New Mexico · Area of Critical Environmental Concern
Pecos River/Canyons Complex
BLM found a natural system, a wildlife resource, a scenic value, a natural process and a natural hazard here, and its plan calls for special management. BLM's records place 10 oil and gas leases and 20 rights of way inside the line today, and four grazing allotments cover part of it. It covers 6,620 acres and was designated January 1, 1997, in the Carlsbad 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
20 rights of way sit inside the line. BLM files 13 under oil & gas facilities, 4 under non-energy facilities and 3 under other energy facilities.
- OXY USA INC6rights of way
- BXP OPERATING LLC2rights of way
- LONGWOOD RB PIPELINE LLC2rights of way
- NGL WATER SOLUTIONS PERMIAN LLC1right of way
- CHEVRON USA INC1right of way
- COG OPERATING LLC1right of way
- OXY USA WTP LP1right of way
- BASS ENTERPRISES CO1right of way
- ETC FIELD SERVICES LLC1right of way
- BOPCO LP1right of way
- EOG Y RESOURCES INC1right of way
- MEWBOURNE OIL COMPANY1right of way
- DELAWARE G&P LLC1right of way
The oil and gas leases
10 active oil and gas leases sit inside the line. 8 of them took effect before the area was designated on January 1, 1997.
- Holder not listed by BLM2leases
- CHEVRON USA INC2leases
- OXY USA WTP LP2leases
- OXY USA INC1lease
- EOG RESOURCES INC1lease
- OCCIDENTAL PERMIAN LP1lease
- XTO DELAWARE BASIN LLC1lease
Grazing allotments
4 grazing allotments cover part of this line. Their permittees aren't named here yet.
- Twin Wells48,390acres
- Pierce Canyon25,562acres
- Rustler Breaks22,798acres
- Willow Lake6,885acres
The nearest areas
- Blue SpringNew Mexico · 445 acres · 2 oil and gas leases, 5 rights of way, 3 grazing allotments covering part of it19miles
- Chosa DrawNew Mexico · 2,838 acres · 1 oil and gas lease, 3 rights of way, 2 grazing allotments covering part of it26miles
- Dark CanyonNew Mexico · 1,526 acres · 1 right of way, 2 grazing allotments covering part of it30miles
- Lonesome RidgeNew Mexico · 2,983 acres · 3 grazing allotments covering part of it45miles
- Alkali LakesNew Mexico · 6,353 acres · a grazing allotment covering part of it63miles
More from BLM's New Mexico office
Every area BLM's New Mexico 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 Pecos River/Canyons Complex. 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