California · Area of Critical Environmental Concern
Amargosa North
BLM found a wildlife resource and a fish resource here, and its plan calls for special management. BLM's records place at least 65 active mining claims and 10 rights of way inside the line today. It covers 124,317 acres and was designated September 14, 2016, in the CDCA Plan, as amended by DRECP. In the plan's name, CDCA stands for California Desert Conservation Area and DRECP for Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan.
One of the 1,120 places the Bureau of Land Management has designated an Area of Critical Environmental Concern. This page shows its line, what BLM found there and what sits inside it.
The line
Who holds the claims
At least 65 claims sit inside this line: 65 active, 65 with a holder BLM names. BLM lists 65 as Active.
- ST CLOUD MINING CO41claims
- BYK ADDITIVES USA INC22claims
- VANDERBILT MINERALS LLC2claims
BLM's mining rules list designated ACECs among the places where mining that disturbs the surface beyond casual use needs a plan of operations BLM approves. Exploration of five acres or less can go ahead on a notice instead.
The rights of way
10 rights of way sit inside the line. BLM files 8 under non-energy facilities and 2 under other energy facilities.
- CA DEPT TRANSPORTATION1right of way
- CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY1right of way
- TONOPAH & TIDEWATER RR1right of way
- DEATH VALLEY RAILROAD1right of way
- USGS1right of way
- A private individual, name withheld by this site1right of way
- CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION1right of way
- SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA EDISON CO1right of way
- NPS (Death Valley National Park)1right of way
- INYO COUNTY (California)1right of way
The nearest areas
- Ash MeadowsNevada · 37,280 acres · at least 43 active mining claims, 5 rights of way13miles
- Amargosa MesquiteNevada · 6,784 acres · at least 10 active mining claims20miles
- Big DuneNevada · 1,900 acres · nothing placed inside24miles
- Amargosa SouthCalifornia · 161,328 acres · at least 68 active mining claims and 15 more BLM lists as Filed or Under Review, 26 rights of way, a grazing allotment covering part of it39miles
- Surprise CanyonCalifornia · 4,643 acres · nothing placed inside40miles
Next to it
Ash Meadows Area of Critical Environmental Concern touches the line.
More from BLM's California office
Every area BLM's California office holdsThe proposed rule
A proposed rule, RIN 1004-AF53, would change how BLM drafts every land use plan, and how it designates ACECs like Amargosa North. The comment window hasn't opened: the proposed rule wasn't in the Federal Register at our last check. The Watch sends one email the day it prints.
The rule's abstract
The purpose of this rulemaking is to establish in regulations an updated process for the approval of the development, revision, amendment, and maintenance of land use plans, as provided for by the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976, for public lands administered by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). Additionally, this rulemaking will provide clarification of the process the BLM uses for designating Areas of Critical Environmental Concern.Unified Agenda entry for RIN 1004-AF53, Publication ID 2026, reginfo.gov (OMB OIRA), read Oct 18, 2026