OUTSTANDINGENVIRONMENTALRESOURCESANDVALUESOFTHECASTLEMOUNTAINSANDPIUTEVALLEY

PUBLICLANDS,SOUTHERNNEVADA:ANominationtotheU.S.BureauofLandManagement(NeedlesFieldOffice)forAreaofCriticalEnvironmentalConcern(ACEC)Status,CastleMountains,NevadaSubmittedbyBasinandRangeWatchto:LasVegasFieldOffice,BureauofLandManagement4701NTorreyPinesDriveLasVegas,NV,89130February2,2018SUMMARYThispetitionnominatespubliclandsinthePiuteValley,CastleMountains,NewYorkMountainsandMcCulloughMountainsforstatusasanAreaofCriticalEnvironmentalConcern(ACEC).TheselandsareprimarilylocatedinClarkCounty,Nevadaandareroughly38,000acresinextent.Thisnominationdescribesthesignificantenvironmentalresourcesandvaluesoftheselands,andtheneedforspecialmanagementattention.ThePiute-Castleregioncontainsanimportanthabitatthatsupportsavarietyofrareandimportantspeciesaswellasimportantvisualandculturalresources.(SeeAppendixforMap)TheCastleMountainscontainauniquearidgrasslandcommunityinbothCaliforniaandNevada.ThisareacontainstheonlystandsofdiverseC4perennialgrasslandswestoftheColoradoRiver,subtropicalgrasslandsthatarenormallyfoundintheSonoranDesertuplandsinArizonaandMexico.Grassspeciescommoninthisplantcommunityflowerandseedduringthewarmseasonsofsummerandfall,especiallyafterstrongmonsoonrainfallevents.NormallyfoundintheSonoranRegion,andevenasfareastastheGreatPlains,grassessuchasBlackgrama(Bouteluaeriopoda),Bluegrama(B.gracilis),Sideoatsgrama(B.curtipendula),arefoundinthiscorneroftheMojaveDesertuplands,rangingintoasmallareaofadjacentCaliforniaintheCastleMountainsNationalMonumentandMojaveNationalPreserve.Thisaridsummermonsoongrassland

