Sponsors (2)
The bill preserves a minimum, genetically diverse herd and strengthens monitoring and planning to support recreation and transparency, but it raises taxpayer costs and may constrain managers' ability to prevent ecological damage or cross-boundary conflicts.
The public and local governments will receive annual population, structure, and health monitoring reports for the park horses, increasing transparency and enabling science-based management decisions.
Taxpayers and the Secretary of the Interior will get a required cost-effective management plan within 120 days designed to protect park natural resources while balancing conservation with fiscal stewardship.
Visitors, wildlife enthusiasts, and rural tourism-dependent communities will see and study a stable, genetically diverse herd of at least 150 horses in the park, supporting recreation and tourism.
Park ecosystems and native wildlife could be harmed if prohibitions on removals prevent managers from reducing overpopulation or addressing population-driven damage to native species and habitats.
Taxpayers will likely face higher federal costs to maintain a mandated minimum herd of 150 horses for feeding, veterinary care, and oversight.
Local governments and neighboring landowners may experience increased conflicts or property/damage issues if operational limits on removals allow horses to move beyond park boundaries.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Directs Interior to maintain a genetically diverse herd of at least 150 horses in the park's South Unit, create a management plan within 120 days, restrict removals, and report annually.
Requires the Secretary of the Interior to keep a genetically diverse herd of at least 150 wild horses in the South Unit of Theodore Roosevelt National Park and to develop a cost-effective management plan within 120 days. It bars removing horses from park land except to maintain genetic diversity, in emergencies, or to protect public health and safety, and mandates annual monitoring and public reporting on population, structure, and health. Places new, specific program duties on the National Park Service for horse maintenance, monitoring, and planning. The measure changes the statutory text to add these operational requirements but does not specify new funding levels.
Introduced April 9, 2025 by John Hoeven · Last progress April 9, 2025