The BLM protects, manages, and controls wild horses and burros under the authority of the 1971 Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act to ensure that healthy herds thrive on healthy rangelands. The BLM manages these living symbols of the Western spirit as part of its multiple-use mission under the 1976 Federal Land Policy and Management Act

The BLM bases its decisions regarding the management of wild horses and burros as well as other resources and activities on public lands through the development of land use plans, i.e. Resource Management Plans, or RMPs, and activity plans, i.e. gather plans and herd management area plans.   Land-use planning and activity planning are public, collaborative process through the National Environmental Policy Act.

The BLM Ely District in August 2008 signed the Record of Decision for the new Ely RMP and is currently implementing the decisions that are located within the management decisions section.  The Ely District made the decision to manage for 810-1,695 wild horses in six wild horse Herd Management Areas, or HMAs, that vary in size from 19,000 acres to 1,225,000 acres.