Oregon · Area of Critical Environmental Concern
Keating Riparian RNA
BLM found a natural system and a wildlife resource here, and its plan calls for special management. BLM's records place at least 14 mining claims BLM lists as Filed inside the line today, and five grazing allotments cover part of it. It covers 206 acres and was designated July 12, 1989, in the Baker Field Office 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
Who holds the claims
At least 14 claims sit inside this line: 0 active and 14 filed and pending, 14 with a holder BLM names. BLM lists 14 as Filed. None of the 14 claims was located before the area was designated.
- Scout Discoveries Corp14claims
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.
Grazing allotments
5 grazing allotments cover part of this line. Their permittees aren't named here yet.
- Allotment USFS-GRZ-10117.01026329,787acres
- BALM CREEK3,954acres
- UPPER CLOVER CREEK1,208acres
- LOWER SAWMILL554acres
- SAWMILL CREEK183acres
The nearest areas
- Keating RiparianOregon/Washington · 2,019 acres · at least 3 active mining claims and 58 more BLM lists as Filed, 1 right of way, 11 grazing allotments covering part of it2miles
- Powder RiverOregon/Washington · 5,909 acres · 2 rights of way, 7 grazing allotments covering part of it16miles
- Oregon TrailOregon/Washington · 1,902 acres · 3 rights of way, 15 grazing allotments covering part of it18miles
- Sheep MountainOregon/Washington · 5,294 acres · 3 rights of way, a grazing allotment covering part of it27miles
- HomesteadOregon/Washington · 8,749 acres · 1 right of way, 6 grazing allotments covering part of it30miles
More from BLM's Oregon/Washington office
Every area BLM's Oregon/Washington 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 Keating Riparian RNA. 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