§1782 Bureau of Land Management Wilderness Study

Summary

The Secretary must review roadless public land areas of 5,000 acres or more and roadless islands that the required inventory found to have wilderness characteristics. The review must happen within fifteen years after October 21, 1976, and the Secretary must send reports and recommendations to the President from time to time. Before recommending any area for wilderness, the Secretary must have mineral surveys done by the United States Geological Survey and the United States Bureau of Mines. The Secretary must also report by July 1, 1980 on areas that were formally identified as natural or primitive before November 1, 1975. The review follows the procedures of the Wilderness Act. After each report, the President must tell the Senate leader and the House leader his recommendation, with a map and boundaries, within two years of getting the report. A presidential recommendation only becomes law if Congress passes a bill. While areas are being reviewed and until Congress decides, the Secretary must manage the lands so they stay fit for possible wilderness. Existing mining, grazing, and mineral leases that were happening on October 21, 1976 may continue, but the Secretary must prevent unnecessary damage. Unless already withdrawn, the lands remain open to mining claims until properly withdrawn for other reasons. If Congress designates an area as wilderness, the rules of the Wilderness Act for national forest wilderness areas apply, including rules about mineral surveys, development, access, land exchanges, and mining claim access.