Wilderness: Issues and Legislation

February 10, 2011 – October 12, 2022 R41610

Wilderness: Issues and Legislation
Updated October 12, 2022
Congressional Research Service
https://crsreports.congress.gov
R41610

Wilderness: Issues and Legislation

Summary
The Wilderness Act of 1964 established the National Wilderness Preservation System and, in it,
Congress reserved for itself the authority to designate federal lands as part of the system. As of
September 9, 2022, the system consisted of over 112 million acres in 803 units, managed by four
federal land management agencies (FLMAs): the Forest Service (FS) in the Department of
Agriculture and the National Park Service (NPS), Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), and Bureau
of Land Management (BLM) in the Department of the Interior (DOI). The act also directed the
Secretaries of Agriculture and the Interior to review certain lands for their wilderness potential.
Wilderness is managed to preserve its natural condition. Roads, structures, motorized access, and
most commercial activity generally are prohibited in wilderness, although there are exceptions.
Bills to designate wilderness areas are typically introduced and considered in each Congress.
Such designations are not amendments to the Wilderness Act but generally refer to the act for
management guidance and sometimes include special provisions. The 116th Congress considered
many bills to add to the wilderness system, and one was enacted into law, designating 1.3 million
additional acres in four states of both new wilderness areas and additions to existing areas. To
date, dozens of bills have been introduced in the 117th Congress to designate additional
wilderness areas, though none have been enacted.
Wilderness designations can be controversial. Advocates propose wilderness designations to
preserve the generally undeveloped conditions of the areas. Opponents express concern that such
designations prevent certain uses and potential economic development in rural areas. The
potential benefits or costs of wilderness designations are difficult to value or quantify. Thus,
wilderness deliberations commonly focus on trying to maximize the benefits of preserving
pristine areas while minimizing potential opportunity costs. These debates often focus on the
extent and location of specific proposed changes to the National Wilderness Preservation System
introduced in each Congress—such as whether to designate additional wilderness acres, modify
existing wilderness boundaries, or other changes.
Wilderness debates also may focus on management and use of wilderness. Most wilderness bills
direct management of designated wilderness in accordance with the Wilderness Act. However,
proposed legislation may seek to allow otherwise-prohibited activities in the area or to address
uses not contemplated in the Wilderness Act. Sometimes, wilderness debates focus on
management and use of one specific unit; other times, the debates focus on management across
the entire system. For example, the 117th Congress has considered legislation to authorize
mechanized transport in all designated wilderness areas, which is prohibited in most
circumstances.
Controversies regarding management of other protected areas related to wilderness also have
been the subject of legislation. BLM wilderness study areas (WSAs) and FS inventoried roadless
areas (IRAs) are currently subject to wilderness-like protections and often have been the subject
of debate. BLM is required by law to protect the wilderness characteristics of its WSAs until
Congress determines otherwise, leading Congress to frequently address WSAs in legislation,
often to release them from this protection. IRAs are designated by regulations, which have
frequently been changed or subject to legal challenges, leading Congress to sometimes consider
addressing IRA management in law.
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he Wilderness Act of 1964 (P.L. 88-577, 16 U.S.C. §§1131-1136) established the National
Wilderness Preservation System as a system of undeveloped federal lands, which are
T protected and managed to preserve their natural condition.1 The act initially designated 54
wilderness areas containing 9.1 million acres of federal land within the national forests. Since
then, Congress has passed more than 100 subsequent laws designating additional wilderness
areas.2 As of September 9, 2022, the National Wilderness Preservation System totaled 803 areas,
spanning approximately 112 million acres.3 Many believe that certain areas should be designated
to protect and preserve their unique value and characteristics, and bills are usually introduced in
each Congress to designate wilderness areas. Others oppose such legislation because commercial
activities, motorized access, and roads, structures, and facilities generally are prohibited in
wilderness areas.
This report provides background on wilderness designation and management, information on
wilderness legislation in the 116th and 117th Congresses, and a discussion of issues in the
wilderness debate—some pros and cons of wilderness designation generally, proposed legislation,
and a discussion of wilderness study area designations and protections and related issues. This
report is updated periodically to track the status of legislation to designate new wilderness (see
Table 1) or to release wilderness study areas (WSAs; see Table 2). Tables of legislation from the
116th Congress appear in the Appendix.
Wilderness Designations and Prohibited and
Permitted Uses
In the Wilderness Act, Congress reserved for itself the authority to designate federal lands as part
of the National Wilderness Preservation System. This congressional authority is based on the
Property Clause of the Constitution, which gives to Congress the “Power to dispose of and make
all needful Rules and Regulations respecting the Territory or other Property belonging to the
United States.”4 Designated wilderness areas are part of existing units of federal land
administered by four federal land management agencies—the Forest Service (FS) in the
Department of Agriculture and the National Park Service (NPS), Fish and Wildlife Service
(FWS), and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in the Department of the Interior (DOI). Thus,
statutory provisions for these agencies’ lands, as well as the Wilderness Act and subsequent
wilderness statutes, govern the administration of the designated wilderness areas.
Wilderness designations can be controversial because the Wilderness Act (and subsequent laws)
restricts the allowed uses of the land within designated areas. In general, the Wilderness Act
prohibits commercial activities, motorized access, and roads, structures, and facilities in
wilderness areas. Specifically, Section 4(c) states:
Except as specifically provided for in this Act, and subject to existing private rights, there
shall be no commercial enterprise and no permanent road within any wilderness area
designated by this Act and, except as necessary to meet minimum requirements for the
administration of the area for the purpose of this Act (including measures required in

1 P.L. 88-577, 16 U.S.C. §1131.
2 Subsequent wilderness statutes have not designated wilderness areas by amending the Wilderness Act; instead, they
are independent statutes that typically direct management in accordance with the Wilderness Act, but also may provide
for unique management guidance.
3 See CRS Report RL31447, Wilderness: Overview, Management, and Statistics, by Anne A. Riddle and Katie Hoover.
4 Art. IV, §3, cl. 2.
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Wilderness: Issues and Legislation

emergencies involving the health and safety of persons within the area), there shall be no
temporary road, no use of motor vehicles, motorized equipment or motorboats, no landing
of aircraft, no other form of mechanical transport, and no structure or installation within
any such area.5
This section thus prohibits most commercial resource extraction (such as timber harvesting) and
motorized entry except for “minimum requirements” to administer the areas and in emergencies.6
However, Section 4(d) provides numerous exceptions, including (a) possible continued use of
motorboats and aircraft where uses are already established; (b) measures to control fires, insects,
and diseases; (c) mineral prospecting conducted “in a manner compatible with the preservation of
the wilderness environment”; (d) water projects; (e) continued livestock grazing; and (f) certain
commercial recreation activities. Subsequent wilderness statutes have included additional
provisions for administering those individual wilderness areas, including exceptions to the
general Wilderness Act prohibitions. Wilderness designations are permanent unless revised by
law. Congress has statutorily removed lands from several wilderness areas, commonly to adjust
boundaries.
Nonconforming Uses or Conditions7
Lands do not have to be untouched by humans to be eligible for statutory designation as
wilderness. Specific statutes designating wilderness areas may terminate or accommodate any
existing uses or conditions that do not conform to wilderness standards (commonly referred to as
nonconforming uses). Many previous wilderness designations have directed immediate
termination of nonconforming uses, whereas other bills have directed the agencies to remove,
remediate, or restore nonconforming conditions or infrastructure within a specified time frame.
Alternatively, many nonconforming uses and conditions have been permitted to remain in
designated wilderness areas. The Wilderness Act explicitly allows continued motorized access by
aircraft and motorboats in areas where such uses were already established. The Wilderness Act
also permits motorized access for management requirements and emergencies, and for fire, insect,
and disease control. Numerous wilderness statutes have permitted existing infrastructure (e.g.,
cabins, water resource facilities, telecommunications equipment) to remain and have authorized
occasional motorized access to operate, maintain, and replace the infrastructure. A few statutes
have also allowed new infrastructure developments within designated wilderness areas. Although
such authorizations are usually for a specific area, some statutes have provided more general
exemptions, such as for maintaining grazing facilities or for fish and wildlife management by a
state agency in all areas designated in the statute.
Various existing wilderness statutes have included special access provisions for particular needs.
For example, several statutes have included provisions addressing possible military needs in and
near the designated areas, particularly for low-level military training flights. Similarly, statutes
designating wilderness areas along the Mexican border commonly have allowed motorized access
for law enforcement and border security.

