Beyond the Blame: Human Activities Ravaging Nevada's Public Lands While Wild Horses Take the Fall. Does anyone consider noise pollution being part of the blame for the wildlife declining numbers

Nevada leads the nation in mining, with over 180,000 active claims on BLM lands, primarily for gold and lithium. Projects like the proposed Rhyolite Ridge lithium mine and others approved in 2024 threaten biodiversity by degrading water sources, fragmenting habitats, and leaving toxic legacies that persist for millennia. Groundwater drawdown from mining can drop levels by hundreds of feet, drying up springs vital for wildlife and horses alike. Abandoned mines pose physical hazards and pollute waterways, harming ecosystems far beyond horse grazing impacts. Yet, while horses are rounded up for "overpopulation," mining expands, encroaching on HMAs and cultural sites.