Located west of Tonopah, the Proposed Esmeralda/Fish Lake Area of Critical Environmental Concern encompasses 850,000 acres and includes extensive critical winter and summer bighorn sheep habitat and migration corridors crucial to bighorn sheep breeding and survival. Unfortunately, the core of our proposed ACEC is immediately threatened by an undeveloped section of the Greenlink West Transmission line, the Esmeralda Seven proposed solar development (60,000 acres of industrial development), and the just released 2024 Solar PEIS which would open up 41% of Esmeralda County including much of the ACEC to solar development.

After a decade of intensive Wilderness inventory work and extensive study, Friends of Nevada Wilderness officially proposed the Esmeralda/Fish Lake Area of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC) to the Nevada BLM in August of 2023 to protect the wild nature, bighorn sheep, sensitive plant and animal species and extremely sensitive cultural values found within this wild section of Esmeralda County. About 23 species of animals and 42 plant species found here are at risk or formally protected. 

Included in the Proposed Esmeralda/Fish Lake Area of Critical Environmental Concern

Monte Cristo Range Lands with Wilderness Character

 

Rhyolite Ridge Lands with Wilderness Character

 

Emigrant Peak Lands with Wilderness Character

 

White Wolf Lands with Wilderness Character

 

Sheep Mountain Lands with Wilderness Character

 

Volcanic Hills Lands with Wilderness Character

 

The Sump Area of Critical Environmental Concern

 

Sugar Peak Lands with Wilderness Character

 

Silver Peak Wilderness Stud Area and Additions