5 16 U.S.C. §1133(c).
6 The Wilderness Act did not further define what activities would qualify as a minimum requirement necessary for
administration or emergency response. Each agency has developed different guidelines and policies to determine
whether a specified activity would qualify, commonly referred to as a minimum requirements analysis.
7 For a discussion on uses in wilderness statutes, see CRS Report RL31447, Wilderness: Overview, Management, and
Statistics, by Anne A. Riddle and Katie Hoover.
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Wilderness: Issues and Legislation

Other statutes have contained provisions allowing particular access for tribal, cultural, or other
local needs. Several statutes have included provisions authorizing the agencies to prevent public
access, usually temporarily and for the minimum area needed, to accommodate particular needs.
Debate Surrounding Wilderness Designations
Proponents of adding new areas to the National Wilderness Preservation System generally seek
designations of specific areas to preserve them in their current condition and to prevent
development activities from altering their wilderness character. Most areas protected as or
proposed for wilderness are undeveloped, with few (if any) signs of human activity, such as roads
and structures. The principal benefit of a wilderness designation is to maintain such undeveloped
conditions and the values that such conditions generate—clean water, undisturbed wildlife
habitats, natural scenic views, opportunities for nonmotorized recreation (e.g., backpacking),
unaltered research baselines, and, for some, the knowledge of the existence of such pristine
places.
Opponents of wilderness designations generally seek to retain development options for federal
lands. The potential use of lands and resources can provide economic opportunities through
extracting and developing the resources, especially in the communities in and around the federal
lands. The principal cost of a wilderness designation is the lost opportunity for economic activity
(opportunity costs) resulting from resource extraction and development. While some economic
activities—such as grazing and some recreation—are allowed to continue within wilderness
areas, many are prohibited. The potential losses for some resources—such as timber harvesting—
can sometimes be estimated, since the quality and quantity of the resource can be measured.
However, for other resources—particularly minerals—the quality and quantity of the unavailable
resources are more difficult to assess, and thus the opportunity costs are less certain.
The potential benefits and opportunity costs of wilderness designation can rarely be fully
quantified and valued. Thus, decisions about wilderness generally cannot be based solely on a
clear cost-benefit or other economic analysis. Rather, deliberations commonly focus on trying to
maximize the benefits of preserving pristine areas and minimize the resulting opportunity costs.
However, individuals and groups who benefit from wilderness designations may differ from those
who may be harmed by lost opportunities, increasing potential conflict and making compromise
difficult.
Issues and Legislation in the 117th Congress
Congress typically addresses several issues when drafting and considering wilderness bills. These
issues include the general pros and cons of wilderness designation—generally and regarding
identified areas of interest—and specific provisions regarding management of wilderness areas to
allow or prohibit certain uses.
Bills Designating Wilderness Areas
The first step in developing legislation to designate wilderness areas is to identify which areas to
designate. The Wilderness Act specified that wilderness areas are “at least 5,000 acres of land or
… of sufficient size to make practicable its preservation and use in an unimpaired condition,”8 but
no minimum size is required for designations made under new legislation. As a result, wilderness

8 16 U.S.C. §1131(c).
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areas have taken all shapes and sizes; the smallest is the Pelican Island Wilderness in Florida,
with only 5.5 acres, and the largest is the Mollie Beattie Wilderness (Arctic National Wildlife
Refuge) in Alaska, with 8.0 million acres.9 Areas may be identified through agency analysis of
their lands’ potential for wilderness designation, a process which may be specified in law or
conducted in accordance with the agency’s inventory and/or land use planning laws. Areas also
are sometimes identified by local stakeholders, who identify and advocate for protection of a
specific area.
Many wilderness statutes have designated a single area, or even a single addition to an existing
area. Others have designated dozens of new areas or additions in a single statute. Some bills
address a particular area, while others address all likely wilderness areas for a state or region
(e.g., the California desert, the northern Rockies), usually for one agency’s lands, although
occasionally for two or more agencies’ lands in the vicinity. Typically, the bill references a
particular map for each area, and directs the agency to file a map with the relevant committees of
Congress after enactment and to retain a copy in relevant agency offices (commonly a local office
and/or the Washington, DC, headquarters). Wilderness bills may or may not specify the acreage
of the proposed designation in the bill text.
Numerous bills to designate wilderness areas usually are introduced in each Congress. Such bills
may focus exclusively on wilderness designations, may relate to federal land management in
general (i.e., may also address non-wilderness management issues or other land designations), or
may address wilderness as part of a broad suite of issues (for example, agricultural policy bills or
farm bills). Through the legislative process, Congress may change the legislative vehicle through
which wilderness provisions are considered: for example, committee action may combine
multiple wilderness bills or wilderness provisions originally introduced in stand-alone bills may
be added to broad omnibus legislation (i.e., appropriations bills). For example, the 116th Congress
passed one law, designating a total of 1.3 million acres in four states, drawing from dozens of
introduced bills; many of the wilderness areas designated in that law were first introduced
through stand-alone bills.10 That law also considered multiple other land designations and federal
land management issues. See Table A-1 and Table A-2 for a list of wilderness provisions
introduced and bills enacted into law in the 116th Congress.
In the 117th Congress, as of the date of this report, over 30 bills had been introduced to expand the
National Wilderness Preservation System. To date, the 117thth Congress has not enacted any laws
that designated wilderness. Legislative action on wilderness in the 117th Congress has focused on
incorporation of multiple wilderness bills into the House version of the FY2022 National Defense
Authorization Act (which did not pass into law) and into the FY2023 National Defense
Authorization Act (which remains under consideration). See Table 1 for a list of wilderness bills
introduced in the 117th Congress and a description of their status as of September 15, 2022.

9 For more information on issues regarding the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, see CRS Report RL33872, Arctic
National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR): An Overview, by Laura B. Comay, Michael Ratner, and R. Eliot Crafton.
10 P.L. 115-334, P.L. 115-430.
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Table 1. 117th Congress: Bills to Designate Wilderness
Related Bills and Congressional
Total Area
Wilderness Name(s) and Acresa
Bill Title
Bill No.
State
Action
(Acres)
Latest Action
199 named areas in the following
America’s Red
H.R. 3780;
UT
—
8,550,500
H.R. 3780 introduced
regions: Great Basin (44 areas), Grand Rock Wilderness
S. 1535
06/08/2021
Staircase-Escalante National
Act
S. 1535 introduced
Monument (49 areas), Moab-La Sal (17
05/10/2021
areas), Henry Mountains (11 areas),
Glen Canyon (9 areas), San Juan-
Anasazi (15 areas), Canyonlands Basin
(14 areas), San Rafael Swell (20 areas),
Book Cliffs/Uinta Basin (20 areas)
Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
Arctic Refuge
S. 282 ;
AK
—
1,559,538
H.R. 815 introduced
Wilderness (1,559,538)
Protection Act of
H.R. 815
02/04/2021;
2021
S. 282 introduced
02/08/2021
Bob Marshall Additions (47,206),
Blackfoot
S. 1493
MT
—
79,060
S. 1493 introduced
Mission Mountains Additions (4,462),
Clearwater
04/29/2021
Scapegoat Additions (27,392)
Stewardship Act
Mount Olympus Addition (326)
Bonneville
H.R. 2551
UT
—
326
H.R. 2551 hearings
Shoreline Trail
S. 1222
held 11/09/2021
Advancement Act
S. 1222 hearings held
6/16/2021
Caliente Mountain (35,116), Soda Lake Central Coast
H.R. 973
CA
House provisions included as §403 of
Total H.R.
H.R. 7900 passed
(13,332), Temblor Range (12,585),
Heritage

H.R. 803, §5562 of H.R. 4350, and
973: 244,059
House 7/14/2022
Chumash Additions (23,670), Dick
Protection Act
Division I, §301 of H.R. 7900.
Total S. 1459: S. 1459 hearings held
Smith Additions (54,036), Garcia

The PUBLIC Lands Act (S. 1459) also
532,515
10/19/2021
Additions (7,289), Machesna Mountain
S. 1459
includes the provisions of the Northwest
Additions (8,774), Matilija Additions
PUBLIC Lands Act

California Wilderness, Recreation, and
(30,184), San Rafael Additions (23,
Working Forests Act (H.R. 878) and the
969), Santa Lucia Additions (2,921),
San Gabriel Mountains Foothills and
Sespe Additions (14,313), Diablo
Rivers Protection Act (H.R. 693). See
Caliente (17,870).
corresponding table entries.
CRS-5

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Related Bills and Congressional
Total Area
Wilderness Name(s) and Acresa
Bill Title
Bill No.
State
Action
(Acres)
Latest Action
Cerro de la Olla (13,103)
Cerro de la Olla
H.R. 2522
NM
Provisions included as §701 of H.R. 7900. Introduced:
H.R. 7900 passed
Wilderness
S. 177
13,103
House 7/14/2022
Establishment Act
Last Action:
S. 177 introduced
12,898
02/02/2021
Ptarmigan Peak Additions (6,896),
Colorado
H.R. 577
CO
Provisions included as §§712 and 732 of
Introduced:
H.R. 7900 passed
Holy Cross Addition (3,866), Hoosier
Outdoor
S. 173
H.R. 803, §§5612 and 5632 of H.R. 4350,
65,016
House 7/14/2022
Ridge (5,235), Tenmile (7,624), Eagles
Recreation and
and §§7112 and 7132 of H.R. 7900. In
Last Action:
S. 173 introduced
Nest Addition (9,670), Lizard Head
Economy (CORE)
H.R. 7900, the Mount Sneffels Addition
62,980
02/02/2021.
Addition (3,141), Mount Sneffels
Act
has been divided into two areas, the
Additions (19,700), McKenna Peak
Liberty Bell and Last Dollar Additions,
(8,884)
and the Whitehouse Additions.
CRS-6

