RENO, Nev. – At the urging of a bipartisan group of House members, the U.S. Bureau of Land Management is asking for an independent review of its wild horse and burro program by the National Academy of Sciences.

BLM officials say the two-year, $1.5 million study would determine whether the agency is using the best science available in managing wild horses and burros on Western rangelands. BLM managers estimate that 38,000 mustangs and burros roam 10 Western states.

BLM officials’ announcement Friday came a month after 54 House members signed a letter asking the National Academy of Sciences to study the issue and the BLM to halt wild horse roundups.