California · Area of Critical Environmental Concern
Panamint Lake
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 26 mining claims BLM lists as Filed inside the line today. It covers 23,106 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 26 claims sit inside this line: 0 active and 26 filed and pending, 25 with a holder BLM names and 1 with a claimant BLM withholds under the Privacy Act. BLM lists 26 as Filed.
- Liberty Lithium LLC16claims
- RASCAL LITHIUM LLC9claims
- 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 nearest areas
- Panamints and ArgusCalifornia · 104,523 acres · at least 17 active mining claims and 43 more BLM lists as Filed or Submitted, 21 rights of way6miles
- Surprise CanyonCalifornia · 4,643 acres · nothing placed inside8miles
- Warm Sulfur SpringsCalifornia · 348 acres · nothing placed inside8miles
- Great Falls BasinCalifornia · 11,094 acres · at least 1 active mining claim, 3 rights of way13miles
- Trona PinnaclesCalifornia · 4,058 acres · nothing placed inside28miles
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 Panamint Lake. 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