California · Area of Critical Environmental Concern
Ocotillo
BLM found a natural system, a wildlife resource, a cultural value, a natural process and a historic value here, and its plan calls for special management. BLM's records place at least 1 mining claim BLM lists as Filed and 16 rights of way inside the line today. It covers 14,908 acres and was designated December 12, 1980, in the CDCA Plan, as amended, DRECP amendment. 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 1 claim sits inside this line: 0 active and 1 filed and pending, 1 with a claimant BLM withholds under the Privacy Act. BLM lists 1 as Filed. The claim wasn't located before the area was designated.
- Names withheld by BLM (private individuals)1claim
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
16 rights of way sit inside the line. BLM files 13 under non-energy facilities, 2 under other energy facilities and 1 under fiber optic facilities.
- CA DEPT PUBLIC WORKS4rights of way
- SAN DIEGO GAS & ELECTRIC CO2rights of way
- SAN DIEGO & AZ RR CO1right of way
- IMPERIAL VALLEY AGGREGATES LLC1right of way
- US BORDER PATROL - CBP1right of way
- SBC PACIFIC BELL1right of way
- AMERICAN TOWER CORPORATION1right of way
- IMPERIAL IRRIGATION DISTRICT1right of way
- FISHER WIRELESS SERVICES1right of way
- LEVEL 3 COMMUNICATIONS LLC1right of way
- CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION1right of way
- USGS1right of way
The nearest areas
- Table MountainCalifornia · 5,218 acres · 5 rights of way6miles
- Coyote Mountains Fossil SiteCalifornia · 5,876 acres · at least 3 active mining claims7miles
- In-Ko-Pah MountainsCalifornia · 9,764 acres · at least 8 active mining claims, 3 rights of way12miles
- Yuha BasinCalifornia · 81,579 acres · 33 rights of way16miles
- West MesaCalifornia · 100,863 acres · 8 rights of way23miles
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 Ocotillo. 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