(photo courtesy BLM archives)

(AP) Federal officials are planning the biggest roundup in years of horses roaming public rangeland in northeast Nevada.

The U.S. Bureau of Land Management is seeking public comments for an environmental assessment of the removal of more than 6,700 horses from area between Wells and Ely.

The agency estimates the current wild horse population in the Antelope and Triple B wild horse complexes at about 7,700, not including foals born this year.

It says food and water in the herd areas in Elko and White Pine counties should be able to support fewer than 1,700 horses.

The proposed roundup comes after the federal land management chief in Nevada’s BLM chief and Gov. Brian Sandoval called last year for removing 4,000 horses from the region.