communitygradesbelowintodiversecreosotescrub(Larreatridentata)andaboveintoBlackbrushscrub(Coleogyneramosissima)andoneoftheworld’slargestJoshuatreewoodlands(Yuccabrevifolia),providingawidediversityofhabitatsforreptiles,birds,andmammals.ThenewACECwouldbeadjacenttotheexistingPiute-ElDoradoAreaofCriticalEnvironmentalConcernwhichwasestablishedtoprotectthedeserttortoise.WhiletheupperelevationsoftheACECaretoohightobegoodtortoisehabitat,thelowereasternhalfwouldbequitesuitableandprotectconnectivityhabitatforthespecies.Theregionalsocontainsthehighestknowndensityofgoldeneaglesintheregion.InFebruary,2016,PresidentObamasignedthenewCastleMountainsNationalMonumentintolaw.TheMonumentprotects22,000acresofpubliclandsontheCaliforniasideandissurroundedbytheMojaveNationalPreserve,thethirdlargestunitoftheNationalParksystemintheContinentalUnitedStates.ThescenicCastlePeaksareadjacenttothisACECproposal.OntheNevadasideisWalkingBoxRanch,ahistoriccattleranchpurchasedbyHollywoodactorsRexandClaraBowin1931.In2005,theBLMpurchasedtheWalkingBoxRanchwithagrantfromtheSouthernNevadaPublicLandsManagementAct.TheentireregionisinviewofSpiritMountain,thePlaceofCreationformanyColoradoRiverIndianTribes.TheMonumentProclamationrecognizesadiversityofnaturalvaluesfoundontheNevadasideofitsborder,includingsacredvalues.Forexample,theProclamationstates,“ViewsfromHartPeakencompassvastwildernessanddistinctivepeaks,includingSpiritMountaininNevada,asacredsitetomanyNativeAmericantribes.TheremotenessoftheCastleMountainsareaoffersvisitorsthechancetoexperiencethesolitudeofthedesertanditsincreasinglyrarenaturalsoundscapesanddarknightskies.”ThePiute-Castleregionisundergoingpotentialdevelopmentpressuresforlarge-scalerenewableenergy,miningandotherlanduses.TheproposedCrescentPeakWindProjectwouldpotentiallybuildover200industrial-scalewindturbineson32,000acresandextendcloseto22milesrunningnorth/southadjacenttotheCaliforniaborder.Alargewindprojectwouldcompromisethevisualresourcesandthreatensensitivebiologicalresources.Alsoneededwouldbeseveralnewroadsandtransmissionlines.Specifically,theCrescentPeakWindProjectwouldplaceupto220windturbinesonthesite.Theywouldbe450feettallandhavelargeconcretefoundations.Theprojectwouldcreate93milesofnewroadsandupgrade16milesofexistingroads.Roadswouldneedtobe36feetwidetoaccommodatelargeconstructionequipment.Closeto20milesofnewtransmissionwouldneedtobeconstructedtotransmitenergyturbinestosubstations.Transmissionwouldalsoneedtobetrenchedunderground.Newlaydownareasandconstructionsiteswouldbecleared.TurbineswouldneedtobeilluminatedatnighttimewithredflashinglightstocomplywithFAAregulations. ThisproposaltopreservelandsinthePiute-CastleregionasanAreaofCriticalEnvironmentalConcernisinresponsetotherecentRightofWayapplicationfortheCrescentPeakWindProject.BasinandRangeWatchalsojoinedalawsuitagainsttheagencyovertherecentlycanceledSearchlightWindProject,whichwouldhavebeenveryclosetotheproposedACEC.TheSearchlightWindProjectwasstoppedoverimpactstogoldeneaglesanddeserttortoise.TheBureauofLandManagementisnowreviewingaSupplementalEnvironmentalImpactStatementfortheSouthernNevadaResourceManagementPlan.Oneofthemainsubjectsforreviewis“renewableenergy”.BecausethisisaLandUsePlanupdate,wearepermittedtonominatelandsforconsiderationforanAreaofCriticalEnvironmentalConcern.Itisourconcernandbeliefthatanylarge-scalewindprojectbuiltinthelocationwillcreateunmitigableimpactstoadjacentconservationareas,wildlife,visualresourcesandculturalresources.In2014,BasinandRangeWatchmadearequestintheoriginalRMPreviewtodesignatetheentireregion“WindEnergyFree”.TheBLMhasbeentellingusthataNoticeofIntentfortheFederalRegisterhasbeenpreparedforCrescentPeakWindProjectandiswaitingforapprovalfromtheWashingtonoffice.Whilewearenotsurewhythishastakensolong,BLMhasrepeatedlystatedthatthis

willbecomingupsoon.ThisACECnominationisintendedtobearequestfortheBLMtouseasaconservationalternativeiftheCrescentPeakWindProjectEISisreleasedtothepublic.IntheMojaveDesertEcoregionalAssessmentundertakenbyTheNatureConservancy(Randalletal.2010),thewesternpartofthePiuteValleyisidentifiedasEcologicallyIntact.Thesearedefinedas“landsofhighconservationvaluearelargelyundisturbedandunfragmentedandsupportconservationtargets.TheybufferEcologicallyCorelandsandrequirelevelsofprotectionthatwillallowthemtoremainrelativelyundisturbedtopreserveecologicalprocessesandtoprovideviablehabitatandconnectivityfornativeanimals,plants,andcommunities.”TherecommendedconservationobjectivesforEcologicallyIntactlandsisto:“Promotelandusesandmanagementpracticesthatmaintainorimprovelandscapeintegrityandprotectconservationtargets.Promoterestorationofhabitatconnectivity,naturalvegetationcommunities,andecologicalprocesses(e.g.,sandtransportandwater-flowregimes).”ConservingtheselandsasanACECwouldpromotehabitatandwildlifeconnectivitybetweentheCastleMountainsNationalMonument,MojaveNationalPreserve,SouthMcCulloughWilderness,WeeThumpJoshuaTreeWildernessArea,andthePiute-EldoradoACEC.ThisACECnominationseekstopreservethefollowingresources:BiologicalResources:Plants:TheCastleMountainspresentanopportunitytoprotectauniquegrassland.TheproposedsitecontainswarmadaptedC4perennialbunchgrassgrasslandsontheNevadasideandarecontiguouswiththeCaliforniaside.TheonlystandsofsuchgrasslandswestoftheColoradoRiverarethoseoccurringbetweenSearchlight,Nevada,andtheNewYorkMountainsintheMojaveNationalPreserve,northtoMcCulloughRangeandsouthintoCastleMountains.EastoftheColoradoRiver,thisvegetationassemblagerangesfromKingman,Arizona,toNewMexico,andsouthwardsintoMexico.SothisisauniquehabitatinNevadaandCaliforniawhichwouldbethreatenedbyalarge-scalewindenergyprojectorotherconflicts.Theareaisahotbedofnear-endemicandrareplantsintheCaliforniaandNevadaDesert,withmanyunusualspecies(seeAppendix).BighornSheep:TheNevadaDepartmentofWildlifehasidentifiedtheCastleMountainsasgoodhabitatforbighornsheep.Themountainspresentfavorabletopographyforbighornandprovideasignificantsourceoffood.TheopenlowerbajadanearWalkingBoxRanchprovidesgoodlinkagehabitatforbighornaswell.TheregionprovideslinkageforbighornfromtheCastleMountainstotheNewYorkandPiuteMountains.BighornsheephabitatdataprovidedbytheBLM(1998)showatotalof9,497acresofcrucialdesertbighornsheephabitatand7,491acresofdesertbighornsheepwinterrangeoccurswithintheproposedACEC.SeveralbighornsheepwereseenduringhelicopterraptornestsurveysfortheproposedCrescentPeakWindProjectsite,particularlyinthenorthernsectionofthesite.

