SACRAMENTO, Calif. - The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has finalized the transfer of administrative jurisdiction, from the Secretary of the Interior to the Secretary of the Navy, of approximately 226,700 acres of public lands. The transfer fulfills requirements in the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2014 to transfer the Chocolate Mountain Aerial Gunnery Range to the Department of Defense.
"The BLM supports the Department of Defense’s mission and operational training at the Chocolate Mountain Aerial Gunnery Range," said Thomas Zale, BLM El Centro Field Manager. "Transferring the BLM-managed lands to the military will enhance important operational training exercises and public safety."
The Chocolate Mountain Aerial Gunnery Range is located in Imperial and Riverside counties and served as an aerial bombing and gunnery range during the 1940s. As of May 2, the lands will solely be managed by the U.S. Navy for combat operations’ training.
For more information, visit the Federal Register website at bit.ly/2qtdtWn.
Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management
