[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 9 (Thursday, January 13, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Page 2191]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-795]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management
[MT019-1060-DH]


Notice of Intent To Prepare an Amendment to the Billings Resource 
Area Management Plan and Revision of the Herd Management Area Plan, 
Pryor Mountain Wild Horse Range, MT

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an amendment to the Billings 
Resource Area Management Plan in order to establish an appropriate 
management level for wild horses, based on the results of eight years 
of ecological research studies on population genetics and ecosystem 
modelling. This research represents a synthesis of important issues 
pertaining to a landscape scale, interdisciplinary evaluation of the 
effects of wild horses and native ungulates on the rugged Pryor 
Mountain ecosystem. In addition, the existing 1984 Pryor Mountain Wild 
Horse Range, Herd Management Area Plan, and the subsequent 1992 
Revision, will be revised to update the management of these horses and 
to consider issues pertaining to public safety and commercial use 
within the Pryor Mountain Wild Horse Range.

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SUMMARY: An RMP Amendment/Environmental Assessment will be prepared to 
establish the appropriate management level for the number of horses in 
the Pryor Mountain Wild Horse Herd. This amendment will incorporate 
results of eight years of ecological research studies on population 
genetics and ecosystem modelling. Specific studies addressed 
competitive interactions between the three ungulates inhabiting the 
area (Bighorn sheep, mule deer, and wild horses), the effects of all 
ungulates on the vegetation, the conservation genetics of the wild 
horses and simulations of the predicted effects of different wild horse 
management scenarios. These efforts resulted from a comprehensive 
interagency approach involving six agencies including the Bureau of 
Land Management, National Park Service, U.S. Geological Survey, Montana 
Dept. of Fish, Wildlife and Parks, Wyoming Game and Fish Department, 
and the U.S. Forest Service. Major research direction and effort came 
from the U.S. Geological Survey and Natural Resources Ecology Lab, 
Colorado State University with participating efforts from Montana State 
University and the University of Kentucky.
    In addition, the Pryor Mountain Wild Horse Range, Herd Management 
Area Plan, will be revised. Based on previously stated public concern 
and input, the planned revision will consider issues pertaining to, but 
not necessarily limited to: long-term preservation of the genetic 
viability of the Pryor Mountain herd; maintaining an ecological balance 
within the Pryor ecosystem; use of immunocontraceptive (fertility 
control) techniques for population control within the wild horse herd; 
range expansion efforts in order to support a genetically viable wild 
horse herd; management of existing and/or proposed water sources within 
the Pryors while considering impacts on horse and wildlife distribution 
and forage use; permanent road closures in an effort to create retreat 
areas for wildlife; road improvements on the Pryor horse range for 
reasons of public safety; limiting indiscriminate shooting on the Pryor 
horse range for reasons of public safety; and options for controlling 
future commercialization of the Pryors.

DATES: The Billings Field Office, Bureau of Land Management, plans to 
hold public scoping meetings, in order to provide opportunities for 
public comment, during late March 2000. Tentatively, meetings are 
scheduled for Billings, Montana on March 29 and Lovell, Wyoming on 
March 30, 2000. Details, regarding planned locations and specific times 
for these meetings, will be published in local news releases. Any 
issues, concerns, additional information, or alternatives should be 
submitted to the BLM at the address below on or before April 7, 2000.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sandra S. Brooks, Field Manager, or 
Linda Coates-Markle, Wild Horse and Burro Specialist, BLM, PO BOX 
36800, 5001 Southgate Drive, Billings, Montana 59107 or 406-896-5013.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Listings, and a brief summary of the above 
stated research efforts pertaining to the Pryor Mountain Wild Horse 
Range, may be requested at the above address. Final reports for all 
research studies should be available to the BLM by mid-February 2000 
and this information will then be available to public members upon 
request. This research represents the ``best available information'' 
which currently exists with respect to the Pryor Mountain Wild Horse 
Range. If other documents exist, which public members wish to identify 
for consideration during the revision process, please provide a copy to 
the Billings Field Office (address above), on or before April 7, 2000.

    Dated: January 7, 2000.
Larry E. Hamilton,
State Director.
[FR Doc. 00-795 Filed 1-12-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-$$-P