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Related Bills and Congressional
Total Area
Wilderness Name(s) and Acresa
Bill Title
Bill No.
State
Action
(Acres)
Latest Action
Maroon Bells Addition (316),
Colorado
H.R. 803
CO
The Colorado Wilderness Act was
Introduced:
H.R. 7900 passed
Redcloud Peak (38,217), Handies Peak
Wilderness Act
renamed the Protecting America’s
628,784
House 7/14/2022
(26,734), McIntyre Hills (16,481),
(Protecting
Wilderness and Public Lands Act and
Latest action

Grand Hogback (10,282), Demaree
America’s
amended to include the provisions of the total:
Canyon (25,624), Little Bookcliffs
Wilderness and
Northwest California Wilderness,
1,361,905
(28,279), Bull Gulch (14,886), Castle
Public Lands Act)
Recreation, and Working Forests Act
Peak (12,016)
(H.R. 878, S.1459), the Central Coast

Assignation Ridge (19,240), Badger
Heritage Protection Act (H.R. 973 ,
Creek (23,116), Beaver Creek
S.1459), the San Gabriel Mountains
(35,251), Grape Creek (32,884),
Foothills and Rivers Protection Act (H.R.
North Bangs Canyon (13,351), South
693 , S.1459), the Colorado Outdoor
Bangs Canyon (5,144), The Palisade
Recreation and Economy Act (H.R. 577,
(26,624), Unaweep (19,776), Sewemup
S.173), the Wild Olympics Wilderness
Mesa (37,637), Platte River Addition
and Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (H.R.
(31), Roubideau (17,587), Norwood
999, S.455), and the Virginia Wilderness
Canyon (12,102), Cross Canyon
Additions Act of 2021 (S.1000). See
(24,475), McKenna Peak (21,220),
respective table entries.
Weber-Menefee Mountain (14,270),
The wilderness designations in H.R. 803
Dolores River Canyon (33,351),
described at left were subsequently
Browns Canyon (17,922), San Luis
included in H.R. 4350 and Division I,
Hills (10,527), Table Mountain
§102 of H.R. 7900.
(23,559), North Ponderosa Gorge
(10,844), South Ponderosa Gorge
(12,393), Diamond Breaks (33,168),
Papoose Canyon (4,782), West Elk
Addition (6,695)
Cain Mountain (6,386), Desatoya
Lander County
S. 1411
NV
__
14,142
S. 1411 introduced
Mountains (7,766)
Land Management
04/28/2021
and Conservation
Act
CRS-7

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Related Bills and Congressional
Total Area
Wilderness Name(s) and Acresa
Bill Title
Bill No.
State
Action
(Acres)
Latest Action
89 named areas in California (34),
National Defense
H.R. 4350
CA,
H.R. 4350 was amended to include the
1,361,905
H.R. 4350 passed
Colorado (41), and Washington (14)
Authorization Act
CO,
provisions of the Northwest California

House 09/23/2021.
(NDAA) of
WA
Wilderness, Recreation, and Working
Congress adopted
FY2022
Forests Act (H.R. 878, S.1459), the
the Senate version of
Central Coast Heritage Protection Act
the FY2022 NDAA
(H.R. 973, S.1459), the San Gabriel
(P.L. 117-81), which
Mountains Foothills and Rivers
does not contain any
Protection Act (H.R. 693, S.1459), the
wilderness
Colorado Outdoor Recreation and
provisions.
Economy Act (H.R. 577, S.173), the

Colorado Wilderness Act (H.R. 803),
the Wild Olympics Wilderness and Wild
and Scenic Rivers Act (H.R. 999, S.455).
See respective table entries.
90 named areas in California (34),
National Defense
H.R. 7900
CA,
H.R. 7900 was amended to include the
1,365,893
H.R. 7900 passed
New Mexico (1), Colorado (41), and
Authorization Act
CO,
provisions of the Northwest California

House 7/14/2022
Washington (14)
(NDAA) of
NM,
Wilderness, Recreation, and Working

FY2023
WA
Forests Act (H.R. 878, S.1459), the
Central Coast Heritage Protection Act
(H.R. 973, S.1459), the San Gabriel
Mountains Foothills and Rivers
Protection Act (H.R. 693, S.1459), the
Colorado Outdoor Recreation and
Economy Act (H.R. 577, S.173), the
Colorado Wilderness Act (H.R. 803),
the Cerro de la Olla Wilderness
Establishment Act (H.R. 2522, S. 177),
and the Wild Olympics Wilderness and
Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (H.R. 999,
S.455). See respective table entries.
CRS-8

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Related Bills and Congressional
Total Area
Wilderness Name(s) and Acresa
Bill Title
Bill No.
State
Action
(Acres)
Latest Action
Clan Alpine Mountains (128,362),
Northern Nevada
H.R. 5243
NV
Cain Mountain and Desatoya Mountain
325,619
H.R. 5243 introduced
Desatoya Mountains (32,537), Cain
Economic
also are included in S. 1411. The acres
09/14/2021
Mountain (two areas, 7,664 and
Development,
differ substantially and it is unclear how
12,339), Fox Peak (8,592), Burbank
Conservation, and
the legislative provisions in the two bills
Canyons (12,392), Bluewing (24,900),
Military
relate.
Selenite Peak (22,822), Mt. Limbo
Modernization Act
(11,855), North Sahwave (13,875),
of 2021
Grandfathers (35,339), Fencemaker
(14,942)
Many named areas (S. 1276: 450 areas, Northern Rockies
S. 1276
ID,
__
S. 1276:
S. 1276 introduced
H.R. 1755: 451 areas) in the Greater
Ecosystem
H.R. 1755
MT,
23,395,000
04/21/2021
Glacier/Northern Continental Divide
Protection Act
H.R. 1755:
H.R. 1755 introduced
Ecosystem (19), Greater Yellowstone

OR,
23,516,000
03/10/2021
Ecosystem (59), Salmon/Selway
WA,
Ecosystem (S. 1276: 91, H.R. 1755: 88)
WY
Greater Cabinet/Yaak/Selkirk
Ecosystem (47), Greater Hells Canyon
Ecosystem (5), Islands in the Sky (111)
and Wilderness in Biological
Connecting Corridors (S. 1276: 118,
H.R. 1755: 122)
CRS-9

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Related Bills and Congressional
Total Area
Wilderness Name(s) and Acresa
Bill Title
Bill No.
State
Action
(Acres)
Latest Action
Black Butte River (11,155),
Northwest
H.R. 878
CA
Provisions included as §231 of H.R. 803,
Total H.R.
H.R. 7900 passed
Chanchelulla Additions (6,382),
California

§5531 of H.R. 4350, and Division I, §231
878
House 7/14/2022
Chinquapin (27,164), Elkhorn Ridge
Wilderness,
of H.R. 7900.
Introduced:
S. 1459 hearings held
Addition (37), English Ridge (6,204),
Recreation, and

The PUBLIC Lands Act also includes the
257,797
10/19/2021
Headwaters Forest (4,360), Mad River
Working Forests

provisions of the Central Coast Heritage
Buttes (6,097), Mount Lassic Addition
Act
Total H.R.

Protection Act (H.R. 973 ) and the San
(1,288), North Fork Eel Addition
878, Latest

Gabriel Mountains Foothills and Rivers
(16,342), Pattison (29,451), Sanhedrin
Action:
Protection Act (H.R. 693). See
Addition (112), Siskiyou Addition
PUBLIC Lands Act
S. 1459
259,959
respective table entries.
(23,913), South Fork Eel River
Total S. 1459:
Addition (603), South Fork Trinity
532,515
River Addition (26,115), Trinity Alps
Addition (61,187), Underwood
(15,068), Yolla Bolly-Middle Eel
Additions (11,243), Yuki Addition
(11,076)
Wild Rogue Additions (59,512)
Oregon
S. 1589
OR
__
59,512
S. 1589 introduced
Recreation
H.R. 7509
on 5/12/2021; placed
Enhancement Act
on Senate legislative
Wild Rogue
calendar on
Conservation and
3/2/2022;
Recreation
H.R. 7509 introduced
Enhancement Act
on 4/14/2022
Mount Hood Additions (5,427),
REC Act of 2022
H.R. 7665
OR
__
7,583
H.R. 7665 introduced
Salmon-Huckleberry Additions (2,156)
05/06/2022
Condor Peak (8,207), San Gabriel
San Gabriel
H.R. 693
CA
Provisions included as §523 of H.R. 803,
H.R. 693:
H.R. 7900 passed
Addition (2,032), Sheep Mountain
Mountains

