Central ND News

At a hearing of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, Senator John Hoeven secured a commitment from Shannon Estenoz, the nominee for Deputy Secretary of the Interior, to collaborate with him, National Park Service (NPS) officials, and local stakeholders. The focus is on ensuring the genetic diversity and health of wild horses at Theodore Roosevelt National Park (TRNP). This follows Hoeven’s successful efforts urging NPS to terminate its proposed removal of horses at TRNP under an environmental assessment process initiated in 2022.

"We worked hard to maintain the horses at Theodore Roosevelt National Park, consistent with the public’s wishes and the historic scene of the region," said Hoeven. "Moving forward, we need the Park Service to adopt policies that ensure a large enough herd that is healthy and genetically diverse. I appreciate Ms. Estenoz’s commitment to work with us on this priority so that this important aspect of the park is preserved to benefit visitors and local residents for years to come."

Earlier this year, Hoeven announced he had reached an agreement with NPS to maintain TRNP’s wild horses.