BLM Issues Decision on Herd Management Area Plan (HMAP) and Revised Appropriate Management Level (AML) - June 15, 2026
The BLM has signed a Decision Record approving the Herd Management Area Plan (HMAP) and revised Appropriate Management Level (AML) for the Pryor Mountain Wild Horse Range, as analyzed in EA DOI-BLM-MT-C010-2020-0004-EA.
The decision selects the HMAP and AML components of Alternative 2 (Proposed Action) to help restore a thriving natural ecological balance, improve rangeland health, and support long-term wild horse management.
This decision does not authorize a wild horse gather. A separate decision regarding the gather plan will be issued at a later date in accordance with BLM policy and guidance. The Resource Management Plan amendment analyzed in the EA was previously approved on March 14, 2025.
BLM Issues Decision on Resource Management Plan Amendment (RMPA) - March 14, 2025
BLM has signed a Decision Record (DR) to amend the Billings Resource Management Plan (2015) as well as the Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) in support of the Proposed Action, Alternative 2. These Documents are available in the Documents tab to the right under the RMP Amendment Decision sub-heading.
This Decision Record does not apply to the implementation actions (HMAP, AML, or Gather Plan) of Alternative 2.
The BLM Director's Protest Resolution Report is available for review here. This and all Director's Protest Reports can be found by entering the following URL: https://www.blm.gov/programs/planning-and-nepa/public-participation/protest-resolution-reports
Note that the protest period for the RMPA has closed. The BLM’s protest decision is the final decision of the Department of the Interior (43 CFR 1610.5-2(b)) which means that there is no opportunity to appeal the protest decision or appeal the final land use planning amendment decision to the Interior Board of Land Appeals. The PMWHR EA was prepared according to regulations implementing the FLPMA of 1976, as amended, which are located in Title 43 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Part 1600.
This decision has completed the Governors’ Consistency Review process as directed under 43 CFR 1610.3-2(e). The BLM received no appeals to the proposed land use plan amendment from either the Governors of Montana or Wyoming during this period. Consistent with controlling laws and regulations, no other opportunities to appeal this land use plan amendment decision will be provided.
Following this RMPA decision, the U.S. Forest Service will begin their process of reaching a decision on the implementation aspects of the project. This will include the HMAP, AML, and Gather Plan. After completion of this USFS process, BLM intends to issue its own decisions on these implementation actions.
While USFS is completing its decision process, the BLM ePlanning status designation for this project will remain in the Completed status. BLM intends to issue further decisions on the HMAP, AML, and Gather Plan following completion of the USFS process (anticipated summer 2025). Once BLM issues decisions on these implementation aspects, this project will be placed into the Decision and Appeal Period status in order to alert the public of their appeal rights.