§5593 of H.R. 4350, and Division I, §423
30,659
House 7/14/2022
Addition (13,726), Yerba Buena
Foothills and
of H.R. 7900.
S. 1459:
S. 1459 hearings held
(6,694)
Rivers Protection

The PUBLIC Lands Act also includes the
532,515
10/19/2021

Act

provisions of the Northwest California

Wilderness, Recreation, and Working
PUBLIC Lands Act
S. 1459
Forests Act (H.R. 878) and the Central
Coast Heritage Protection Act (H.R.
973). See respective table entries.
CRS-10

link to page 15
Related Bills and Congressional
Total Area
Wilderness Name(s) and Acresa
Bill Title
Bill No.
State
Action
(Acres)
Latest Action
Shawnee (289,000)
Shawnee
H.R. 3176
IL
—
289,000
H.R. 3176 introduced
Wilderness
S. 1606
5/13/2021;
Designation Act
S. 1606 introduced
5/13/2021
Skidmore Fork (5,079), Ramseys Draft Shenandoah
S. 3911
VA
—
33,841
S. 3911 introduced
Addition (6,963), Lynn Hollow (3,574), Mountain Act of
03/23/2022
Little River (12,461), Beech Lick Knob
2022
(5,764),
Bridge Canyon addition (10,137),
Southern Nevada
S. 567
NV
—
1,625,321
H.R. 1597 introduced
Eldorado addition (3,878), Ireteba
Economic
H.R. 1597
on 3/3/2021
Peaks addition (19,521), Muddy
Development and
S. 567 hearings held
Mountains addition (44,942), Nellis
Conservation Act

on 3/31/2022
Wash addition (30,211), South
McCullough addition (31,120), Spirit
Mountain addition (699), Mount
Stirling (73,011), Overton (23,227),
Twin Springs (9,684), Scanlon Wash
(22,826), Hiller Mountains (14,832),
Hell’s Kitchen (12,439), South Million
Hills (8,955), New York Mountains
(14,114), Piute Mountains (7,404),
Sheep Range (435,277), Las Vegas
Range (150,823), Gass Peak (33,424),
Desert Bighorn (285,749), Pintwater-
East Desert-Spotted Range (268,698),
Hole-in-the Rock West (91,533),
Desert Range (23,100), Lucy Gray
(9,717)
Rough Mountain Addition (1,000),
Virginia
S. 1000
VA
Provisions included as §2301 of H.R. 803. 5,600
H.R. 803 passed
Rich Hole Addition (4,600)
Wilderness
House 2/26/2021
Additions Act of
S. 1000 introduced
2021
3/25/2021
CRS-11

link to page 15
Related Bills and Congressional
Total Area
Wilderness Name(s) and Acresa
Bill Title
Bill No.
State
Action
(Acres)
Latest Action
Lost Creek (7,159), Rugged Ridge
Wild Olympics
S. 455
WA
Provisions included as §302 of H.R. 803,
124,767
H.R. 7900 passed
(5,956), Alckee Creek (1,787), Gates
Wilderness and
H.R. 999
§5551 of H.R. 4350, and Division I, §601
House 7/14/2022
of the Elwha (5,669), Buckhorn
Wild and Scenic
of H.R. 7900.
S. 455 introduced
Additions (21,965), Green Mountain
Rivers Act
02/25/2021
(4,790), The Brothers Additions
(8,625), Mount Skokomish Additions

(8,933), Wonder Mountain Additions
(26,517), Moonlight Dome (9,117),
South Quinault Ridge (10,887),
Colonel Bob Additions (353), Sam’s
River (13,418), Canoe Creek (1,378).
Wild Rogue Addition (59,512)
Wild Rogue
H.R. 7509
OR
—
59,512
H.R. 7509 introduced
Conservation and
4/14/22
Recreation
Enhancement Act
Encampment River Canyon, Prospect
Wyoming Public
S. 1750
WY
Acreage not specified in bill text.
Unknown
S. 1750 introduced
Mountain, Upper Sweetwater Canyon, Lands Initiative
5/20/21
Lower Sweetwater Canyon, Bobcat
Act of 2021
Draw
Source: Congressional Research Service (CRS).
Notes: Bills may contain multiple designations. CRS identified acreage from the latest version of the legislation – as introduced, reported, passed, or enacted. Acreage
listed in legislation may differ from final designated acreage (for example, if acreage in legislation is described as “approximate” or differs from the acreage calculated from
official maps). Therefore, acreage should be considered approximate. To the extent possible, legislative provisions (i.e., wilderness designations or additions of a given
area) are listed once, in the entry corresponding with the bill in which they were first introduced. If the provision was included in subsequent bills, either newly
introduced, through the amendment process, or by other means, this is described in the “Notes” column. Bills that only included wilderness designations that had
previously been introduced in other legislative vehicles are not generally listed in a separate entry, although the National Defense Authorization Acts of FY2022 and
FY2023 are included to reflect congressional interest.
a. Some wilderness bills contain hundreds of named areas. In this case, CRS has listed the region of the named areas (generally, the subtitle or section name specified in the
bill) and the number of named areas in the region. Acres are as introduced and may differ from the latest action.

CRS-12

Wilderness: Issues and Legislation

Management in Accordance with the Wilderness Act
Most bills direct that the designated areas are to be managed in accordance with the Wilderness
Act, meaning human impacts, such as commercial activities, motorized and mechanical access,
and infrastructure developments, are generally prohibited. The Wilderness Act does allow some
activities that affect the natural condition of the area, such as access for emergencies and for
minimum management requirements; activities to control fires, insects, and diseases; livestock
grazing; and some water infrastructure facilities.11 Subject to valid existing rights, wilderness
areas are withdrawn from the public land laws and the mining and mineral leasing laws. The
Wilderness Act specifies that “reasonable access” to nonfederal lands within a designated
wilderness area must be accommodated.12 State jurisdiction over and responsibilities for fish and
wildlife and water rights are unaffected.
Individual bills designating wilderness areas may terminate or accommodate existing
nonconforming uses or conditions. They also may address uses not considered in the Wilderness
Act. In addition, Congress often considers legislation related to management of the system as a
whole. For example, recent past Congresses have considered issues related to hunting, fishing,
and shooting in wilderness, and border security operations in wilderness areas on the U.S.-
Mexico border. The 117th Congress has considered legislation to address the use of mechanical
transport in wilderness.
Mechanical Transport
The Wilderness Act generally prohibits mechanical transport.13 Most of the FLMA’s wilderness
policies define mechanical transport to consist of human-powered vehicles with moving parts
(except wheelchairs), such as strollers and mountain bikes.14 This prohibition has received
attention from wilderness stakeholders and some Members of recent Congresses. Some
stakeholders, such as mountain biking interest groups, assert that human-powered mechanical
transport should be allowed in wilderness areas.15 These groups sometimes assert that mechanical
transport is consistent with the spirit of the Wilderness Act or was not contemplated by Congress
when the act was passed (e.g., mountain biking had not yet developed as a sport); they also
contend that wilderness designations have contributed to a loss of recreation opportunities for
those using mechanical transport. Other stakeholders assert that mechanical transport should
remain prohibited. They contend that allowing mechanical transport would result in negative
impacts to wilderness and interpret the act to prohibit mechanical transport both in letter and in
spirit.16

11 See 16 U.S.C. §1133(c) and 16 U.S.C. §1133(d).
12 See 16 U.S.C. §1134(c).
13 16 U.S.C. §1133.
14 BLM, FS, and FWS’s policies define mechanical transport to include vehicles and contrivances with moving parts,
such as bicycles, strollers, sailboats, carts, and wheelbarrows, and exclude vehicles without moving parts, such as skis,
snowshoes, and canoes. Wheelchairs were exempted from wilderness prohibitions through the Americans with
Disabilities Act of 1990 (P.L. 101-336). For BLM policy, see 43 C.F.R. §6301.5. For FS policy, see Forest Service
Manual 2320, “Wilderness Management”. For FWS policy, see Fish and Wildlife Service Policy Manual 610 FW 1.
CRS was unable to locate a definition of mechanical transport in NPS policies.
15 For example, see Sustainable Trails Coalition, FAQ/Resources.
16 For example, see Christopher Solomon, “Op-Ed: 5 Lies Being Used to Get Mountain Bikes in Wilderness,” Outside,
March 31, 2017.
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Wilderness: Issues and Legislation

