Nevada · Area of Critical Environmental Concern
Virgin River
BLM found a natural system, a wildlife resource, a cultural value and a fish resource here, and its plan calls for special management. BLM's records place 2 rights of way inside the line today. It covers 6,184 acres and was designated November 6, 2002, in the Las Vegas RMP. In the plan's name, RMP stands 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
The rights of way
2 rights of way sit inside the line. BLM files 1 under non-energy facilities and 1 under other energy facilities.
- NEVADA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION1right of way
- Holder not listed by BLM1right of way
The nearest areas
- Gold Butte Part ANevada · 186,566 acres · at least 5 mining claims BLM lists as Filed, 3 rights of way, 4 grazing allotments covering part of it13miles
- Gold Butte Part CNevada · 35,707 acres · 5 rights of way, 4 grazing allotments covering part of it13miles
- Whitney PocketNevada · 160 acres · nothing placed inside15miles
- Mormon MesaNevada · 150,488 acres · 20 rights of way, 2 grazing allotments covering part of it15miles
- Virgin SlopeArizona · 39,655 acres · at least 5 active mining claims and 1 more BLM lists as Filed, 7 rights of way, 2 grazing allotments covering part of it16miles
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 Virgin River. 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