Intermountainareasofthedesertfloorthatbighorntraversebetweenmountainrangescanbeasimportanttothelong-termviabilityofpopulationsasarethemountainrangesthemselves.Alluvialfansnearsteeprockyterraincanprovidecrucialforaginghabitatforbighornsheep.Forexample,ewesattheendofgestationthatneednutrientsmaycomedownfromsteep,rockyterrainlookingforhigherqualityforage.Theymightuseareasforonlythreeweeks,butthosethreeweeksarecritical.Andasnotedintheprevioussection,theCastleMountainsNationalMonumentProclamationdescribesbighornsheepresourcesandvaluesintheACECnominationregion.GilaMonster:Elevationsupto4,300feetontheproposedsitearehabitatfortheGilamonster.Itsrangeislimitedtoregionsthatreceiveseveralinchesofrainduringthesummermonthsandhavemildwintersandhotsummers.TheGilamonsterspendsasignificantportionofitslifeundergroundandismostactiveduringthespring.Thespecieshasbeenimpactedbyhabitatlossduetourbanization,someagriculturalusesandillegalcollection.ThisreptilehasaveryrestrictedrangeinSouthernNevada.Thomsonetal.(2016)showrecordsofGilamonsterobservationsandpotentialhabitatintheProvidence,Kingston,Clark,andPiuteMountainsofeasternMojaveDesertregionsadjacenttotheproposedACECinNevada.TheysaytheNewYorkMountainsmayalsoholdapopulation.TheGilamonsterisafossorialspeciesthatisverydifficulttolocate.Dr.DanielBeckofCentralWashingtonUniversity,whoistheleadingauthorityonthebiologyofhelodermatidlizardshadthistosayaboutsurveys:“AsyouknowitisextremelydifficulttomakeaccuratepopulationestimatesofGilamonsters,especiallyintheMojaveDesert,wheretheyareevenlessfrequentlyactivethanintheSonoranDesert.SomesitesintheeasternMojavedesertcontainpopulationdensitiesofupto20lizards/squaremile.IknowofsitesinsouthernNevadathatcontainfairlyhighdensitiesaswell,perhapsashighas10-15/squaremile(justanestimate).Highdensitiesareassociatedwithsitesthathaverelativelyhightopographicalcomplexity(lotsoftopographicalrelief,boulders,burrows,andpotentialsheltersforGilamonsters).Sandyareasborderingrockyoutcropsaregoodhabitatareas.I'dadvisedecisionmakersnottoassumetheabsenceofGilamonstersbasedonshort-termsurveys”(DanielBeck,personalcommunication2009).PopulationsofthisspeciesintheMojaveDesertarefringepopulationsandcouldcarryuniquegeneticbottlenecktraitsthatshouldbestudied,andtheirhabitatprotected.DesertTortoise:ThePiuteValleyisimportantforMojavedeserttortoise(Gopherusagassizii),andhasrelativelyhighdensitiescomparedtootherareasoftheMojaveandColoradoDesertofCaliforniaandNevada.Range-widemonitoringofpopulationsin2016resultedinanestimateof4.0tortoisespersquarekilometerinthePiuteValleysectionoftheColoradoDesertRecoveryUnit(U.S.FishandWildlifeService2016b).ThiswashigherthanestimateddensityfromadjacentEldoradoValley.SometortoiseobservationsoccurredonthewesternmarginoftheUnit,adjacenttothisproposedACEC.TortoisesarepresentalsowithintheACECnomination:thePlanofDevelopmentfortheCrescentPeakWindProjectdescribeshowonetortoisewasobservedin2005withinthewindprojectsiteproposal.Anestimated

