BLM Proposes Direct Sale of Public Land in Kern County

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has proposed a direct sale to Kern County of approximately 160 acres of public land available for sale under the 1980 California Desert Conservation Area Plan, as amended. The public lands for sale are located in Kern County and will act as a buffer area to prevent incompatible development around the Mojave Rosamond Landfill and Sanitary station. 

Hector Villalobos, BLM Ridgecrest Field Office manager, noted that residents of Mojave, Calif. and Kern County Waste Management have been working on a multi-year expansion project for their sanitary landfill. According to Villalobos, the County agreed to purchase the public lands as a buffer zone for the expanded landfill. There are no existing authorized uses on the property.

A cultural resource survey was completed which included record searches for previous work in the in the area as well as notification of, or lack of, Native American sacred sites, a pedestrian survey of the project area, and a report of findings, results, and recommendations. Although no sacred sites were found as a result of the Native American Heritage Commission records search, additional outreach included communications sent to local Native American groups/tribes from a list provided by the NAHC.

Funds from the sale will be used to acquire parcels nominated through the Federal Land Transaction Facilitation Act.

Additional information is available by contacting: Paul Rodriquez, Ridgecrest Field Office, (760) 384-5455; or Thomas Gey, BLM State Realty Specialist, (951)-697-5352.

California Desert District   22835 Calle San Juan de Los Lagos, Moreno Valley, CA 92553