NATIONAL PARK SERVICE SAYS HORSES MUST GO

The National Park Service has rejected a proposal to keep 20 to 30 wild horses roaming free in the Ozark National Scenic Riverways and will proceed with plans to remove them.

In a letter dated Aug. 26, Arthur L. Sullivan, superintendent of the riverways, notified a representative of the Missouri Wild Horse League of the decision. The horses have roamed Ripley and Carter Counties since at least the 1930s.

The decision drew fire from 8th District U.S. Rep. Bill Emerson and Douglas Kennedy, a Poplar Bluff attorney representing the Wild Horse League.

Said Emerson: "This is utterly despicable, and a prime example of an unwieldy bureaucracy acting in complete disregard of the people's wishes. The park superintendent has the discretionary authority to simply leave the horses alone. He must certainly understand the local and national sentiment in favor of leaving the horses alone."

Kennedy said the National Park Service will have "an awfully tough time" removing the horses. He said the group would meet soon to consider new options, including possible court action, demonstrations and help from Congress.

Last year, a federal judge ruled that the National Park Service couldn't remove the horses. That ruling was overturned on appeal.

Sullivan said the Park Service was willing to work with the Wild Horse League to find a way to keep the animals where they were.

On May 24, the group offered a plan to use volunteers to monitor the horses for disease and overpopulation, and determine whether they were harming the area around the Current River.

But the plan ultimately was rejected by William Schenk, acting regional director of the Park Service in Omaha, Neb. He concluded the proposal "lacks the necessary detail and management actions to retain the biological diversity" of the river area.

In a letter to Kennedy, Sullivan wrote: "The National Park Service cannot support any proposal which does not provide for the ultimate removal of horses from within the park boundaries."

But Sullivan said he still is willing to work with the group on alternative proposals to remove the horses.

Kennedy has advised Sullivan by letter that his group wants more specific guidelines on alternatives the Park Service might be willing to consider. Kennedy also requested information on the extent of the re-examination of the proposal done by the Park Service.

Kennedy said the tone of comments from Schenk leaves little doubt that the horses will be removed.

Emerson called on supporters of the horses to "renew their commitment" to the effort and promised to continue his battle to keep the horses free.

"The only folks against this common-sense solution are the bureaucrats in the Ozarks superintendent's office, the regional NPS office, and the Interior Department's ivory tower in Washington," said Emerson.