10,143acresoftortoisehabitatmaybeinthewindprojectproposalalone,withhigherelevationsslightlyabovenormaltortoiserange.YetmuchoftheACECnominationmaybegoodtortoisehabitat,asdelineatedbytheU.S.GeologicalSurveyontheirGeochangewebsite:“Creosotebush,burrobush,mojaveyuccaandblackbrushgenerallydistinguishdeserttortoisehabitat.Athigheraltitudes,Joshuatreeandgalletagrass(Pleuraphisrigida)arecommonplantindicators”(USGS2016).ThiseasilydescribestheplantcommunitiesoftheACECnomination.

Habitatfragmentationfromnewroadsandutilitycorridorswouldsignificantlyimpactdeserttortoisesandposesamajorthreattothespecies.Awindprojectinthishabitatwouldbeamajordisturbance.TheproposedACECmaybeimportantasabuffertoCriticalHabitatinPiutevalley,aswellaspotentialfuturehabitatfortortoisesifclimatechangeimpactscausepopulationstomoveupslope.GoldenEagles:Nestsurveysundertakenfrom2003to2011byJohnBooneoftheGreatBasinBirdObservatoryandCrisTomlinsonoftheNevadaDivisionofWildlife(NDOW)producedadensitymapofgoldeneaglenestsurveysforNevada(BooneandTomlinson2014).Thesewereaerial(helicopter)andgroundsurveysinanattempttocoverthewholestateandfillingapsinknowledgeofwherebreedingterritoriesare,soNDOWcanbettermanageforrenewableenergyimpacts.Theregionhasamongthehighestnestdensityinthestate(seemapbelow).TheareaincludestheCastleMountains,theSearchlightHills,theWalkingBoxRanch,SpiritMountainandmostofthePiuteValleyregion.ThisareahadaproposalbyApexCleanEnergytoconstructalarge-scalewindprojectcalledSearchlightWind,whichwouldnothavebeencompatiblewithsuchadenseconcentrationofeagleterritories.Equally,theproposaltobuildtheCrescentPeakWindProjectintheCastleMountainswouldbequiteproblematic.PartofthereasonthattheRecordofDecisionwasvoidedfortheSearchlightProjectwasbecause28goldeneaglenestswerelocatedwithin10milesoftheproposedprojectsite.Raptorsandotherbirdsdonotseetherapidspinningtipsofwindturbinebladesandthishascausedmortalityproblemswithwindenergy.Windturbinebladescanspinupto175MPH.GoldeneagletrendsarestabletoslowlydecliningacrossthewesternU.S.Booneestimatedtherecouldbeapproximately3,000breedinggoldeneaglesinNevada.Itisbelievedthatthisregionisveryimportanttogoldeneagles.Theinfluenceofenergydevelopment,particularlywindenergy,takentogetherwithotheranthropogenicsourcesofmortality,includingelectrocutiononpowerdistributionlines,contaminants,collisionswithvehicles,andillegalshooting,mayberesultingindecliningGoldenEaglepopulations(U.S.FishandWildlifeService2016a).BaldandGoldeneaglesareprotectedbythreefederallaws:TheBaldandGoldenEagleProtectionAct,theMigratoryBirdTreatyActandtheLaceyAct.Theselawsprohibitthepossession,useandsaleofeaglefeathersandpartsaswellasanumberofotheractivities,includingthetransportationofeaglesandfeathersandpartsthathavebeenillegallyobtained.TheEagleActhasprohibitedtakeofBaldEaglessince1940andGoldenEaglessince1962.Takemeanspursue,shoot,shootat,poison,wound,kill,capture,trap,collect,destroy,molest,ordisturb.

