild horse population. As Channel 8's I-Team has reported over the past few weeks, the state's wild horse population is much bigger than what the range land can support, which puts both the range and the horses in jeopardy.
The BLM says it has no money to round up any more horses this year. The Department of Interior wants to put more money into the program, but it may not happen until next year. So Governor Guinn has written to Congressional leaders asking them to expedite a new appropriation for the wild horse program to prevent mass starvation and the degradation of the range. Guinn is asking for an additional $7 million for the program.
At present, Nevada is home to more than half of the nation's wild horses, but it gets less than 15% -of the wild horse budget.
(Feb. 11) -- Another cash-strapped Nevada program may get a helping hand form the federal government. As the I-Team reported last week, Nevada's wild horse program is in trouble. The BLM says the program is out of money and that there will be no more wild horse round-ups this year, even though there are far more wild horses in our state than the rangeland can support.
But, Governor Kenny Guinn met this week with Secretary of the Interior Gale Norton and was given assurances that Washington will try to help. "She's very positive and they're doing everything they can to help. They have money in the budget to solve this problem. Our concern through our commissioners is this year. The money won't get there till next year," said the Governor.
The Governor also says he was given assurances that the feds will try to get more funds to Nevada this year to address the overpopulation of horses. Governor Guinn's comments came during a one-on-one interview with the I-Team's George Knapp.
