The NDA and BLM claim this new rural fencing is about public safety. But if the goal is truly to stop vehicle-horse collisions, fencing animals away from their water until they die of thirst is not a solution—it is animal cruelty.
"Bait and Switch: How $500,000 Meant to Protect Virginia Range Horses May Have Funded Their Removal"
The lack of transparency regarding how the NDA spent the initial $500,000 is a significant point of contention. Advocacy groups have noted that state agencies, including the Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) and NDA, have not provided a clear public breakdown of these federal funds, requiring formal Public Records Requests to obtain expenditure details
Complicating the issue further, Senator Rosen's office recently published her FY2026 Congressionally Directed Spending requests. This new list includes a request for $1,000,000 for the NDA, titled the "NV Range Feral Horse Safety Program
Virginia Range Mustangs Need you to speak up NOW
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the Nevada Department of Agriculture (NDA) have proposed the Virginia Range Fence Line (VRFL) project (DOI-BLM-NV-C020-2026-0016-CE), which involves constructing approximately 14 to 23 miles of new four-wire fencing along the western boundary of the Virginia Range in Nevada. The stated goal is to enhance public safety by preventing wild horses from entering adjacent housing communities and roadways.
However, an in-depth analysis of the project maps and environmental data reveals a critical concern: the proposed fencing will sever wild horses from vital water sources. Specifically, the "Jumbo West" fence segment bisects mapped Freshwater Emergent Wetlands, Freshwater Ponds, and Riverine features. This effectively fences horses out of their historical water access points.