An effort is underway to transfer BLM lands to the National Park Service to add to Joshua Tree National Park/NPS

A land transfer between the U.S. Bureau of Land Management and the National Park Service is underway, one that would return roughly 22,500 acres that originally were part of Joshua Tree National Park to the park.

U.S. Deputy Secretary of the Interior Michael L. Connor on Friday approved the first step in an effort to transfer the public lands. This transfer would provide contiguous management of important lands and resources in the Eagle Mountain area next to Joshua Tree National Park, an Interior Department release said.

“National parks and other public lands are intimately connected to the communities and landscapes beyond their borders, and today’s announcement marks the first step in a process to more fully protect important areas near Joshua Tree, one of our nation’s iconic parks,” said Deputy Secretary Connor. “We look forward to thoughtful dialogue with the public and stakeholders on effectively managing and conserving this critical area.”

The BLM and the National Park Service are jointly working on the proposed withdrawal. Friday's approval is the first step in the withdrawal process, and initiates a segregation of the public lands that withdraws those lands from the operation of the mining and mineral materials law. The segregation is intended to preserve the status quo while the withdrawal process is under review.

The segregation of the public lands covered by the withdrawal limits activities to existing uses for a two-year period, pending an evaluation of the suitability of withdrawing and transferring these lands to the National Park Service. The two-year segregation has essentially the same effect as a withdrawal – it would prohibit new mining claims in the designated areas. Neither the segregation nor any withdrawal, however, would prohibit ongoing or future mining or extraction operations on valid existing claims.

National Parks Conservation Association officials were encouraged by the move, but said more needed to be done to protect the national park.

“National Parks Conservation Association has worked for more than two decades to protect the Eagle Mountain region. Today’s announcement that more than 22,000 acres of wildlife-rich lands are taken off the table for development is encouraging and the first step in returning them to Joshua Tree National Park; but adequately protecting the landscape is a two-step process," said  Seth Shteir, the organization's California Desert program manager. "While Interior’s announcement brings Joshua Tree one step closer to becoming whole again, a major threat remains with the proposed Eagle Crest pumped storage project.

"The Eagle Crest project lands were not able to be included in this withdrawal, but the Department of the Interior can still ensure Joshua Tree National Park is protected. This project, which stands to deplete precious desert groundwater and harm Joshua Tree National Park’s wildlife, requires thoughtful study from Interior vs. the rushed review that is underway," he added. "What’s more, the project’s transmission line would cut through lands that Interior designated as Areas of Critical Environmental Concern through its recently-finalized Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan. It is unfortunate that after finalizing the DRECP, Interior is now considering eroding its protections.”

Bounded to the south, west, and north by Joshua Tree National Park, the eastern border of the study area is defined by the Colorado River Aqueduct, which roughly formed the original Joshua Tree National Monument boundary established in 1936. Originally part of Joshua Tree National Monument when designated in 1936, the study area was later removed for mineral extraction activities in 1950.

Major mining activities in the study area ceased in 1983. In 1989, the area was proposed for a landfill. After decades of challenges and litigation, the landfill proposal was withdrawn in 2013. The Eagle Mountain area remains a key building block for landscape-scale conservation in the California desert. However, lands within the area and surrounding region continue to be open to various development proposals that could affect protection of the fragile desert ecosystems.

Inclusion of the study area in the national park boundary could help to achieve landscape-scale conservation objectives for the California desert region. Recent studies have documented the particular importance of the area for the migration of bighorn sheep populations. In addition, the study area: 1) contains prehistoric and historic resources that expand on cultural themes interpreted at the national park; 2) may offer new opportunities for public enjoyment; and 3) contains areas important for maintaining wilderness values within Joshua Tree National Park.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission-licensed hydroelectric-pump storage project and associated right-of-way application for a transmission gen-tie line and a water pipeline currently under review by the Bureau of Land Management are not affected by the proposed withdrawal.

The National Park Service has been preparing an Environmental Assessment for a boundary study on the Eagle Mountain area for nearly two years. The National Park Services expects to issue a Finding of No Significant Impact in early December supporting the segregation.

An official notice of the proposed withdrawal will be published in the Federal Register on November 3, which initiates the two-year segregation period and begins the public comment period. The Bureau of Land Management and the National Park Service will host a public meeting to gather comments related to the withdrawal process.