7 Mustangs Run to Death by US Govt- More Brilliant Science Based Decision Making

(9AM EST – promoted by Nightprowlkitty)

edit. v2.

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You can tell it’s an election year by the amount of wild horses that suddenly have to be removed off Federal range to “preserve habitat” for mule deer hunters and cattle ranchers who also lease it.   This year, 1200 in our sister state, home to the Senate Majority Leader.

The Obama administration touted that it would use so called “science based” decision making.  After watching the Bush administration decide to humor the National Park’s decision to murder a bunch of introduced, very cute, but non trophy type smaller deer at Pt Reyes National Seashore with helicopter hunting, (think more canned Tule Elk Special Hunts as a result ) under the guise of they weren’t “native,” and the helicopter contract went to a big Republican donor, while the Dems made stupid excuses for this, I was sort of cynical that this was going to happen.

Science does not = rotor cowboys.  

Science does not = Cattoor Livestock.

http://rtfitch.wordpress.com  7/12/2010 BLM – Infamous helicopter contractor returns for illegal tuscarora wild horse roundup.  “It was Cattoor Livestock that stampeded the horses of Pryor Mountain in 95º+ degree heat for miles, and again the Cattoors who were actually credited with running the hooves right off from several foals during the bloodiest of all roundups on record, the Calico Complex debacle.  Due to the deaths in the field, …. documented on video, the Cattoors launched an attack on the First Amendment and instructed their attorneys to issue threat/demand letters to news agencies, major non profits, magazines and blogs that were reporting the news to the public on the deadly Calico roundup.  The letters wanted to “fix” the news…. and insist on public apologies for reporting the facts as witnessed. The mention of company owner David Cattoor’s past indictment for capturing and selling wild horses to slaughter was likewise considered taboo. ”

“In their care, 86 horses have died and 40 mares have aborted their late term foals….”

http://tuesdayshorse.wordpress…

“In late December, government contracted helicopters took to the air, rounding up every horse they could find on the vast 500,000 acre Calico range, an area designated principally for wild horse use since 1971, but grazed by thousands of privately owned, government subsidized cattle. The roundup….. has cost at least $1.3 million…. while causing injury and death to hundreds of wild horses.  ….. over 24 million acres have been withdrawn from wild horse and burro use.  The BLM “welfare ranching” practices continue allowing the land to be leased primarily to corporations at minimum fees of $1.35 per cow/calf pair or per 5 head of sheep per month, along with land leases to extractive and energy industries on Western public lands.

That Cattoor.

This weekend’s Cattoor:

7/12/2010  BLM suspends wild horse roundup after 7 animals die of dehydration

You can also tell that the idiots who did this during the hottest month of the year, and did it too fast, were not listening to people who are familiar with how to herd horses (SLOWLY, JUST LIKE COWS, giving them rest periods) and how they react to stress.  I know that there are people like this working in the BLM horse management system. The BLM has some very skilled horse people.   I know that somewhere in the bowels of the Dept of the Interior, the same people who were in a big damned hurry to stage a Mission Accomplished In Time For Something, the same types who posed the current President in front of a fighter plane when he announced more offshore drilling before the Deepwater Horizon well rig blew up, were in the final decision making process of when it was a great time to rid the range of pasture rats.  

“Water intoxication” my a$$.  Wild  Horses who are running for their lives from helicopters,  too hard and too fast in the extreme heat won’t gulp too much water when done-  they’re dying from colicing and heat stroke, period.  The water consumption is secondary to the condition the animals finished the run in-  overstressed metabolically.  And horses do not drink naturally until AFTER THEY HAVE EATEN.   Hot, hard worked horses fed dry food, instead of being slowly cooled out at a walk and then offered water or a wet soupy pulp concoction first, are being set up to get sick.