Some have sought to address this issue for individual wilderness areas, such as by adjusting
boundaries to exclude mountain biking trails or advocating for alternate land designations. For
example, in the 117th Congress, S. 1222 and H.R. 2551 would adjust multiple wilderness
boundaries to allow biking on sections of the 100-plus-mile Bonneville Shoreline Trail.17 Others
have sought to address the issue for all wildernesses. For example, legislation in previous
Congresses would have explicitly allowed certain forms of mechanical transport in wildernesses
(e.g., H.R. 1349 in the 115th Congress). In the 117th Congress, sponsors reintroduced the Human-
Powered Travel in Wilderness Areas Act (S. 1686) for the fourth consecutive Congress. The bill
would require local officials of the FLMAs to determine permissible forms of mechanized
transport on established routes in wildernesses within two years of enactment. If local officials
did not do so, all forms of mechanical transport would become permissible.
Wilderness Study Areas and Reviews for Wilderness Potential
Congress directed FS and BLM to initially evaluate the wilderness potential of their lands at
different times, and these wilderness reviews have been controversial. Congress directed FS to
review the wilderness potential of the National Forest System (NFS) in the 1964 Wilderness Act,
and it directed BLM to do so for public lands in the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of
1976 (FLPMA).18 BLM and FS have different requirements on how to manage the wilderness
potential of lands related to those studies. Some believe these wilderness study areas (WSAs, for
BLM) and inventoried roadless areas (IRAs, for FS) restrict development opportunities, despite
lacking congressional designation as wilderness. Others believe these designations protect
important lands and resources.
Forest Service Wilderness Considerations and Inventoried Roadless Areas
The Wilderness Act directed FS to evaluate the wilderness potential of NFS lands by September
3, 1974.19 In the 1970s and 1980s, FS conducted two reviews, known as the Roadless Area
Review and Evaluation (RARE) I and II; legal action blocked the results and limited FS
management of associated lands. Congress intervened to legislatively address the reviewed areas,
such as by designating them as wilderness or returning them to multiple-use management. In
2001, FS issued the Roadless Area Conservation Rule (2001 Rule) and designated the first IRAs,
which were based on the reviews.20 The rule’s intended purpose was to protect the nation’s
collective roadless area resources from the negative impacts of roads and timber harvesting,
control costs associated with roads on FS lands, and reduce the costs of litigation. However, the
issuance of the 2001 Rule prompted more than a decade of conflict, including revocation and
replacement with an alternate rule in 2005, litigation challenging both rules, and issuance of
multiple state-specific roadless rules.21
Inventoried roadless areas are now defined, and their management specified, by four separate
rulemakings. The 2001 Rule defines IRAs as areas identified in a referenced set of inventoried

17 Office of Congressman John Curtis, “Curtis Applauds Unanimous Passage of Bonneville Shoreline Trail
Construction in Natural Resources Committee,” press release, January 21, 2022.
18 P.L. 94-579; 43 U.S.C. §§1701 et seq. The Wilderness Act directed the Secretary of the Interior to review the
wilderness potential of the lands managed by the NPS and FWS, but did not include BLM lands.
19 P.L. 88-577 §3(b); 16 U.S.C. §1132(b).
20 FS, “Special Areas; Roadless Area Conservation,” 66 Federal Register 3244, January 12, 2001.
21 For additional detail on litigation regarding the roadless rules, see CRS Report R46504, Forest Service Inventoried
Roadless Areas (IRAs), by Anne A. Riddle and Adam Vann.
Congressional Research Service

14

Wilderness: Issues and Legislation

roadless area maps. This definition initially applied to all IRAs. However, FS subsequently issued
individual roadless rules for Colorado, Idaho, and the Tongass National Forest (Tongass) in
Alaska.22 IRAs for Colorado and Idaho also are designated through a set of maps that
accompanied their individual roadless rules. The most recent roadless rulemaking, in 2020,
exempted the Tongass from the 2001 Rule (which previously applied).
IRAs may have characteristics associated with generally undeveloped land (e.g., high-quality or
undisturbed soil, water, or air; plant and animal diversity; sources of public drinking water; and
others). The 2001 Rule addresses two issues: (1) roads and (2) timber harvesting in IRAs. Under
the 2001 Rule, road construction, road reconstruction, and timber harvesting are prohibited in
IRAs except under specified circumstances. These restrictions apply to NFS lands, except those
in Colorado, Idaho, and the Tongass. The Colorado and Idaho rules address restrictions to road
building and timber harvesting but may address other IRA uses or resources.
FS management of roadless areas has been contentious and is often the subject of congressional
interest. Debates on IRA management often center on whether current FS roadless rules specify
desirable levels of resource protection or resource development, with various sides supporting or
opposing the rules’ current provisions. Congress often considers policies such as codifying the
roadless rules’ provisions into law to provide more durable protections for roadless areas.23 In
recent Congresses, the exemption of the Tongass from the 2001 Rule also has been a focus of
congressional attention. For example, Congress has sought to prohibit FS from using appropriated
funds for forest development roads in the Tongass.24
For more information on IRAs, see CRS Report R46504, Forest Service Inventoried Roadless
Areas (IRAs), by Anne A. Riddle and Adam Vann, and CRS Report R46505, The Alaska Roadless
Rule: Eliminating Inventoried Roadless Areas (IRAs) in the Tongass National Forest, by Anne A.
Riddle.
BLM Wilderness Study Areas and Wilderness Reviews
Section 603(a) of FLPMA required BLM to review and present its wilderness recommendations
to the President within 15 years of October 21, 1976, and the President then had two years to
submit wilderness recommendations to Congress.25 Starting in 1977 through 1979, BLM
identified suitable wilderness study areas (WSAs) from roadless areas identified in its initial
resource inventory. BLM presented its recommendations within the specified time frame, and
Presidents George H. W. Bush and William J. Clinton submitted wilderness recommendations to
Congress. Although these areas have been reviewed and several statutes have been enacted to
designate BLM wilderness areas based on them, many of the wilderness recommendations for
BLM lands remain pending before Congress. Section 603(c) of FLPMA directs the agency to
manage the studied lands “until Congress has determined otherwise … in a manner so as not to

22 FS, “Special Areas; Roadless Area Conservation; Applicability to the National Forests in Idaho,” 73 Federal
Register 1135, January 7, 2008, FS “Special Areas; Roadless Area Conservation; Applicability to the National Forests
in Colorado,” 77 Federal Register 39576, July 3, 2012, and FS, “Special Areas; Roadless Area Conservation; National
Forest System Lands in Alaska,” 85 Federal Register 68688, October 29, 2020.
23 For example, see S. 877 (116th Congress), the Roadless Area Conservation Act, which would codify the 2001 Rule,
Colorado Rule, and Idaho Rule—but not the Alaska Rule—into law. Similar versions of the bill were introduced in
multiple prior Congresses.
24 For example, in the 117th Congress, see H.R. 4372, §437.
25 P.L. 94-579 §603; 43 U.S.C. §1782(a).
Congressional Research Service

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link to page 19 link to page 21 Wilderness: Issues and Legislation

impair the suitability of such areas for preservation as wilderness.”26 Thus, BLM must protect the
WSAs until Congress enacts legislation that releases BLM from that responsibility, even if BLM
did not recommend them for wilderness designation. This is sometimes referred to as a
nonimpairment obligation.
WSAs are controversial, particularly management under the nonimpairment obligation. Some
contend that it was never Congress’ intention to require long-term management of all WSAs
under such strict protection, and that they should be released from the nonimpairment obligation
to facilitate development.27 Others prefer that WSAs continue to be protected, including by
designation as other land designations.28 Each Congress typically introduces legislation that
releases WSAs, or specifies that BLM’s study obligation has been fulfilled and the land is to be
returned to multiple-use management. See Table 2 for a list of BLM WSA release provisions in
the 117th Congress (See Appendix for 116th Congress legislation). Previous Congresses also have
considered legislation to more broadly release WSAs.29
Table 2. 117th Congress: Bills to Release BLM Wilderness Study Areas (WSAs)
Name of WSA(s)
Bill Title
Bill No.
State
Notes
Latest Action
Dominguez Canyon, McKenna
Colorado
H.R. 577
CO
Provisions
H.R. 7900
Peak
Outdoor
S. 173
added as §734
passed House
Recreation and
of H.R. 803,
7/14/2022
Economy
§5634 of H.R.
S. 173 Hearings
(CORE) Act
4350, and
held 6/16/2021.
Division I, §7134 S. 173 failed to
of H.R. 7900.
report favorably
from Senate
Energy and
Natural
Resources
Committee on
5/03/2022
Augusta Mountain, Desatoya
Lander County
S. 1411
NV

S. 1411
Land
introduced
Management and
04/28/2021
Conservation Act
Hoodoo Mountain, Wales
Montana
S. 4470
MT
S. 4470 also
S. 4470
Creek
Sportsmen
would release
introduced
Conservation Act
National Forest
6/23/2022
System lands
designated as
“wilderness
study areas.”

