California · Area of Critical Environmental Concern
Pine Dunes
BLM found a natural system here, and its plan calls for special management. BLM's records place 1 right of way inside the line today, and a grazing allotment covers part of it. It covers 2,861 acres and was designated April 17, 2008, in the Eagle Lake.
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
1 right of way sits inside the line. BLM files 1 under other energy facilities.
- SURPRISE VALLEY ELECTRIC1right of way
Grazing allotments
A grazing allotment covers part of this line. Its permittee isn't named here yet.
- Observation245,168acres
The nearest areas
- Mountain PeaksCalifornia · 3,800 acres · 3 grazing allotments covering part of it18miles
- Buffalo Creek CanyonsCalifornia · 35,663 acres · 3 grazing allotments covering part of it20miles
- Lower Smoke CreekCalifornia · 894 acres · a grazing allotment covering part of it26miles
- Willow CreekCalifornia · 2,143 acres · 3 grazing allotments covering part of it31miles
- Eagle Lake BasinCalifornia · 32,033 acres · at least 1 mining claim BLM lists as Filed, 21 rights of way, 10 grazing allotments covering part of it31miles
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 Pine Dunes. 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