Understanding the BLM's New Notice Policy for Wild Horse Roundups

On March 15, 2018, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) released a new internal memorandum (IM) concerning the notice period provided to the public before the commencement of roundup operations. This new IM (PIM 2019-004) stipulates that the BLM will now only give two weeks' notice before starting a roundup operation.

Previously, the BLM’s Wild Horse and Burro Management Handbook required that roundup decisions be issued 31 to 76 days prior to the initiation of roundup activities. The longer notice period was intended to allow opponents of the gather decision to pursue an administrative challenge before going to Federal Court. However, since many opponents proceed directly to federal court the day before or during a gather seeking a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) or Preliminary Injunction (PI), the extended lead time did not achieve its intended purpose.

This policy change is part of the administration's broader effort to expedite the removal of wild horses and burros for commercial interests. It represents another move to reduce transparency and limit public participation in challenging BLM decisions, which are often unjustified and based on questionable legal grounds.

Beyond legal challenges, the shortened public notice period further restricts public observation of inhumane helicopter roundups on remote public lands. With less notice, it becomes more challenging for advocates to arrange travel to these remote areas, impacting their ability to address additional restrictions on observation, such as limited observation days or video recording bans, which the American Wild Horse Conservation (formerly American Wild Horse Campaign) has contested in the past. Overall, this change significantly hinders the public’s ability to be present at every roundup to ensure that the BLM and its contractors adhere to the Standard Operating Procedures and Comprehensive Animal Welfare Program Standards.

In summary, the American Wild Horse Conservation is primarily concerned that this new restriction poses yet another barrier to full transparency in public observation at all roundup operations.