California · Area of Critical Environmental Concern
Piute-Fenner
BLM found a wildlife resource, a cultural value and a historic value here, and its plan calls for special management. BLM's records place at least 4 active mining claims (and 1 more BLM lists as Filed) and 14 rights of way inside the line today. It covers 178,838 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 5 claims sit inside this line: 4 active and 1 filed and pending, 1 with a holder BLM names and 4 with a claimant BLM withholds under the Privacy Act. BLM lists 4 as Active and 1 as Filed. None of the 5 claims was located before the area was designated.
- Names withheld by BLM (private individuals)4claims
- Stronghold Silver USA Corp.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, 2 under oil & gas facilities and 2 under none.
- SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA GAS CO2rights of way
- CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION2rights of way
- PACIFIC BELL2rights of way
- METROPOLITAN WATER DISTRICT2rights of way
- BNSF RAILWAY COMPANY1right of way
- SAN BERNARDINO, CITY OF (California)1right of way
- GTP TOWERS I LLC1right of way
- Holder not listed by BLM1right of way
- CA DEPT TRANSPORTATION1right of way
- AT&T LEASE ADMINISTRATION1right of way
The nearest areas
- Bigelow ChollaCalifornia · 5,749 acres · 1 right of way6miles
- Dead MountainsCalifornia · 28,563 acres · 5 rights of way12miles
- Castle MountainCalifornia · 3,695 acres · at least 126 active mining claims and 317 more BLM lists as Filed25miles
- Bullhead Bajada Natural & CulturalArizona · 7,087 acres · at least 123 active mining claims and 1 more BLM lists as Filed, 6 rights of way26miles
- Beale Slough Riparian & CulturalArizona · 2,206 acres · 3 rights of way28miles
Next to it
Piute/eldorado Area of Critical Environmental Concern, Bigelow Cholla Area of Critical Environmental Concern, Piute/eldorado Area of Critical Environmental Concern and Dead Mountains 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 Piute-Fenner. 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