^NevadaDepartmentofWildlifeMapshowsthehighconcentrationofeaglenestsbuiltnearandwithintheproposedsite.OtherBirds:Thesitewouldbelocatedabout20milesfromtheColoradoRiverwhichisnowunderNationalParkServicejurisdictioninLakeMeadNationalRecreationArea.BothLakeMeadandLakeMojavesupportadiversityofaquaticavianfauna,manyofwhichmigrateovertheCastleMountains.LakesMeadandMohavesupportdiversepopulationsofresidentandmigratorywaterfowl,songbirds,shorebirds,passerines,andbirdsofprey.Cliffhabitatnearopenwatersupported52peregrinefalconsin2008andapproximately24breedingterritories(NPS2015),constitutingthelargestpopulationinsouthernNevada

andnorthwesternArizona.LakesMeadandMohaveannuallysupportapproximately160winteringbaldeagles,providingasignificantstopalongthePacificFlyway.ThelakesarehabitatfortheendangeredSouthwesternwillowflycatcherintheVirginandMuddyRiverareas.Closeto400speciesofmigratorybirdshavebeenrecordedwithintheRecreationArea.Shorebirdsincludesandpipers,plovers,ibis,andothers.Marshbirdsincludesorasandrails.Waterfowlincludeducks,grebes,coots,loons,andcormorants.Wadingbirdsincludeheronsandegrets.Birdsassociatedwiththeopenwaterincludekingfishers,swallows,andterns.BirdsofpreyatLakeMeadincludebaldeagle,osprey,hawk,andowls.SomewaterbirdshavebeenrecordedusingflywaysacrosstheNevadaandCaliforniaDesert.TheCastleMountains,McCulloughMountains,NewYorkMountainsandPiuteValleytotheSearchlightHillshaveauniqueSonoranbirdfaunathatismoretypicalofArizona.Gildedflickers,Harris'Hawks,andanapparentlyresidentpopulationofCurve-billedthrashers,aretheonlylocationsofthesespeciesinNevada,andrarelyfoundwestoftheColoradoRiver.ThehighlydiverseMadreanDesertGrasslands,Joshuatreewoodlands,andvariedscrublandsrangingfromcreosotescrublandstoblackbrush,alongwitharidwashtreesincludingdesertwillows,makethisabiodiversityhotspotforbirdsintheregion.BiologicalSoilCrusts:Soilbiologicalcrustisamixoforganismsthatoccupyandprotectthesurfaceofthesoilinmostdesertecosystems.Theorganismsoftenincludefilamentousandnon-filamentouscyanobacteria,mosses,lichens,liverwortsandfungi.BiologicalsoilcrustsarecommonthroughouttheproposedACECboundaries.Damagetointactdesertsoilswithbioticcrustsandtheresultingincreasedsiltationduringfloodinganddustcanadverselyimpactdesertecosystems.Biologicalcrustsprotectthesoilandholdweedsatbay.BoththeCastleMountainsandthePiuteValleyhaveaveryhighdensityofbiologicalsoilcrustscomparedtootherareasoftheMojaveDesert,andshouldbeprotected.Theselivingsoilcrustsnaturallysequestercarbondioxide,andthustheseregionsareapoolforcarbonthatcanhelpoffsetClimateChangeimpacts,aslongasitisnotmechanicallydisturbed.CulturalResources:TheCastleMountainsandPiuteValleyareallintheview-scapeofSpiritMountain.SpiritMountainandthesurroundingcanyonscollectivelyhavebeennamedaTraditionalCulturalPropertyandarelistedontheNationalRegisterofHistoricPlacesbecauseoftheirsignificancetotheYumanspeakingtribeswhichincludeMohave,Hualapai,Yavapai,Havasupai,Quechan,PaipaiandMaricopa.SpiritMountainandthesurroundingcanyonsaresacredgroundsfortheYumanspeakingtribesofthelowerColoradoRiver.Themountainplaysaprominentroleinthereligionandmythologyofthesepeople.Theybelievethemountain(calledAvikwamebytheMohavepeopleandWikamebytheHualapai)isthespiritualbirthplaceofthetribes.SpiritMountain.SpiritMountainisTheCenterofCreationforseveralNativeAmericantribesincludingtheFt.Mojave,Havasu,andQuechen.ItisalsoaSacredSitetotheHopiandChemehuevi.TheBureauofLandManagementandtheNationalParkServicehavedesignatedtheregionaTraditionalCulturalPropertyanditisalsolistedontheNationalHistoricRegister.TheACECwouldhelppreservetheCulturalLandscapeoftheregion.Anylargedevelopmentsuchasawindenergyprojectwouldbevisibleforover50miles.ThiswouldincludeSpiritMountain.CulturalLandscapesinthisareaincludeEthnographicLandscapesofheritageresources,oldtrails,viewstoSpiritMountain,andaboriginalclanrelationshipstotheanimals,plants,andnaturalfeatures.MiningandranchinghistorycontributetosignificantHistoricalLandscapes.

