Nevada · Area of Critical Environmental Concern
Stillwater Range
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 79 active mining claims (and 28 more BLM lists as Filed), 5 geothermal leases and 7 rights of way inside the line today, and seven grazing allotments cover part of it. It covers 55,322 acres and was designated May 21, 2015, in the WD RMP 2015. In the plan's name, WD stands for BLM's Winnemucca District and RMP for resource management 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 107 claims sit inside this line: 79 active and 28 filed and pending, 107 with a holder BLM names. BLM lists 79 as Active and 28 as Filed.
- U.S. BATTERY METALS CORP.40claims
- NAMCO29claims
- GRC NEVADA INC18claims
- SAGA EXPLORATION CO14claims
- XCANA PETROLEUM CORPORATION3claims
- Crux Geoscience LLC3claims
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
7 rights of way sit inside the line. BLM files 4 under non-energy facilities, 2 under other energy facilities and 1 under fiber optic facilities.
- SIERRA PACIFIC POWER COMPANY3rights of way
- NEVADA BELL2rights of way
- HIGH SIERRA COMMUNICATIONS INC1right of way
- AT&T CRE LEASE ADMIN1right of way
The geothermal leases
5 active geothermal leases sit inside the line. 5 of them took effect before the area was designated on May 21, 2015.
- ORNI 35 LLC5leases
Not counted: 1 more lease BLM lists as Closed.
Grazing allotments
7 grazing allotments cover part of this line. Their permittees aren't named here yet.
- ROCHESTER COMMON255,390acres
- PLEASANT VALLEY185,318acres
- RAWHIDE157,956acres
- SOUTH BUFFALO152,078acres
- BOYER RANCH147,866acres
- COPPER KETTLE114,745acres
- JERSEY VALLEY68,249acres
The nearest areas
- Numu Newe Special Management AreaNevada · 209,180 acres · at least 177 active mining claims and 67 more BLM lists as Filed or Under Review, 21 rights of way, 7 grazing allotments covering part of it40miles
- Osgood Mountain MilkvetchNevada · 55 acres · at least 3 active mining claims, 2 grazing allotments covering part of it81miles
- Raised BogNevada · 42 acres · a grazing allotment covering part of it83miles
- Incandescent RocksNevada · 1,103 acres · 2 grazing allotments covering part of it97miles
- Carson Wandering SkipperNevada · 242 acres · 1 right of way, a grazing allotment covering part of it100miles
More from BLM's Nevada office
Every area BLM's Nevada 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 Stillwater Range. 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