26 FLPMA §603; 43 U.S.C. §1782(c).
27 Jen Sieve-Hicks, “Bill would resolve management practices for lands stuck in limbo,” Buffalo Bulletin, July 7, 2021.
28 George Wuerther, “Barrasso’s “Wilderness” Bill Could Go Much Further,” WyoFile, June 14, 2022.
29 For example, the Wilderness and Roadless Area Release Act of 2011 (H.R. 1581/S. 1087, 112th Congress) would
have released certain BLM WSAs—those not designated as wilderness by Congress and those identified by the BLM
as not suitable for wilderness designation—from the nonimpairment requirement of Section 603(c) of FLPMA. The bill
also would have terminated the Clinton Administration and George W. Bush Administration Forest Service roadless
area rules.
Congressional Research Service

16

Wilderness: Issues and Legislation

Name of WSA(s)
Bill Title
Bill No.
State
Notes
Latest Action
Stillwater Range, Job Peak,
Northern
H.R.
NV

H.R. 5243
Clan Alpine Mountains,
Nevada
5243
introduced
Augusta Mountains (portions
Economic
9/14/2021
in Clark County), Desatoya
Development,
Mountains (portions in Clark
Conservation,
County), and any other WSA
and Military
located in Clark County not
Modernization
designated as wilderness by
Act of 2021
Sec. 403(a).
Burbank Canyons, China
Mountain, Mt. Limbo, Selenite
Mountains, and Tobin Range,
and the portion of the Augusta
Mountains WSA within
Pershing County
Any wilderness study areas
Sutton Mountain
S. 3144
OR

S. 3144
located in the proposed Sutton and Painted Hills
introduced
Mountain National Monument
Area Wildfire
11/03/2021
Resiliency
Preservation and
Economic
Enhancement Act
Encampment River Canyon,
Wyoming Public
S. 1750
WY

S. 1750
Prospect Mountain, Bennett
Lands Initiative
introduced
Mountains, Sweetwater
Act of 2021
5/20/21
Canyon, Lankin Dome, Split
Rock, Savage Peak, Miller
Springs, DuBois Badlands,
Copper Mountain, Whiskey
Mountain, Fortification Creek,
Gardner Mountain, North
Fork, Bobcat Draw, Cedar
Mountain, Honeycombs
Middle Fork Judith, Hoodoo
Montana
S. 4470
MT

S. 4470
Mountain, Wales Creek
Sportsmen
introduced
Conservation Act
6/23/22
Source: Congressional Research Service (CRS).
Notes: CRS identified acreage from the latest version of the legislation – as introduced, reported, passed, or
enacted. WSA release legislation may specify that WSA acreage is to be released if not otherwise acted upon in
that legislation; for example, all WSA acreage not designated as wilderness is to be released. Wilderness study
area releases in multiple bills are listed next to the first introduced bill. Bills containing minor boundary
adjustments to WSAs are not included.
Congressional Research Service

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link to page 22 link to page 22 link to page 33 Wilderness: Issues and Legislation

Appendix. 116th Congress Wilderness Legislation
The 116th Congress added approximately 1.3 million acres to the wilderness system (see Table A-
1). Many other bills to designate additional wilderness areas were introduced and considered. See
Table A-2 for 116th Congress legislation regarding release of Bureau of Land Management
(BLM) wilderness study areas (WSAs).

Congressional Research Service

18

Table A-1. 116th Congress: Bills to Designate Wilderness Areas
Total Area
Wilderness Name(s) and Acres
Bill Title
Bill No.
State
Notes
(Acres)
Latest Action
199 named areas in the Great Basin
America’s Red
H.R. 5775
UT

8,550,500
H.R. 5775 introduced
(44), Grand Staircase-Escalante (49),
Rock
S. 3056
02/06/2020
Moab-La Sal Canyons (17), Henry
Wilderness Act
S. 3056 introduced
Mountains (11), Glen Canyon (9),
12/16/2019
San Juan-Anasazi (15), Canyonlands
Basin (14), San Rafael Swell (20), and
Book Cliffs/Uinta Basin (20) regions
Aden Lava Flow (27,673), Broad
Antiquities Act
H.R. 1050
NM,
Virgin Peak, Black Ridge, Bitter
Introduced: 392,689
P.L. 116-9
Canyon (13,902), Cinder Cone
S. 367
NV
Ridge North, Bitter Ridge South, Enacted: 263,094
§§1201, 1202
(16,935), East Potrillo Mountains

Billy Goat Peak, Million Hills, and
(12,155), Mount Riley (8,382), Organ
Lime Canyon Additions were
Mountains (19,916), Potrillo
not enacted by P.L. 116-9.
Mountains (105,085), Robledo
Mountains (16,776) Sierra de las
Uvas (11,114), Whitethorn (9,616)
Cerro Del Yuta (13,420), Rio San
Antonio (8,120)
Virgin Peak (18,296), Black Ridge
(18,192), Bitter Ridge North
(15,114), Bitter Ridge South (12,646),
Billy Goat Peak (30,460), Million Hills
(24,818), Lime Canyon Additions
(10,069)
Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
Arctic Refuge
S. 2461
AK

1,559,538
S. 2461 introduced
Wilderness (1,559,538)
Protection Act
9/11/2019
of 2019
Bob Marshall Additions (47,206),
Blackfoot
S. 1765
MT

79,060
S. 1765 introduced
Mission Mountains Additions (4,462),
Clearwater
6/10/2019
Scapegoat Additions (27,392)
Stewardship Act
CRS-19

Total Area
Wilderness Name(s) and Acres
Bill Title
Bill No.
State
Notes
(Acres)
Latest Action
H.R. 7626: Mount Olympus addition
Bonneville
H.R. 7626
UT

H.R. 7626: 326
H.R. 7626 referred
(326)
Shoreline Trail
S. 4215
S. 4215: 334
8/7/20
S. 4215: Mount Olympus addition
Enhancement
S. 4215 hearings held
(334)
Act
11/18/20
Avawatz Mountains (89,500), Great
California
H.R. 376
CA

375,500
P.L. 116-9, §1411
Falls Basin (7,810), Soda Mountains
Desert
S. 67
(80,090), Milpitas Wash (17,250),
Protection and
Buzzards Peak (11,840), Golden
Recreation Act
Valley (1,250), Kingston Range
of 2019
(52,410), Palo Verde Mountains
(9,350), Indian Pass Mountains
(10,860), Death Valley National Park
Wilderness Additions North Eureka
Valley (11,496), Death Valley
National Park Wilderness Additions
Ibex (23,650), Death Valley National
Park Wilderness Additions Panamint
Valley (4,807), Death Valley National
Park Wilderness Additions Warm
Springs (10,485), Death Valley
National Park Wilderness Additions
Axe Head (8,638), Death Valley
National Park Wilderness Additions
Bowling Alley (28,923), San
Gorgonio Additions (7,141)
CRS-20

Total Area
Wilderness Name(s) and Acres
Bill Title
Bill No.
State
Notes
(Acres)
Latest Action
Caliente Mountain (35,116), Soda
Central Coast
H.R. 2199
CA
House provisions included as
S. 1111: 243,973.
H.R. 6395 passed
Lake (13,332), Temblor Range
Heritage
S. 1111
§301 of H.R. 2546 and
H.R. 2199: 244,076
House and received
(12,585), Chumash Additions
Protection Act
subsequently included as §20303
in Senate,
(23,670), Dick Smith Additions
of H.R. 6395. Senate provisions
08/05/2020. Provision
(54,053), Garcia Additions (7,289),
included as §203 of S. 3288.
dropped in
Machesna Mountain Additions
conference (H. Rept.
(S.1111: 8,671, H.R. 2199: 8,774),
116-617, conference
Matilija Additions (30,184), San Rafael
rept. agreed to
Additions (23,969), Santa Lucia
12/11/2020).
Additions (2,921), Sespe Additions
S.3288 introduced
(14,313), Diablo Caliente (17,870)
2/12/2020.

Joaquin Rocks (21,000)
Clear Creek
H.R. 403
CA

21,000
H.R. 403 introduced
National
2/05/19
Recreation Area
and
Conservation
Act
Ptarmigan Peak Additions (6,896),
Colorado
H.R. 823
CO
Provisions included at §21102
65,016
H.R. 6395 passed
Holy Cross Addition (3,866),
Outdoor
S. 241
and §21202 of H.R. 6395.
House and received
Hoosier Ridge (5,235), Tenmile
Recreation and

in Senate,
(7,624), Eagles Nest Addition (9,670), Economy
08/05/2020. Provision
Lizard Head Addition (3,141), Mount
(CORE) Act
dropped in
Sneffels Additions (19,700), McKenna
conference (H. Rept.
Peak (8,884)
116-617, conference
rept. agreed to
12/11/2020).
S. 241 hearings held
11/18/2020.
CRS-21

Total Area
Wilderness Name(s) and Acres
Bill Title
Bill No.
State
Notes
(Acres)
Latest Action
Redcloud Peak (38,217), Handies
Colorado
H.R. 2546
CA,
The Colorado Wilderness Act
Introduced: 621,742
H.R. 6395 passed
Peak (26,734), McIntyre Hills
Wilderness Act
CO,
was renamed the Protecting
Latest action:
House and received
(16,481), Grand Hogback (10,282),
(Protecting
WA
America’s Wilderness Act and
1,290,015
in Senate,
Demaree Canyon (25,624), Little
America’s
amended to include the
08/05/2020. Division
Bookcliffs (28,279), Bull Gulch
Wilderness Act)
provisions of the Northwest
O dropped in
(14,886), Castle Peak (12,016)
California Wilderness,
conference (H. Rept.
Recreation, and Working
116-617, conference
Assignation Ridge (19,240), Badger
Forests Act (H.R. 2250, S. 1110),
rept. agreed to
Creek (23,116), Beaver Creek
the Central Coast Heritage
12/11/2020).
(35,251), Grape Creek (32,884),
Protection Act (H.R. 2199, S.