UnderSection106oftheNationalHistoricPreservationAct,anyfederalundertakingthatmayadverselyaffectahistoricpropertyonoreligibleforlistingon,theNationalRegisterofHistoricPlacesmustconsiderhowtoavoid,minimize,ormitigateadverseeffectstohistoricproperties,includingculturallandscapes.Unfortunately,thesekindsofhistoricpropertieshavenotalwaysbeenrecognizedorunderstoodbyfederalagenciesandthepreservationcommunity.ItisourunderstandingfrompersonalcommunicationwiththeBLMthatnoculturalresourcessurveyshavebeenconductedforthissite,butculturalresourcesareknowntoexistonthesite.Thenorthsectionofthesitehasbeenminedformorethan100years,andnumerousminingsiteshavebeenrecorded.SomeofthesesitescouldbeeligibleforinclusionintheNationalRegisterforHistoricPlaces.Historicaltrashscattersandprehistoriclithicscattersandsites,includingrockshelters,petroglyphs,andquarrysites,areknownthroughoutportionsofthesite.Additionally,itisexpectedthatunrecordedsitesexistthroughoutthearea,especiallyinwashesandcanyonsnearspringsandseeps.TheWalkingBoxRanch,isahistoriccattleranchpurchasedbyHollywoodactorsRexandClaraBowin1931.In2005,theBLMpurchasedtheWalkingBoxRanchwithagrantfromtheSouthernNevadaPublicLandsManagementAct.TheNatureConservancyownstwoconservationeasementsontheRanchproperty,preservinghabitatforthedeserttortoise.Anyhugeenergyprojectnexttothissitewoulddegradenaturalandculturalvaluesthathavebeenprotectedbythesedesignations.TheBureauofLandManagementcouldbetterpreservethislandscapewiththisACECproposal.VisualResources:TheVisualResourcesoftheregionareoutstanding.Tothewest,justdirectlyovertheCaliforniaBorder,aretheruggedandspectacularCastlePeakssectionoftheMojaveNationalPreserveandtherecentlyestablishedCastleMountainsNationalMonument,bothofwhicharemanagedbytheNationalParkServicefortheiroutstandingresources.LocatedjusteastoftheproposedACECisthehistoricWalkingBoxRanch.TotheNorthwestwouldbetheMcCulloughRange,aMojaveDesertskyislandwildernessareaandpartoftheproposal.AlsolocatedtotheNorthwestistheWeeThumpJoshuaTreeWildernessAreaonthebajadaoftheMcCulloughRangewhichpreservesoneofNevada’smostmatureandspectacularJoshuatreeforests.TotheeastisLakeMeadNationalRecreationAreaandthesmallcommunityofSearchlight,Nevada.AlsototheeastisSpiritMountain,thePlaceofCreationforsomeNativeAmericanTribes.Asidefromacoupleoftransmissionlines,theview-scaperemainslargelyunbroken.TheACECshouldbemanagedtoprotectthescenicqualityoftheJoshuatreewoodlandinthearea,whichisuniquewithinNevadaforitsdensityandtotalarea.ThescenicqualitiesoftheJoshuatreewoodlandarefurtherenhancedbythelargelynaturalsetting.Asthenominationalreadymentions,acoupleoftransmissionlinesandtheaptlynamedJoshuaTreeHighwayaresomeoftheonlymajorvisualdistractionsinanotherwiseunbrokennaturalsetting.AnACECwouldempowerBLMtocontinuetoprotecttheuniquescenicvaluesoftheregionfromindustrialscaleprojectsthatwouldsignificantlyimpairtheabilityofvisitorstoenjoythenatural,scenicqualities.ThecurrentBLMdesignatedvisualstatusoftheproposedsiteisbrokenupinto2VisualResourceManagement(VRM)Classes–VRMClassIIinthenorthsectionandVRMClassIIIinthesouthsection.

