California · Area of Critical Environmental Concern
Palen Ford
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 5 rights of way inside the line today. It covers 54,936 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
The rights of way
5 rights of way sit inside the line. BLM files 2 under non-energy facilities, 1 under oil & gas facilities, 1 under solar energy facilities and 1 under none.
- IP ATHOS LLC1right of way
- SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA GAS CO1right of way
- A private individual, name withheld by this site1right of way
- SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA EDISON CO1right of way
- BOULEVARD ASSOCIATES LLC1right of way
The nearest areas
- Palen Dry LakeCalifornia · 3,636 acres · nothing placed inside2miles
- Desert Lily PreserveCalifornia · 2,059 acres · nothing placed inside12miles
- Chuckwalla Valley Dune ThicketCalifornia · 2,278 acres · nothing placed inside14miles
- Corn SpringsCalifornia · 2,462 acres · at least 3 active mining claims, 1 right of way14miles
- Upper McCoyCalifornia · 40,628 acres · at least 24 active mining claims, 2 rights of way16miles
Next to it
Palen Dry Lake Area of Critical Environmental Concern, Desert Lily Preserve Area of Critical Environmental Concern, Chuckwalla To Chemehuevi Tortoise Linkage Area of Critical Environmental Concern and Chuckwalla Area of Critical Environmental Concern touch 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 Palen Ford. 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