Mustangs are much more efficient than regular domesticated horses, much more heat tolerant,  and typically only drink once or twice, deeply and slowly, during a 24 hour cycle, where they may amble about rangeland over an average of 20 miles per day, grazing, before they visit a water hole.  A normal domesticated horse needs water available at all times (especially in hot weather)  when not working, and can easily work one or two hours in the heat without needing a drink, if it is conditioned and paced properly.   A mustang going at its own pace over 8 miles normally wouldn’t have a problem.  Even the typical backyard horse can go 8 miles easily, if supervised by somebody who is familiar with horses.

The one thing you do NOT do is feed a hot horse high protein dairy alfalfa, or oat hay,  after it is already metabolically stressed.

 

The Nevada Appeal.com : Monday July 12, 2010

The US Bureau of Land Management suspended a wild horse roundup in Northeast Nevada on Monday, after seven animals died of dehydration and another was shot when it broke its leg in a holding pen.

The mustang deaths came two days after “In Defense of Animals” joined ecologist Craig Downer in filing an appeal to try to block the roundup in an area known as the Owyhee complex, three management areas covering 750 square miles north of Elko.  The appeal argued the round up should be postponed until after Aug 15 because it would subject young foals and mares to life- threatening conditions.  

Horse advocacy groups such as the Cloud Foundation and  are insisting that the BLM and the Dept of the Interior stop this until the summer weather cools off in the blistering summer Nevada desert.    Earlier roundups resulted in a public outcry this spring, when the heavily pregnant mares were so stressed they were aborting their foals.

The government, of course, changed the name to the Tuscarora Roundup now.

I am trying to think of something that aggravates me more than using cutesy sounding East Coast Indigenous Peoples animal or mountain names to disguise a Private Contractor activity being performed in a stupid manner, (the Pt Reyes deer slaughter was done by the odious “White Buffalo” company)  and I can’t right at this moment.

Calico Complex

Earlier this year, in January

Cattoor helicopter

BLM now uses private land for holding facilities to limit public access.

A lawsuit was filed July 8 by In Defense of Animals (IDA) and Advocates for the West the day before the roundup started.

Yubanet, July 9, 2010

http://yubanet.com/regional/Le…

The Appeal and Petition for Stay states that the planned roundup –   scheduled to begin only nine days after the BLM’s identified “peak foaling season” which ends on June 30th – unnecessarily subjects newly-born foals to life-threatening conditions including the helicopter-created chase, or stampede, of horses for miles over rugged terrain in desert summer temperatures. The Appeal and Petition to Stay further challenges the agency’s determination that the Owyhee Complex horses are “excess” and therefore must be removed. The scheduled roundup, which indiscriminately rounds up wild horses without any regard to age, condition or health, would include young foals, some of whom may have been born within the last week or so, creates inhumane conditions which would expose the vulnerable youngsters to life-threatening health problems and possibly death. BLM acknowledges that “summer gathers pose increased risk of heat stress” and “death can result.” In addition, running young foals can cause a multitude of physical health problems including hoof, skeletal and development issues.

The Appeal and Petition for Stay seek to postpone the roundup until at least after August 15.

The BLM’s Tuscarora Field Office, despite receiving written opposition from thousands of Americans, decided to move forward with the roundup and removal of approximately 1,200 wild horses from what is called the Owyhee Complex – which includes three herd management areas comprised of 482,000 acres north of Elko in northeastern Nevada. The planned roundup only leaves behind only 337 wild horses on the 753-square-mile area. While severely restricting the number of horses on the Owyhee Complex, the BLM allows private ranchers to graze thousands of cattle in this same area through livestock allocations.  

Is it just a coincidence that Congress was on the extended 2 week summer 4th of July (campaigning) holiday when this started, or what ?

The Dept of the Interior and the BLM plan to run helicopters to remove 6000 horses in the next 4 months.  That would take it right to election day.

Wild horses are vastly outnumbered by domesticated livestock, 50 to 1, on BLM property.  The Federal government is leasing MORE LAND for grazing allotments where horses are being removed.   Wild horses are only allowed on about 10% of public land.

Currently the BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public lands of which cattle grazing is allowed on 160 million acres; wild horses are only allowed on 26.6 million acres this land, which must be shared with cattle. The Obama Administration plans to remove nearly 12,000 wild horses and burros from public lands by October 2010. There are currently more than 36,000 wild horses warehoused in government holding facilities and only 33,000 wild horses free on the range.  

