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Consultant urges stronger enforcement and changes to wild-horse policy, citing population and cost figures
Summary
Jenny Lesieutre told the committee the BLM population was 85,466 as of March 2026 and argued for stronger enforcement and program changes to reduce rangeland impacts and holding costs; supporters noted county Declarations of Ecological Disaster.
Jenny Lesieutre of Rangelands, Wildlife & Wild Horses LLC presented a policy overview and urged state and federal officials to enforce existing law and change appropriations and management practices. She cited a BLM population estimate of "85,466 as of March 2026" and argued the true number was higher after accounting for uncounted herds.
Lesieutre described perceived harms to habitat and wildlife, criticized holding and fertility-control costs, and advocated for measures ranging from expanded enforcement of the Wild Horse and Burro Act to euthanasia of animals older than 10 years or offered multiple times for adoption. Joel Blakeslee and others described county-level declarations of ecological disaster to emphasize local concern. Committee members thanked the presenters but did not take formal action.