TheVRMClassIIObjectiveistoretaintheexistingcharacterofthelandscape.Thelevelofchangetothecharacteristiclandscapeshouldbelow.TheVRMClassIIIObjectiveistopartiallyretaintheexistingcharacterofthelandscape.Thelevelofchangetothecharacteristiclandscapeshouldbemoderate.TheCrescentPeakWindProjectapplicanthasalsoacknowledgedtheincompatibilityofitsprojectintheregion.InitsPlanofDevelopment,theapplicantwrites,“SincethissiteiscurrentlydesignatedasaVRMClassIIarea,winddevelopmentisnotcompatible.”TheapplicantgoesontowritethatitseeksBLMtodowngradetheVRMclassificationinordertoallowitsdevelopment.WebelievethattheACECshouldbemanagedunderVRMIStandards.TheVRMIClassObjectiveistopreservetheexistingcharacterofthelandscape.Thelevelofchangetothecharacteristiclandscapeshouldbeverylowandmustnotattractattention.Becausetheregionisbeingconsideredforalarge-scalewindenergyproject,theBLMshouldconsiderthepotentialcumulativevisualimpactsthatadjacentactivitywouldhaveonconservationareas.Eveniftheproposedsiteweretoremainundermanagementforalowervisualclass,theimmensesizeoftheprojectwouldmakeitvisibleforwellover50miles.TheturbineswouldhavetoalsobeilluminatedatnighttocomplywithFAAregulations.Anylargewindturbinesandaccompanyinginfrastructurebuiltonthissiteforexample,wouldcumulativelydegradetheviewfromtheCastlePeakssectionoftheMojaveNationalPreserve.Equally,thiswoulddegradetheviewfromalldirections.Accompanyinggen-tielinesandnewsubstationwouldalsobreakupthewildcharacterofthepresentlandscape.(SeeAppendixforphotos)------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ACECDesignationandManagement:

WeunderstandthattheBLMdesignatesACEC’sforbothculturaland/orbiologicalresources.Giventheinformationbrieflysummarizedherein,westronglysuggestthatthenewAreaofCriticalEnvironmentalConcernbedesignatedtoprotectbothculturalandbiologicalresourcesidentifiedherein.

TheimportanceofthesebiologicalandculturalresourceswarrantstheconsiderationofthisnewACECasthepreferredalternativeinfutureenvironmentaldocuments,whicharetypicallyassociatedwithagivendevelopmentproposal.Ifnotthepreferredalternative,itisprudentthateachnewEnvironmentalImpactStatement(EIS)considerasoneofitsalternativesaconservationalternativethatdesignatesthisproposedACEC.

WeunderstandthatdesignationofanewACECwouldrequiredevelopmentofanassociatedACECmanagementplan,andthatinterestedpartiesmayprovidethroughbothpublicinputandvolunteereffortssupportofsuchaplanningeffort.Herein,weextendourcommitmenttoassisttheBLMbyalllegalmeansavailabletohelpprovidefurtherbaselineinformationandfuturesupporttocompletethenewACECmanagementplan.

Althoughitwouldbeourcontentionthatnonewlarge-scalerenewableenergyprojectsshouldoccurinthisACEC,weexpectthatthemanagementplanwouldprovidestandardsandguidelinesthatwouldcodifythelevelofacceptabledevelopmentidentifiedthroughpublicscopingthatwouldminimizesignificantimpactstobothculturalandbiologicalresources.Mappingofthesensitiveplantspeciesandtortoisehotspotsmayrevealareaswhereconflictswouldbeminimizedandsome,albeitlimited,developmentacceptable.

