California · Area of Critical Environmental Concern
Whipple Mountains
BLM found a cultural value, a scenic value and a historic value here, and its plan calls for special management. BLM's records place at least 7 mining claims BLM lists as Filed inside the line today. It covers 3,147 acres and was designated September 14, 2016, in the CDCA Plan, as amended by Plan 53. In the plan's name, CDCA stands for California Desert Conservation Area.
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 7 claims sit inside this line: 0 active and 7 filed and pending, 7 with a holder BLM names. BLM lists 7 as Filed.
- GRE INC7claims
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 nearest areas
- Crossman Peak ScenicArizona · 48,870 acres · at least 4 active mining claims and 5 more BLM lists as Filed, 16 rights of way, 4 grazing allotments covering part of it19miles
- Swansea Historic DistrictArizona · 5,929 acres · at least 2 active mining claims and 45 more BLM lists as Filed, 2 rights of way, 3 grazing allotments covering part of it26miles
- Mopah SpringCalifornia · 1,922 acres · nothing placed inside29miles
- Aubrey Peak Bighorn Sheep HabitatArizona · 2,457 acres · 2 grazing allotments covering part of it30miles
- Turtle MountainsCalifornia · 51,980 acres · 1 right of way31miles
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 Whipple Mountains. 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