Message to Congress - Budget Reform for the BLM

Programmatic Request Regarding:  Department of Interior, Bureau of Land Management

The following can be submitted as a 'Member Request' (House) or 'Congressionally Directed Spending' (Senate)

The committee recommends the Wild Horse and Burro Program and the Adoption Incentive Program, operated by the DOI/BLM be precluded from expending funds allocated in 2024 and prior years.  The committee recommends that the programs 2025 Budget Allocation be reduced by $90 Million and $18 Million respectively.  The 2025 DOI Budget Justification for the Wild Horse and Burro Program is found beginning on page 47 of the 2025 DOI Greenbook.

The committee recommends that additional funds be allocated beyond the 2025 Budget Justification for the following programs:

1)     Processing of FOIA (Freedom of Information Act requests) is dramatically underperforming reasonable expectations.  Staffing and management revisions shall be put in place so that requests are responded fully and in a timely manner.  Reporting to Congress shall be required quarterly.

2)     Execution of Environmental Assessments are dramatically underperforming reasonable expectations.  Staffing and management revisions shall be put in place so the activities are conducted fully and in a timely manner.  Reporting to Congress shall be required quarterly.

3)     Execution of NEPA requirements are dramatically underperforming reasonable expectations.  Staffing and management revisions shall be put in place so that EA and NEPA executions are conducted fully and in a timely manner.  Reporting to Congress shall be required quarterly.

4)     Execution of appropriate depth and rigor to re-evaluate the Appropriate Management Level (AML) determination for each Herd Management Area ahead of any decision to remove additional animals from public lands.  Reporting to Congress shall be required quarterly.

5)     The practice of euthanizing animals based on ‘spot’ determination during gather operations and documenting the veterinary decision after-the-fact, or failure to document decisions shall be terminated. Reporting to Congress shall be required quarterly.

6)     A publicly accessible data warehouse shall be implemented to better respond to requests for information. Reporting to Congress shall be required quarterly.

Justification

Congress must take steps to ensure that the Bureau bases its management decisions on accurate information and science, rather than pressure from interest groups or guesswork.  The 2025 Budget Justification contains UNDISCLOSED program costs.  Failure to disclose program goals, objectives and costs amounts to INTENTIONAL DECEPTION of the congressional appropriations markup committee.

The lifetime costs for care and feeding of animals already removed from public lands has an estimated cost of over $1Billion.  The 2025 Budget Justification the Department of Interior, Bureau of Land Management, Wild Horse and Burro program discloses ONLY the 2025 incremental cost for the program.  The result of intentional nondisclosure is that the markup committee is provided neither sufficient information nor the full context of the program needed to evaluate the appropriation request.

Two recent court decisions point to mismanagement within the Wild Horse Program.  The courts (separately) demand the BLM go back and reassess its management practices citing failure to utilize current data in its management decisions.  Ref:  FOA Civil Action No. 18-2029 (RDM) (30Mar24) and AWHC (Case No. 3:22-cv-00034-MMD-CLB)  [Both older references] The court’s most recent ruling condemns the attempt to avoid scrutiny of its overall plan. Additional condemnation includes ignoring responsibility to ensure public participation in decisions. In both cases the court found the BLM disregarded its statutory and regulatory obligations regarding public lands management.

Animals removed from public lands by the BLM requiree continuing care and feeding.  These animals are warehoused in ‘Off Range Holding’ for the remainder of their lives.  Often living 30 years or more this incurs AN UNDISCLOSED EXPENSE with which all taxpayers are encumbered.  Additionally, taxpayers are directly impacted when the BLM procures forage to feed animals removed from public lands.  The cost of forage, primarily hay and alfalfa, has doubled in just the past two years.  

This requeest seeks to direct the BLM to reduce its needs for acquisition of forage on the commercial market.  Better management has the BLM obtaining all forage needed to feed animals removed from public lands by operating the necessary methods to produce the forage on BLM managed lands.  

This UNDISCLOSED EXPENSE can be eliminated if the BLM Wild Horse and Burro Program budget request is reduced by $90M for 2025 and is carefully reduced in following years requiring the UNDISCLOSED EXPENSES of the program to be enumerated to the subcommittee markup process.

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Background

The Bureau of Land Management's (BLM) false narrative about a purported overpopulation of wild horses serves as a stark example of the detrimental effects of government disinformation. Despite scientific evidence suggesting otherwise, the BLM has perpetuated the myth of wild horse overpopulation to justify its controversial policies of roundups, removals, and mass sterilization programs. By disseminating this false narrative, the BLM has obscured the true motives behind its actions and obscured the public's understanding of the issue.

The BLM’s disinformation is dangerous because it undermines the democratic principle of transparency and accountability. The BLM, as a government agency, has a duty to provide accurate information to the public. But by promoting the idea of wild horse overpopulation, it has misled citizens, the news media, and federal and state policymakers, creating a distorted perception of the situation on public lands. This deception erodes public trust in the BLM and hampers efforts to hold the agency accountable for its actions.

Equally important is the fact that the BLM's false narrative has led to unconscionable abuses against wild horses. By portraying these animals as a threat to rangeland health and biodiversity, the agency justifies aggressive management tactics that harm the wild horses. Helicopter roundups in particular subject these animals to stress, injury, and even death, while mass sterilization programs pose significant risks to their health and well-being. In the absence of accurate information, wild horses become scapegoats for broader issues such as habitat degradation by and competition with commercial livestock, perpetuating their mistreatment and marginalization.

The BLM's disinformation contributes to the consolidation of power and influence within the agency. By controlling the narrative surrounding wild horse management, the BLM can advance its agenda without meaningful scrutiny or opposition. This lack of transparency enables the agency to prioritize the interests of powerful stakeholders such as ranchers and extractive industries, while disregarding the concerns of conservationists, animal welfare advocates, and the general public.

The Bureau of Land Management's false narrative about wild horse overpopulation exemplifies the corrosive effects of government disinformation. By distorting the truth, the BLM undermines democracy, facilitates animal abuse, and consolidates its power at the expense of public trust and accountability. It is imperative that citizens remain vigilant in challenging such disinformation and holding government agencies accountable for their actions.

Only through transparency, honesty, and informed public discourse can we ensure the ethical and responsible management of our public lands.