Wild horse roundup triggers objections
Activists are trying to rein in the Spring Creek Wild Horse Roundup. A lawsuit challenging the annual gathering’s legality was filed last week on the eve of the event. Fearing protest, the Bureau of Land Management promptly closed the roundup, which takes place not far from Dove Creek, to the public.  

The lawsuit was filed by Telluride attorney Diane Wolfson and challenges the legality of the wild gather in the Spring Creek Basin. It alleges that BLM failed to give proper public notice or provide adequate scientific evidence and justification for removal of wild horses from federally protected lands. The action also accuses BLM helicopter roundups of being abusive.

“Wild horses and burros need a court intervention, fast,” said James Anaquad-Kleinert, one of the plaintiffs. “Otherwise BLM will manage these iconic symbols of freedom to extinction. The agency shows very little regard for the lives of wild horses, and their managed extinction is an indicator of what is to come of our public lands and wildlife.”

Anaquad-Kleinert is also the director of the new film, “Wild Horses & Renegades,” which follows a herd in Disappointment Valley not far from Spring Creek. The film and lawsuit allege that millions of taxpayer dollars are being squandered to continue an abusive practice that is driving the herd toward extinction. Other plaintiffs include David Glynn and the Spirit Riders Foundation.

Lawsuit and objections aside, the BLM went ahead with the roundup last weekend, arguing that the Spring Creek Basin only provides so much forage and the size of the herd must be managed. Aided by a helicopter, agency staffers gathered 53 horses on Sunday with plans to adopt the animals into new homes in coming weeks.

“The horses were gathered from the Spring Creek Basin to ensure horses are in balance with available forage, water and habitat in conjunction with restoring the herd to the appropriate management levels,” said Connie Clementson, BLM incident commander for gather operations.

Prior to the gather, the agency enacted an emergency closure of the Spring Creek Basin. Prompted in part by the lawsuit, the BLM feared that a protest could disrupt the operation.

“The BLM received indication that some members of the public were planning to disrupt gather operations and decided it was necessary to issue a closure to protect the wild horses,” said Lori Armstrong, BLM Southwest District Manager. “The BLM is responsible to ensure safety for all operations associated with the gather.”

Following the gather, all of the horses were examined by a veterenarian and deemed to be in good condition. Two foals, five mares and six stallions were then released back into the basin, though the mares were given a one-year contraceptive to “control fertility.” However, one horse did have to be euthanized after the veterinarian determined the horse broke its neck when it ran into a gate.

The remaining horses were taken to Cortez for adoption. Horses can be previewed Fri., Sept. 23, 5-7 p.m., and Sat., Sept. 24, 8-10 a.m. at the Montezuma County Fairgrounds in Cortez.  

Nearby power plant facing criticism
Another power plant in the Four Corners is going into the crosshairs. Last weekend, the Department of Interior held public hearings on the Navajo Generating Station, located not far from Lake Powell in Page, Ariz. Conservationists and activists from the Navajo and Hopi tribes turned out and cast a light on the longtime polluter.

Chief among concerns was the fact that a recent Dept. of Interior study omitted consideration of the 35-year-old coal-fired plant’s impacts on public health. Conservationists added that the plant has never been in compliance with the Clean Air Act and upgrades are long overdue to limit its pollutants.

“The pollution, health and water impacts of the Navajo Generating Station are huge costs – human and financial and environmental,” said Nikke Alex, of the Navajo Nation. “The fact that they’re ignored in the Department of Interior’s study is glaring and should be alarming for everyone in our region.”

Interestingly, the DOI’s Bureau of Land Management is actually the largest owner of the Navajo Generating Station. The agency has pressed the Environmental Protection Agency to delay implementation of pollution controls until the DOI study is complete.

“Since the Department of Interior owns so much of this plant, there’s concern they may be using their influence to avoid an accounting of the true costs of keeping it running,” Alex added.

Navajo Generating Station is responsible for emitting nearly 20 million tons of greenhouse gases annually. Much of the plant’s electricity goes to the Central Arizona Project, which takes 1.42 billion gallons of water a day out of Lake Havasu on the California/Arizona border and pumps it 336 miles uphill to feed Tucson.

Pedestrians get a break on Camino
Durango pedestrians are taking advantage of a first for Southwest Colorado. A group of community organizations recently rallied to provide a safer passage across the busy Camino del Rio intersection at 7th Street.

Increased use of the crosswalk by tenants of The Commons building and students at Southwest Colorado Community College prompted the move.

Last fall, the college initiated discussions with the Colorado Department of Transportation with the goal of making the crossing safer. CDOT traffic engineers eventually designed a flashing beacon and sign, and it was up to the college to find a way to pay for it. The City of Durango’s Multi-Modal Division jumped on board, and the Durango Adult Education Center, The Commons and La Plata Electric also pitched in.

The system does not include a vehicular signal that turns red. Rather, the solar-powered lights encircling the “pedestrian walk” symbol begin flashing after a button is pushed. This alerts motorists to the need to yield to pedestrians using the crosswalk. A few seconds later, the yellow flashing beacon indicates to pedestrians that it is OK to cross. The crossing is also coordinated with the traffic signal at College Drive to reduce the number of vehicles approaching the crosswalk when the button is activated.

“This pedestrian crossing feature is not to be treated like an intersection where vehicles are stopped by a red light,” said CDOT’s Mike McVaugh. “The LED signs are there to better alert motorists of pedestrian presence and the need to yield to pedestrians in the crosswalk. Once the yellow crossing beacon begins to flash, pedestrians still need to exercise caution.”
– Will Sands