California · Area of Critical Environmental Concern
Pisgah
BLM found a natural system, a wildlife resource and a natural process here, and its plan calls for special management. BLM's records place at least 15 active mining claims (and 3 more BLM lists as Filed) and 14 rights of way inside the line today. It covers 53,884 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 18 claims sit inside this line: 15 active and 3 filed and pending, 17 with a holder BLM names and 1 with a claimant BLM withholds under the Privacy Act. BLM lists 15 as Active and 3 as Filed.
- Gem Zebe, LLC17claims
- 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
14 rights of way sit inside the line. BLM files 10 under non-energy facilities, 3 under other energy facilities and 1 under fiber optic facilities.
- SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA EDISON CO3rights of way
- PACIFIC BELL DBA SBC2rights of way
- CALIFORNIA HIGHWAY PATROL (Comm. Sites)1right of way
- USGS1right of way
- AMERICAN TOWER CORPORATION1right of way
- GTP TOWERS I LLC1right of way
- CA DEPT TRANSPORTATION1right of way
- PG&E1right of way
- CA DEPT PUBLIC WORKS1right of way
- UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD COMPANY*1right of way
- California Department of Technology1right of way
The nearest areas
- Cady Mountains WSACalifornia · 117,643 acres · at least 1 active mining claim and 1 more BLM lists as Filed13miles
- Rodman Mountains Cultural AreaCalifornia · 6,208 acres · a grazing allotment covering part of it13miles
- ManixCalifornia · 2,902 acres · nothing placed inside15miles
- Afton CanyonCalifornia · 9,195 acres · at least 1 mining claim BLM lists as Filed, 5 rights of way17miles
- Ord-RodmanCalifornia · 239,474 acres · at least 287 active mining claims and 94 more BLM lists as Filed, 26 rights of way, 3 grazing allotments covering part of it20miles
Next to it
Cady Mountains Wilderness Study Area of Critical Environmental Concern, Bristol Area of Critical Environmental Concern and Ord-Rodman 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 Pisgah. 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