North Bangs Canyon (13,351), South
1111), the San Gabriel
Bangs Canyon (5,144), The Palisade
Mountains Foothills and Rivers
(26,624), Unaweep (19,776),
Protection Act (H.R. 2215, S.
Sewemup Mesa (37,637), Roubideau
1109), and the Wild Olympics
(17,587), Norwood Canyon (12,102),
Wilderness and Wild and Scenic
Cross Canyon (24,475), McKenna
Rivers Act (H.R. 2642, S. 1382).
Peak (21,220), Weber-Menefee
See corresponding table entries.
Mountain (14,270), Dolores River
The provisions of the Protecting
Canyon (33,351), Browns Canyon
America’s Wilderness Act were
(17,922), San Luis Hills (10,527),
subsequently incorporated as
Table Mountain (23,559), North
Division O of H.R. 6395.
Ponderosa Gorge (10,844), South
Ponderosa Gorge (12,393), Diamond
Breaks (33,168), Papoose Canyon
(4,782)
Sheep Range (433,785), Las Vegas
Desert National H.R. 5606
NV

1,256,820
H.R. 5606 introduced
Range (146,826), Gass Peak (32,954),
Wildlife Refuge
S. 3145
1/19/2020
Papoose Range (43,573), South
and Nevada
S. 3145 introduced
Spotted Range (51,243),
Test and
12/19/2019
Pintwater/East Desert/Spotted Range Training Range
(463,585), Desert Range (53,986),
Withdrawal and
Hole-in-the-Rock (84,854)
Management
Act
CRS-22

Total Area
Wilderness Name(s) and Acres
Bill Title
Bill No.
State
Notes
(Acres)
Latest Action
Devil’s Staircase (30,621)
Devil’s Staircase
H.R. 999
OR

30,621
P.L. 116-9, §1205
Wilderness Act
S. 86
of 2019
Oregon
Wildlands Act
Burbank Canyons (12,392)
Douglas County S. 2890
NV

12,392
S. 2890 hearings held
Economic
09/16/2020
Development
and
Conservation
Act
Bisti/De-Na-Zin expansion (2,250),
John D. Dingell
S. 47
NM
S. 47 designated 1,309,241 acres
Acres unique to S.
P.L. 116-9, §1121;
Big Wild Horse Mesa (18,192), Cold
Jr.

UT
in total. 663,405 of these acres
47: 663,405
§1231
Wash (11,001), Desolation Canyon
Conservation,
are for 21 areas that were not
Total enacted:
(142,996), Devil’s Canyon (8,675),
Management,
previously included in other bills
1,309,241
Eagle Canyon (13,832), Horse Valley
and Recreation
introduced in the 116th
(12,201), Labyrinth Canyon (54,643),
Act
Congress, which are listed in
Little Ocean Draw (20,660), Little
this entry. For information on
Wild Horse Canyon (5,479), Lower
the areas that were previously
Last Chance (19,338), Mexican
introduced in other bills in the
Mountain (76,413), Middle Wild
116th Congress, see table entries
Horse Mesa (16,343), Muddy Creek
on the California Desert
(98,023), Nelson Mountain (7,433),
Protection and Recreation Act
Red’s Canyon (17,325), San Rafael
(H.R. 376, S. 67) and the Devil’s
Reef (60,442), Sid’s Mountain
Staircase Wilderness
(49,130), Turtle Canyon (29,029)
Act/Oregon Wildlands Act (H.R.
999, S. 86).
CRS-23

Total Area
Wilderness Name(s) and Acres
Bill Title
Bill No.
State
Notes
(Acres)
Latest Action
Fifteenmile Creek (58,599), Oregon
Malheur
S. 2828
OR

1,133,121
S. 2828 hearings held
Canyon Mountains (57,891),
Community
09/16/2020
Twelvemile Creek (37,779), Upper
Empowerment
West Little Owyhee (93,159),
for the Owyhee
Lookout Butte (66,194), Owyhee
Act
River Canyon (223,586), Twin Butte
(18,135), Cairn ‘C’ (8,946), Oregon
Butte (32,010), Deer Flat (12,266),
Sacramento Hill (9,568), Coyote
Wells (7,147), Big Grassey (45,192),
Little Groundhog Reservoir (5,272),
Lower Owyhee Canyon (79,947),
Jordan Crater (31,141), Owhyee
Breaks (29,471), Dry Creek (33,209),
Dry Creek Buttes (53,782), Upper
Leslie Gulch (2,911), Slocum Creek
(7,528), Honeycombs (40,099), Wild
Horse Basin (18,381), Quartz
Mountain (32,781), The Tongue
(6,800), Brunt Mountain (8,109),
Cottonwood Creek (77,828), Castle
Rock (6,151), West Fork Bendire
(10,159), Beaver Dam Creek
(19,080)
Mt. Moriah, High Schells, Arc Dome
Nevada Lands
H.R. 253
NV

Unknown
H.R. 253 introduced
(acres unknown)
Bill Technical
1/04/2019
Corrections Act
of 2019
CRS-24

Total Area
Wilderness Name(s) and Acres
Bill Title
Bill No.
State
Notes
(Acres)
Latest Action
Many named areas (S. 827: 450, H.R.
Northern
H.R. 1321
ID,

S. 827 Total:
H.R. 1321 introduced
1321: 451) in the Greater
Rockies
S. 827
MT,
23,395,000
2/22/19
Glacier/Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem
H.R. 1321 Total:
S. 827 introduced
Ecosystem (19), Greater
Protection Act
OR,
23,516,000
3/14/19
Yellowstone Ecosystem (59),
(NREPA)
WA,
Salmon/Selway Ecosystem (S. 827:

WY
91, H.R. 1321: 88) Greater
Cabinet/Yaak/Selkirk Ecosystem (47),
Greater Hells Canyon Ecosystem (5),
Islands in the Sky (111) and
Wilderness in Biological Connecting
Corridors (S. 827: 118, H.R. 1321:
122)
Black Butte River (11,117),
Northwest
H.R. 2250
CA
House provisions included as
H.R. 2250 Total:
H.R. 6395 passed
Chanchelulla Additions (6,212),
California
S. 1110
§20231 of H.R. 2546 and
262,216
House and received
Chinquapin (26,890), Elkhorn Ridge
Wilderness,
subsequently included as §20231
S. 1110 Total:
in Senate,
Addition (H.R. 2250: 37, S. 1110: not
Recreation, and
of H.R. 6395. Senate provisions
261,809
08/05/2020. Provision
included), English Ridge (6,204),
Working
included as §131 of S .3288. In
dropped in
Headwaters Forest (4,360), Mad
Forests Act
addition to the areas specified in
conference (H. Rept.
River Buttes (6,002), Mount Lassic
this entry, H.R. 2250 and S. 1110
116-617, conference
Addition (1,292), North Fork Eel
both included provisions to
rept. agreed to
Addition (17,182), Pattison (28,595),
modify the boundary of Elkhorn
12/11/2020).
Sanhedrin Addition (112), Siskiyou
Ridge, with no acreage given.
S.3288 introduced
Addition (27,747), South Fork Eel
2/12/2020.
River Addition (H.R. 2250: 603, S.
1110: 313), South Fork Trinity River

(26,446), Trinity Alps Addition
(62,695), Underwood (15,127), Yolla
Bolly-Middle Eel Additions (10,729),
Yuki Addition (10,866)
Wild Rogue Additions (59,512)
Oregon
S. 1262
OR

59,512
S. 1262 hearings held
Recreation
5/14/2019
Enhancement
Act
CRS-25

Total Area
Wilderness Name(s) and Acres
Bill Title
Bill No.
State
Notes
(Acres)
Latest Action
Cain Mountain (12,339), Bluewing
Pershing
H.R. 252
NV
Provisions subsequently included 136,072
H.R. 252 hearings
(24,900), Selenite Peak (22,822),
County
S. 2804
in H.R. 6228 and H.R. 6889.
held 7/10/2019c
Mount Limbo (11,855), North
Economic

S. 2804 introduced
Sahwave (13,875), Grandfathers
Development
11/06/2019
(35,339), Fencemaker (14,942)
and
Conservation

Act

Burbank Canyons (12,392)
Northern
H.R. 6228
NV
This bill also included the areas
148,464
H.R. 6228 introduced

Nevada

in the Pershing County
07/13/2020
Economic
Economic Development and

Development
Conservation Act (H.R. 252/S.
and
2804). See corresponding table
Conservation
entry.
Act of 2020
Clan Alpine Mountains (128,371),
Northern
H.R. 6889
NV
This bill also included the areas
317,036
H.R. 6889 introduced
Desatoya Mountains (32,537), Cain
Nevada
in the Pershing County
07/13/2020
Mountain Addition (7,664)
Economic
Economic Development and

