California · Area of Critical Environmental Concern
Carbonate Endemic Plants RNA
BLM found a natural system, a wildlife resource and a natural process here, and its plan calls for special management. BLM's records place at least 25 active mining claims (and 132 more BLM lists as Filed) and 2 rights of way inside the line today, and a grazing allotment covers part of it. It covers 6,395 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 157 claims sit inside this line: 25 active and 132 filed and pending, 99 with a holder BLM names and 58 with a claimant BLM withholds under the Privacy Act. BLM lists 132 as Filed and 25 as Active.
- Names withheld by BLM (private individuals)58claims
- KAPA GOLD LIMITED USA INC.54claims
- MITSUBISHI CEMENT CO35claims
- METALS SEARCH LLC8claims
- PUMA GOLD 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
2 rights of way sit inside the line. BLM files 1 under non-energy facilities and 1 under oil & gas facilities.
- CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION1right of way
- PG&E1right of way
Grazing allotments
A grazing allotment covers part of this line. Its permittee isn't named here yet.
- Rattlesnake Canyon29,360acres
The nearest areas
- Soggy Dry Lake Creosote RingsCalifornia · 186 acres · nothing placed inside9miles
- Old Woman Springs Wildlife LinkageCalifornia · 61,171 acres · at least 5 active mining claims and 176 more BLM lists as Filed or Under Review, 9 rights of way, 3 grazing allotments covering part of it11miles
- Upper Johnson Valley Yucca RingsCalifornia · 329 acres · nothing placed inside13miles
- Granite Mountain CorridorCalifornia · 60,175 acres · at least 21 active mining claims and 3 more BLM lists as Filed or Under Review, 17 rights of way, 2 grazing allotments covering part of it17miles
- Bendire's ThrasherCalifornia · 9,780 acres · at least 1 active mining claim and 71 more BLM lists as Filed20miles
Next to it
Old Woman Springs Wildlife Linkage 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 Carbonate Endemic Plants RNA. 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