BISHOP, Calif. – The Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service have approved a plan for the agencies to gather and remove excess wild horses that have roamed outside the Montgomery Pass Wild Horse Territory near Benton onto public and private lands, in accordance with the Wild Free-Roaming Horse and Burros Act of 1971.

High priority areas for this gather include, but are not limited to, horses located in the Mono Basin and horses along CA State Route 120 East and U.S. Highway 6.

“This plan will allow the Inyo National Forest to gather horses beginning summer of 2025 from high-priority areas outside the Montgomery Pass Wild Horse Territory, where wild horses are causing impacts to sensitive wildlife habitat, riparian areas, and tufa geological formations; where there are safety concerns for motorists; and areas where private landowners have requested their removal,” said BLM Bishop Field Manager Sherri Lisius.

The Montgomery Pass Wild Horse Territory is managed by the Forest Service for a wild horse population between 138 to 230 animals under the 2019 Inyo National Forest Land Management Plan. A 2024 aerial survey of the surrounding areas estimated there were 699 horses, with most of those roaming outside the territory in areas not designated for their management. The current plan authorizes approximately 300-500 horses to be gathered. Wild horses that stray from their established areas may be removed to reduce conflicts with other resources in accordance with the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act of 1971. When the gather occurs, animals removed will be transported to Forest Service off-range corrals, where they will be checked by a veterinarian and prepared for adoption and sale programs.

Appeals of the BLM decision can be submitted to the Interior Board of Land Appeals by April 7, 2025. Additional information about the gather is available at the BLM NEPA National Register. Information on the Inyo National Forest’s decision notice is available at the projects page or the Pinyon Public page.

For more information, please contact BLM_CA_Bishop_MPWHT@blm.gov or SM.FS.InyoWH_B@usda.gov.

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. – The Bureau of Land Management is seeking public comment on the Control-Silver Peak project proposal to update existing transmission lines in Inyo and Mono counties to increase safety and reliability.

Southern California Edison proposes to replace and consolidate structures to increase ground clearance on two existing 55-kilovolt transmission lines, along approximately 61 miles of the Control-Silver Peak lines, which would meet California Public Utility Commission standards and bring the lines into compliance.

“This project ensures the safety and reliability of existing transmission lines and will improve energy transmission generation on public land,” said Shelly Lynch, BLM California Desert District Manager.

The proposed project would support approximately 350 construction jobs and would rebuild components of the existing transmission system to ensure reliability and delivery of clean energy to more than 25,000 people in the surrounding communities.

The Notice of Intent in the Federal Register opens a public comment period until Feb. 12, 2024. The public can help identify issues, suggest alternatives, or provide information for potential consideration in the Environmental Impact Statement.

As part of the scoping process, the Bureau of Land Management will hold one virtual and two in-person public meetings on the following dates/times at the BLM Bishop Field Office – USFS Inyo National Forest Office, 351 Pacu Lane, Suite 100, Bishop, CA 93514.

• In-person: Tuesday, January 16, from 2 – 4 p.m. and Wednesday, January 17, from noon – 2 p.m.
• Virtual: Wednesday, January 24, from noon – 2 p.m. The public must register to participate in the virtual public meeting. Registrants will receive a link and phone number to join the meeting.

Public comments can be submitted in the following ways:

• Email comments to: BLM_CA_CA_TLRR_ControlSilverPeak@blm.gov   
• Mail or hand deliver comments in an envelope labeled “Control-Silver Peak Project EIS” to Joan Patrovsky, Project Manager, Bureau of Land Management, California Desert District Office, 1201 Bird Center Drive, Palm Springs, CA 92262.
• Fax: 760-833-7199

The Control-Silver Peak line western terminus is the Control Substation, approximately five miles west of Bishop in Inyo County, and the eastern terminus is at Fish Valley Substation, approximately six miles west of the California-Nevada border. For more information contact Joan Patrovsky, Bureau of Land Management Project Manager, 951-214-1775, or visit the Control Silver Peak Project BLM’s .