California · Area of Critical Environmental Concern
West Mesa
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 8 rights of way inside the line today. It covers 100,863 acres and was designated December 12, 1980, in the CDCA Plan, as amended, DRECP amendment. 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
The rights of way
8 rights of way sit inside the line. BLM files 4 under non-energy facilities, 2 under other energy facilities, 1 under other and 1 under fiber optic facilities.
- IMPERIAL IRRIGATION DISTRICT3rights of way
- AT&T1right of way
- FORD PERFORMANCE1right of way
- UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD COMPANY*1right of way
- AT&T CORP1right of way
- DESERT VALLEY CO1right of way
The nearest areas
- San Sebastian Marsh/San Felipe CreekCalifornia · 6,584 acres · 2 rights of way10miles
- Lake Cahuilla ShorelineCalifornia · 11,879 acres · nothing placed inside10miles
- Salton Sea HazardousCalifornia · 7,254 acres · 1 right of way15miles
- Coyote Mountains Fossil SiteCalifornia · 5,876 acres · at least 3 active mining claims17miles
- Yuha BasinCalifornia · 81,579 acres · 33 rights of way18miles
Next to it
San Sebastian Marsh/san Felipe Creek Area of Critical Environmental Concern touches 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 West Mesa. 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