WithouttheaddedprotectionprovidedbytheACECdesignation,conflictingusescouldleadtodeclinesinthenumbersorrangesofrareplantandanimalspeciesandcompromiseimportant,irreplaceableculturalresources.TheACECmanagementprovisionsshouldbetailoredtothespecificneedsoftheplantsandanimalsfoundinthisnewACEC.

PrudentmanagementprescriptionsthatmayapplytothisACECinclude:(1)Minimizationorcompleteexclusionofrenewableenergyprojects;(2)WithdrawalofalllandswithintheexpandedACECboundaryfromnewmineralentryexcludingtheCrescentPeakMiningDistrict;(3)Acquisitionofprivatelandsfromwillingsellersanddesignationofvehicleroutes;and(4)Botanicalsurveysforspecialstatusplantslistedhereinandincorporationofconservationmeasuresfortheplantsandtheirhabitatwherenewoccurrencesareidentified.

References:

Andre,J.andD.Bell.2015.FloraoftheCastleMountains.(https://www.cnps.org/cnps/conservation/letters/drecp/201502-6_Flora_Castle_Mountains.pdf,accessed1-2018)

Boone,J.andC.Tomlinson.2014.NevadaStatewideGoldenEagleNestSiteSurvey.39thAnnualMeetingandSymposium,TheDesertTortoiseCouncil,DoubleTreebyHiltonHotel,OntarioCA,February21-23,2014.

BureauofLandManagement.1986.BLMHandbookH84101,VisualResourceInventory.

BureauofLandManagement1998.ProposedLasVegasResourceManagementPlanandFinalEnvironmentalImpactStatement.

NPS.2015.AquaticDependentBirds.LakeMeadNationalRecreationArea.Websitehttps://home.nps.gov/lake/learn/nature/aquatic-dependent-birds.htmaccessed1-2018

Randall,J.M.,S.S.Parker,J.Moore,B.Cohen,L.Crane,B.Christian,D.Cameron,J.MacKenzie,K.KlausmeyerandS.Morrison.2010.MojaveDesertEcoregionalAssessment.UnpublishedReport.TheNatureConservancy,SanFrancisco,California.106pages+appendices.AccessedJanuary2018athttp://conserveonline.org/workspaces/mojave/documents/mojave-desert-ecoregional-2010/@@view.html.

Thomson,R.C.,A.N.Wright,andH.B.Shaffer.2016.CaliforniaAmphibianandReptileSpeciesofSpecialConcern.CaliforniaDepartmentofFishandWildlife,UniversityofCaliforniaPress,Oakland,California.U.S.FishandWildlifeService(U.S.F.W.S.).2016a.BaldandGoldeneagles:populationdemographicsandestimationofsustainabletakeintheUnitedStates:2016update.U.S.D.I.FishandWildlifeService,DivisionofMigratoryBirdManagement,WashingtonDCU.S.A.

U.S.FishandWildlifeService.2016b.Range-wideMonitoringoftheMojaveDesertTortoise(Gopherusagassizii):2015and2016AnnualReporting.ReportbytheDesertTortoiseRecoveryOffice,U.S.FishandWildlifeService,Reno,Nevada.

USGS.2016. DesertTortoiseEcology,MojaveDesertTortoiseGATFProject.Websitehttps://geochange.er.usgs.gov/sw/impacts/biology/tortoise1/accessed1-2018.

Appendix

MapoftheProposedACEC:

Hereisthemapoftheroughly38,000acreproposedCastleMountainsAreaofCriticalEnvironmentalConcern(ACEC)byBasinandRangeWatch

(https://www.cnps.org/cnps/conservation/letters/drecp/201502-6_Flora_Castle_Mountains.pdf,accessed1-2018)

VisualResourcePhotos:

^CastleMountains,Nevada,LookingEast

^TheCastlePeaksintheMojaveNationalPreserve,CaliforniaseenfromtheproposedCastleMountainsACEC,Nevada.Theuniquegrasslandcanalsobeseeninthephoto.

^TheHartMineRoadshowstheundevelopedcharacteroftheregion.

^TheCastleMountainsNationalMonument,California,seenfromtheproposedNevadaACEC.Thisisoneoftheworld’smostextensiveJoshuatreeforests.

^CastleMountains,Nevada

^SpiritMountainseenfromtheproposedACEC

^TheCastlePeaks,MojaveNationalPreserveseenfromtheproposedACEC