Check out the comments under the Yubanet story.  The Government is running a new NATURAL GAS LINE right through the area. Planning on building it right now.

It begins in Wyoming, where Dick Cheney is from.  Called the Ruby Pipeline, owner El Paso Corporation knows how to spin the cow manure.  They have a “vision.”

Ruby is committed to being the neighbor to have. As part of that vision, the Project will incorporate technology to minimize greenhouse gas emissions and will offset those emissions that cannot be reduced. Environmental reviews conducted during the planning for the Project identified several key areas for special attention or avoidance during construction: big game winter ranges, calving areas, and river crossings, as well as a number of federally protected species. Ruby is continuing to conduct stakeholder outreach and surveys along the proposed route, and is continuing to work with interested landowners, Native American tribes, environmental non-governmental organizations, and state, federal, and local governmental agencies to ensure the Project’s optimal implementation.

Press Release from El Paso Corporation, yesterday, July 13th :

El Paso Corporation (EP 12.35, 0.07, 0.56%) today announced that it has received a Bureau of Land Management (BLM) right-of-way grant for its Ruby Pipeline project. The grant is subject to final completion of cultural treatment plans and related agreements on federal lands along Ruby’s 680-mile route. Ruby previously received a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), and it will begin construction as soon as it receives a FERC Notice to Proceed and Construct. The $3 billion project is scheduled to be in service in March 2011.

“We are very pleased to receive conditional BLM approval for this important infrastructure project,” said Jim Cleary, president of El Paso’s Western Pipeline Group. “We expect to satisfy the BLM conditions and receive our FERC notice to proceed very soon and begin construction shortly thereafter. Once constructed, Ruby will play an important role in linking abundant supplies of cleaning-burning natural gas in the Rockies to markets in western states, helping fuel economic growth in an environmentally friendly manner.”  

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This website says “big beef is nothing compared to big gas. leasing federal land for oil and gas is the 2nd biggest revenue maker for the federal government. ”  He claims Salazar has said wild horses have no place on public lands.   http://www.abovetopsecret.com/…

Has a long video, which talks about how the wild horse advocates started wondering why the government was so interested in the land-  they saw that the Ruby pipeline went thru another area that the government had already moved horses out of –  the above “Calico” removal by Caltoor, and then they noticed the Ruby Pipeline was slated to go thru the land in Nevada, too, the Owyhee/Tuscarora area.

quotes from video link above:

“I did a little digging of my own, you’re not going to believe who the #2 beneficiary of this pipeline is going to be. You’re not going to believe who is going to push their products thru this pipeline.  Already involved in several other states….   our friends at British Petroleum.   The 2nd biggest organization involved in this, the 2nd biggest player in this pipeline.”

/snip

“these guys are not only destroying the Gulf but the culture of generations, who farmed the sea for shrimp, now we’ve connected them to destroying another piece of America, our heritage, our wild horses, from the oceans to the deserts, they’re beating on us, and we have to start beating back. ”  

“BP and El Paso go way back, have done another pipeline together.”  video by  Mark Allin and George Knapp (Knapp, KLAS 8 News, Las Vegas, NV, Emmy award winner)

links page to documents  

http://www.abovetopsecret.com/…

pdf download of document tying BP to the Ruby Pipeline:   excerpts

http://files.abovetopsecret.co…

Ruby Pipeline Transportation Precedent Agreement

This Transportation Precedent Agreement (TPA) dated June 20, 2008, is between Ruby Pipeline, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (Transporter) and BP Energy Company, a Delaware corporation (Shipper.)  In consideration of the mutual promises of the parties, Transporter and Shipper agree as follows:

Whereas,  Transporter proposes to constuct, own, and operate a new interstate natural gas transmission pipeline  commencing at the Opal Hub in southwest Wyoming and terminating at the Malin Hub at the California Oregon Border which will connect additional gas supplies from the Rocky Mountain supply basins to western U.S. markets (hereinafter referred to as the “Ruby Pipeline”) and

