Numerous federal and state laws and applicable regulations, policies, and actions affect the alternatives analyzed in this RMP and EIS. The FLPMA is the primary authority for BLM administration of public lands. This law provides the overarching policy by which the BLM administers public lands. The law establishes provisions for land use planning, land acquisition, administration, range management, ROW, designated management areas, and the repeal of certain laws and statutes. FLPMA Sections 201 and 202 establish BLM land use planning requirements. BLM Handbook H-1601-1, Land Use Planning Handbook (BLM 2005b), provides guidance for implementing BLM land use planning requirements established in FLPMA Sections 201 and 202 and the land use planning regulations at 43 CFR 1600. The FLPMA also requires that the BLM provide food and habitat for fish, wildlife, and domestic species.

NEPA stipulates the process through which public officials make decisions that consider the environmental consequences of their actions and work to protect, restore, and enhance the human environment. NEPA provides for public input regarding issue identification and consideration of the environmental impacts of major federal actions that affect the quality of the human environment. Revising an existing RMP is a major federal action for the BLM. NEPA requires federal agencies to prepare an EIS for major federal actions; therefore, this EIS accompanies the revisions of the existing plans.

NEPA also created the CEQ, which issued regulations (40 CFR 1500-1508) to ensure proper consideration of environmental concerns in federal decision-making. The DOI and the BLM have published their own regulations and guidance related to implementation of the NEPA process and CEQ regulations (DOI Manual Part 516 and Handbook H-1790-1).

Many additional laws, regulations, and policies guide the management of public lands and are therefore relevant to the Bighorn Basin RMP Revision Project. Appendix B provides a list of these laws, regulations, and policies.