Home / Environment / Tribe Battles Feds Over Wild Horse Removal
Tribe Battles Feds Over Wild Horse Removal
1 Jul
Summary
- Tribe sues to halt removal of 624 wild horses from ancestral lands.
- Lawsuit cites inadequate consultation and impact on sacred sites.
- Removal planned for July 8 from Montgomery Pass territory.
A California tribe has filed a federal lawsuit to prevent the removal of 624 wild horses, representing 90% of the herd, from their ancestral lands. The Utu Utu Gwaitu Paiute Tribe argues the U.S. Department of the Interior and related agencies failed to consult government-to-government as required by law.
The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California, also claims the federal agencies did not identify sacred sites or assess the impact of helicopter operations. The removal is scheduled for July 8 from the Montgomery Pass Wild Horse Territory.
The tribe disputes the agencies' assertion that the horses are 'excess,' citing their cultural significance and historical presence on the land. They also question the population data used to justify the removal, deeming it outdated.
Legal claims are based on the National Historic Preservation Act, executive orders on tribal consultation and sacred sites, and the Administrative Procedure Act. The tribe highlights a pattern of ignored outreach and insufficient consultation from federal agencies.
