Utah · Area of Critical Environmental Concern
Alkali Ridge
BLM found a cultural value here, and its plan calls for special management. BLM's records place at least 2 mining claims BLM lists as Filed, 14 oil and gas leases and 21 rights of way inside the line today, and seven grazing allotments cover part of it. It covers 39,197 acres and was designated October 31, 2008, in the Monticello 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 2 claims sit inside this line: 0 active and 2 filed and pending, 2 with a holder BLM names. BLM lists 2 as Filed. None of the 2 claims was located before the area was designated.
- ANFIELD RESOURCES HOLDING CORP2claims
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
21 rights of way sit inside the line. BLM files 10 under oil & gas facilities, 9 under non-energy facilities and 2 under other energy facilities.
- AMERICAN HELIUM UTAH LLC8rights of way
- RODDY PROD CO LLC4rights of way
- PETRO MEX LLC3rights of way
- MONTICELLO FIELD OFFICE2rights of way
- LODESTONE OPERATING INC1right of way
- SEELEY OIL CO LLC1right of way
- SAN JUAN COUNTY (Utah)1right of way
- LODESTONE OPERATING INC1right of way
The oil and gas leases
14 active oil and gas leases sit inside the line. 14 of them took effect before the area was designated on October 31, 2008.
- Holder not listed by BLM9leases
- PETRO MEX LLC1lease
- CROWNQUEST OPERATING LLC1lease
- GREAT WESTERN DRILLING1lease
- LODESTONE OPERATING INC1lease
- A private individual, name withheld by this site1lease
Not counted: 1 more lease BLM lists as Interim.
Grazing allotments
7 grazing allotments cover part of this line. Their permittees aren't named here yet.
- Montezuma Canyon39,052acres
- Cave Canyon34,779acres
- Alkali Canyon26,401acres
- Bug Canyon23,543acres
- Devils Canyon10,769acres
- Alkali Point9,325acres
- Lyman354acres
The nearest areas
- Aquifer RechargeUtah · 85,856 acres · at least 19 active mining claims and 10 more BLM lists as Filed, 13 rights of way, 9 grazing allotments covering part of it19miles
- HovenweepUtah · 2,439 acres · 1 oil and gas lease, 1 right of way, 3 grazing allotments covering part of it20miles
- McElmo ACEC/RNAColorado · 4,105 acres · 3 oil and gas leases, 1 right of way, 2 grazing allotments covering part of it23miles
- Cannonball Mesa ACEC/RNAColorado · 2,436 acres · 6 oil and gas leases, 1 right of way, 4 grazing allotments covering part of it27miles
- San Juan River BENMUtah · 1,486 acres · 5 rights of way, 4 grazing allotments covering part of it28miles
More from BLM's Utah office
Every area BLM's Utah 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 Alkali Ridge. 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