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California · Area of Critical Environmental Concern

Superior-Cronese

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 429 active mining claims (and 244 more BLM lists as Filed or Under Review) and 55 rights of way inside the line today, and a grazing allotment covers part of it. It covers 518,461 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.

Acres518,461
DesignatedSep 14, 2016CDCA Plan, as amended by DRECP
BLM founda natural system, a wildlife resource and a natural processand found it important
Inside, at least485claims, rights of way and allotments, and 244 more claims BLM lists as Filed or Under Review

The line

Superior-Cronese
Mining claim, 367Claimant withheld by BLM, 62Filed, 215Under Review, 1Filed, claimant withheld, 27Under Review, claimant withheld, 1Right of way, 55
Ground: USGS The National Map, topographic tiles. Boundaries: BLM's own, read Oct 20, 2026. 463 marks are where BLM's own maps draw them; 265 claims are placed at the middle of the section their land description names, not at the stakes on the ground. Hover or tap one for its holder. The grazing allotment below isn't marked.

Who holds the claims

At least 673 claims sit inside this line: 429 active and 244 filed and pending, 568 with a holder BLM names and 90 with a claimant BLM withholds under the Privacy Act. BLM lists 429 as Active, 242 as Filed and 2 as Under Review. The index's own placement puts 788 claims inside this line. Ours finds 673.

  • RED RIVER CREEK MINING GROUP LLC204claims
  • SERENE ACRES LLC93claims
  • Names withheld by BLM (private individuals)90claims
  • MINERALS PLUS LLC71claims
  • CALIFORNIA SILVER LIMITED68claims

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

55 rights of way sit inside the line. BLM files 36 under non-energy facilities, 14 under other energy facilities, 3 under fiber optic facilities and 2 under other.

  • SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA EDISON CO13rights of way
  • FRONTIER CALIFORNIA INC4rights of way
  • SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY (California)3rights of way
  • CORPS OF ENGINEERS2rights of way
  • SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA EDISON2rights of way

Grazing allotments

A grazing allotment covers part of this line. Its permittee isn't named here yet.

  • Stoddard Mountain160,783acres

The nearest areas

Next to it

Fremont-Kramer Area of Critical Environmental Concern, Soda Mountains Wilderness Study Area of Critical Environmental Concern, Black Mountain Area of Critical Environmental Concern, West Paradise Area of Critical Environmental Concern and 3 more touch the line.

More from BLM's California office

Every area BLM's California office holds

The proposed rule

A proposed rule, RIN 1004-AF53, would change how BLM drafts every land use plan, and how it designates ACECs like Superior-Cronese. 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

Watch the ruleWhere the rule stands