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California · Area of Critical Environmental Concern

Ivanpah

BLM found a wildlife resource here, and its plan calls for special management. BLM's records place at least 703 active mining claims (and 637 more BLM lists as Filed) and 42 rights of way inside the line today, and a grazing allotment covers part of it. It covers 86,428 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.

Acres86,428
DesignatedSep 14, 2016CDCA Plan, as amended by DRECP
BLM founda wildlife resourceand found it important
Inside, at least746claims, rights of way and allotments, and 637 more claims BLM lists as Filed

The line

Ivanpah
Mining claim, 699Claimant withheld by BLM, 4Filed, 601Filed, claimant withheld, 36Right of way, 42
Ground: USGS The National Map, topographic tiles. Boundaries: BLM's own, read Oct 20, 2026. 1,019 marks are where BLM's own maps draw them; 363 claims are placed at the middle of the section their land description names, not at the stakes on the ground. Hover or tap one for its holder. The grazing allotment below isn't marked.

Who holds the claims

At least 1,340 claims sit inside this line: 703 active and 637 filed and pending, 1,297 with a holder BLM names and 40 with a claimant BLM withholds under the Privacy Act. BLM lists 703 as Active and 637 as Filed. The index's own placement puts 1,487 claims inside this line. Ours finds 1,340.

  • SECURE NATURAL RESOURCES LLC629claims
  • American Cheetah Metals, Inc.191claims
  • Enigma Strategic Minerals, LLC163claims
  • ENIGMA STRATEGIC MINERALS LLC161claims
  • MP Mine Operations LLC85claims

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

42 rights of way sit inside the line. BLM files 22 under non-energy facilities, 13 under other energy facilities, 3 under solar energy facilities, 2 under oil & gas facilities and 2 under fiber optic facilities.

  • SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA EDISON CO11rights of way
  • CA DEPT PUBLIC WORKS4rights of way
  • DESERT STATELINE LLC2rights of way
  • THE PRIMADONNA COMPANY LLC2rights of way
  • DESERTXPRESS ENTERPRISES LLC1right of way

Grazing allotments

A grazing allotment covers part of this line. Its permittee isn't named here yet.

  • Clark Mountain50,628acres

The nearest areas

Next to it

Mountain Pass Dinosaur Trackway Area of Critical Environmental Concern, Ivanpah Area of Critical Environmental Concern, Piute/eldorado Area of Critical Environmental Concern, Piute/eldorado Area of Critical Environmental Concern and 1 more touch the line.

More from BLM's California office

Every area BLM's California office holds

The proposed rule

A proposed rule, RIN 1004-AF53, would change how BLM drafts every land use plan, and how it designates ACECs like Ivanpah. 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

Watch the ruleWhere the rule stands