Lander County commissioners on April 10 voted to submit a comment letter for the Bureau of Land Management’s scoping period on the Callahan Complex herd management area and associated environmental assessment, urging low Appropriate Management Levels (AML) for wild horses and collaboration on rangeland improvements.

Pam Harrington, Lander County Natural Resource Officer, told the board the scoping period is an opportunity for local government and cooperating agencies to shape NEPA analysis and to seek tools and categorical exclusions for on‑the‑ground work, such as spring protection and prioritized seeding. Harrington and other participants said the last gather was in 2011 and noted rapid foal production: county staff asked that the BLM analyze foal cohorts in holding and consider lower AMLs and gathers tied to ecological objectives.

Why this matters

The Callahan Complex scoping comment frames the county’s expectations before the BLM prepares draft alternatives and analyses. Low AMLs and explicit coordination requests can influence gather frequency, range restoration priorities and the design of mitigation measures — decisions that affect rangeland condition, livestock forage and local land users.

What the board recorded

Pam Harrington presented a draft letter that asked the BLM to: analyze lower AML numbers for gathers; include full analysis of foal cohorts borne in holding facilities; identify priority projects and consider available categorical exclusions to expedite springs and range improvements; and incorporate a collaborative approach with county and local stakeholders for long‑term range management.

Public comment at the hearing included statements from longtime public‑lands activists and local board members. Amy Nelson told the commission she believes federal management has been “out of compliance for decades” and described millions of dollars in local impacts from unmanaged horses. Wayne Hevicker, a public‑lands board member, said BLM participation at recent local meetings gave cause for optimism.

The board action

A motion to approve the scoping comment letter and authorize the chair to sign carried on a recorded voice vote. Commissioners said incremental, steady progress toward lower AMLs and maintaining those levels would improve seeding effectiveness and on‑the‑ground range work.

Next steps

Staff will finalize and transmit the scoping comment letter to the BLM for the Callahan Complex environmental assessment. The BLM will produce draft documents for public review; the county requested a continuing role as a cooperating agency when appropriate.