1. United States
2. Mich.
3. Letter

The current management practices for wild horses and burros fall short of providing truly humane conditions on public rangelands. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has neglected to follow the proper protocol outlined in the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), which requires the creation of comprehensive Herd Management Area Plans (HMAPs) as the crucial first step. Without these on-range management blueprints in place, issues like lack of access to water sources, obstructive fencing, livestock trespass, and unchecked mining and energy development persist unchecked across Herd Management Areas. This systemic failure leads to immense suffering for wild horses each year. I urge you to demand the BLM follow NEPA guidelines and develop HMAPs as the foundation for humane wild horse and burro management practices. These plans should detail appropriate population control measures, range improvements, and other management actions specific to each area – not resort to unilateral "emergency" roundups that perpetuate the cycle of distress. Implementing HMAPs through proper public process is essential to upholding the mandate for humane on-range management as outlined in the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act. Continuing to ignore this legal obligation only compounds the inhumane conditions these iconic animals face annually. Comprehensive planning and public involvement are crucial first steps to humanely preserving wild horse and burro populations for future generations.