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(legal agreement details)

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All notices required or permitted under this TPA shall be in writing and sent by FAX, hand delivered, or overnight delivery service, with all charges fully prepaid, and addressed to the parties hereto, respectively, as follows:

To Transporter

Ruby Pipeline LLC, 2 North Nevada Avenue, Colorado Springs, CO 80903  Attention Thomas L Price

To Shipper

BP Energy Company 501 Westlake Park Blvd, Houston, TX 77079  Attention Gary L Potter

Applicable Law:  ……   governed and construed in accordance with the laws of the state of Colorado without regard to the rules of that state concerning conflicts of law.

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Executed as of the date first above written.

Transporter

Ruby Pipeline LLC

by Thomas L Price (signature)

Vice President

Shipper

BP Energy Company

by Kim W Coburn (signature)

VP- Transportation & Operations

BP is part of the Ruby Pipeline.  First they killed the dolphins, the whales, the fish, shrimp, oysters, and humans of the Gulf. Now they’re killing wild horses in their own habitat out west.  Or, rather, our politicians are using our taxdollars for private contractors on BP’s behalf.  

One more thing.

 Upon request by Transporter (Ruby) , Shipper (that’s BP Energy) shall promptly provide evidence to Transporter of creditworthiness which the Transporter may share with its lenders or creditors.  

Word is that BP’s credit rating is approaching junk bond status.   And that they had to put up collateral for that $20 Billion dollar agreement.  And that they will be the subject of a takeover.

Okay, now get a look at this.  From back in April, before the BP Oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

http://blooddiamondsareforever…

El Paso said it’s still waiting for right-of-way approval from the BLM, but expects construction to start within a few months with completion expected in March 2011.

Several major energy companies operating in Colorado have already signed agreements to ship natural gas on the pipeline, including Anadarko Petroleum Corp., Barry Petroleum Company, Antero Resources Piceance Corp., BP Energy Company, Shell Energy North America, Marathon Oil Co. and Bill Barrett Corp. A major investor in the project is Connecticut-based Global Infrastructure Partners, which could pony up as much as $700 million in the Ruby Pipeline project, when all is said and done.

Anadarko Petroleum is part owner along with BP of the Deepwater Horizon Macondo Oil well.  And therefore they’re in on this “mustang murdering by helicopter” Ruby Pipeline, too.

“Connecticut based Global Infrastructure Partners ”  http://www.global-infra.com/ou…  lists Ruby Pipeline on their portfolio page.   Global Infrastructure Partners has 4 partners based in London, UK.  Blum, McGhee, Noorani, Rao.  In the UK,  2 airports and a waste management business portfolios.

short pdf download  http://www.global-infra.com/do…

Western Energy News, June 2010

El Paso Corporation and Global Infrastructure Partners Close $1/5 billion Ruby Financing.

http://www.westernenergy.org/n…

The seven-year, $1.5 billion debt facility is supported by a group of domestic and international banks. Ruby’s borrowing rate is LIBOR plus 300 basis points for the first two years; LIBOR plus 325 basis points for the third and fourth years; and LIBOR plus 375 basis points for the fifth, sixth and seventh years, assuming that $700 million of debt is refinanced by the end of the fourth year.

Which Connecticut Senator, not a Democrat, has been working with Sen. Kerry again on the Senate version of the Energy Bill ?  

Which Nevada Senator just said that the Senate will take up said Energy Bill to consider before the August recess ?

Which Presidential Candidate in 2008 got thousands of dollars from Global Infrastructure Partners ?

http://www.campaignmoney.com/p…

And now we know why they’re in such a hurry.

Spread the word.  

And it would be a good idea to not tell me that equines aren’t native species to the American continent so it’s okay for the government to rotor cowboy them to death.    Just like it’s not a good idea to use Halliburton’s cheapest cement to set the plug on a high pressure, deepwater, high methane gas uncontrollable oil well.

Longer Calico mountain captured wild horses at the Fallon holding facility, from an earlier roundup this past winter. warning. very sad video.