Development,
Conservation Act (H.R. 252/S.
Conservation
2804) and Northern Nevada

and Military
Economic Development and

Modernization
Conservation Act of 2020 (H.R.
Act of 2020
6228). See corresponding table
entries.
Condor Peak (H.R. 2215: 8,207, S.
San Gabriel
H.R. 2215
CA
House provisions included as
H.R. 2215: 30,650
H.R. 6395 passed
1109: 8,417), San Gabriel Additions
Mountains
S. 1109
§401 of H.R. 2546 and
S. 1109: 31,069
House and received
(H.R. 2215: 2,032, S. 1109: 2,027),
Foothills and
subsequently included as §20423
in Senate,
Sheep Mountain Additions (H.R.
Rivers
of H.R. 6395. Senate provisions
08/05/2020. Provision
2215: 13,726, S. 1109: 13,851), Yerba Protection Act
included as §323 of S. 3288.
dropped in
Buena (H.R. 2215: 6,694, S. 1109:
conference (H. Rept.
6,774)
116-617, conference
rept. agreed to
12/11/2020).
S. 3288 introduced
2/12/2020.
CRS-26

Total Area
Wilderness Name(s) and Acres
Bill Title
Bill No.
State
Notes
(Acres)
Latest Action
Sangre de Cristo Wilderness
Sangre de
S. 3320
CO

40,038
S. 3320 introduced
(40,038)
Cristo
2/13/2020
Wilderness
Additions Act
Shawnee (289,000)
Shawnee
H.R. 5474
IL

289,000
H.R. 5474 introduced
Wilderness
S. 3075
12/18/2019
Designation Act
S. 3075 introduced
12/17/2019
Sutton Mountain (29,675), Pat’s
Sutton
S. 1597
OR

57,465
S. 1597 introduced
Cabin (15,951), Painted Hills (6,900),
Mountain and
5/22/2019
Dead Dog (4,939)
Painted Hills
Area
Preservation
and Economic
Enhancement
Act
Rough Mountain Addition
Virginia
S. 247
VA

Approximately 5,600
S. 247 Introduced
(approximately 1,000)
Wilderness
S. 3076
1/28/2019
Rich Hole Addition (4,600)
Additions Act of
S. 3076
2019
passed/agreed to in
An original bill
Senate without
to release a
amendment by
federal
Unanimous Consent
reversionary
1/6/2020
interest in
Chester
County,
Tennessee, to
manage certain
Federal land in
Bath County,
Virginia, and for
other purposes.
CRS-27

Total Area
Wilderness Name(s) and Acres
Bill Title
Bill No.
State
Notes
(Acres)
Latest Action
Cerro de la Olla (13,103)
To amend the
H.R. 8564
NM

13,103
H.R. 8564 introduced
John D. Dingell,
S. 3241
10/09/2020
Jr.
S. 3241 hearings held
Conservation,
09/16/2020
Management,
and Recreation
Act to establish
the Cerro de la
Olla Wilderness
in the Río
Grande del
Norte National
Monument,
New Mexico.
Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
Udall-
H.R. 5999
AK

15,595,389
H.R. 5999 introduced
Coastal Plain (1,559,5389)
Eisenhower
S. 2461
03/05/2020
Arctic
S. 2461 introduced
Wilderness Act
09/11/2019
Arctic Refuge

Protection Act
of 2019
Lost Creek (7,159), Rugged Ridge
Wild Olympics
H.R. 2642
WA
Provisions incorporated as §601
126,554
H.R. 6395 passed
(5,956), Alckee Creek (1,787), Gates
Wilderness and
S. 1382
of H.R. 2546 and subsequently
House and received
of the Elwha (5,669), Buckhorn
Wild and Scenic
included as §20602 of H.R. 6395.
in Senate,
Additions (21,965), Green Mountain
Rivers Act

08/05/2020. Provision
(4,790), The Brothers Additions
dropped in
(8,625), Mount Skokomish Additions
conference (H. Rept.
(8,933), Wonder Mountain Additions
116-617, conference
(26,517), Moonlight Dome (9,117),
rept. agreed to
South Quinault Ridge (10,887),
12/11/2020).
Colonel Bob Additions (353), Sam’s

River (13,418), Canoe Creek (1,378)
Source: Congressional Research Service (CRS).
Notes: Bills may contain multiple designations. CRS identified acreage from the latest version of the legislation—as introduced, reported, passed, or enacted. Acreage
listed in legislation may differ from final designated acreage (for example, if acreage in legislation is described as “approximate” or differs from the acreage calculated from
CRS-28

official maps). To the extent possible, legislative provisions (i.e., wilderness designations or additions of a given area) are listed once, in the entry corresponding with the
bill in which they were first introduced. If the provision was included in subsequent bills, either newly introduced, through the amendment process, or by other means,
this is described in the “Notes” column. Bills that only included wilderness designations that had previously been introduced in other legislative vehicles are not listed in a
separate entry. Legislative provisions that passed into law appear in boldface in the “Latest Action” column, along with the P.L. number of the legislation in which they
passed.

CRS-29

Wilderness: Issues and Legislation

Table A-2. 116th Congress: Bills to Release Wilderness Study Areas (WSAs)
Name(s) of WSA
Bill Title
Bill No.
State
Notes
Latest Action
Doña Ana County,
Antiquities Act
H.R. 1050 NM

P.L. 116-9
San Antonio, Cold
S. 367
NV
§1201, §1202
Butte
(Doña Ana
County and
San Antonio
only)
Cady Mountains,
California
S. 67
CA

P.L. 116-9,
Soda Mountains,
Desert
H.R. 376
§1411
Kingston Range,
Protection and
Avawatz` Mountain,
Recreation Act
Death Valley, Great
of 2019
Falls Basin
San Benito Mountain
Clear Creek
H.R. 403
CA

H.R. 403
National
introduced
Recreation Area
2/05/19
and
Conservation
Act
Dominguez Canyon,
Colorado
H.R. 823
CO

H.R. 823 passed
McKenna Peak, Rocky Outdoor
S. 241
House and
Mountain National
Recreation and
received in
Park
Economy
Senate,
(CORE) Act
10/31/2019

S. 241
introduced
1/28/19
Deschutes Canyon-
Crooked River
S. 81
OR

P.L. 116-9,
Steelhead Falls
Ranch Fire
H.R. 524
§1108
Protection Act
Burbank Canyons
Douglas County
S. 2890
NV

S. 2890 hearings
Economic
held 9/16/2020.
Development
and
Conservation
Act
Congressional Research Service

30

Wilderness: Issues and Legislation

Name(s) of WSA
Bill Title
Bill No.
State
Notes
Latest Action
Ah-shi-sle-pah, Cady
John D. Dingell
S. 47
NM,
S. 47 released multiple
P.L. 116-
Mountains, Soda
Jr. Conservation,
CA,
WSAs. The WSAs listed
9, §1121;
Mountains, Kingston
Management,
UT
in this entry are areas
§1411; §1234
Range, Avawatz,
and Recreation
that were not previously
Death Valley 17,
Act
included in other bills
Great Falls Basin,
introduced in the 116th
unspecified WSAs in
Congress. For
Utah
information on the areas

that were previously
introduced in other bills
in the 116th Congress,
see table entries on the
Antiquities Act (H.R.
1050, S. 367), the
California Desert
Protection and
Recreation Act (S. 67,
H.R. 376), and the
Crooked River Ranch
Fire Protection Act (S.
81, H.R. 524).
Name unknown; any
Malheur
S. 2828
OR

S. 2828 hearings
WSA shown on
Community
held
referenced map not
Empowerment
09/16/2020.
designated as
for the Owyhee
wilderness
Act
China Mountain, Mt.
Pershing County
H.R. 252
NV

H.R. 252
Limbo, Selenite
Economic
S. 2804
hearings held
Mountains, Tobin
Development
7/10/2019
Range, and the
and
S. 2804 hearings
portion of the
Conservation
held 11/18/2020
Augusta Mountains
Act
WSA within Pershing

County
The portion of the
Northern
H.R. 6228 NV
H.R. 6228 includes
H.R. 6228
Augusta Mountains
Nevada

provisions of the
introduced on
WSA within Pershing
Economic
Pershing County
3/12/2020
County
Development

Economic Development

and
and Conservation Act
Conservation
(H.R. 252 / S. 2804) and
Act of 2020
Douglas County

Economic Development
and Conservation Act (S.
2890). See
corresponding table
entries.
Congressional Research Service

31

Wilderness: Issues and Legislation

Name(s) of WSA
Bill Title
Bill No.
State
Notes
Latest Action
Stillwater Range, Job
Northern
H.R. 6889 NV
H.R. 6889 includes
H.R. 6889
Peak, Clan Alpine
Nevada
provisions of the
introduced on
Mountains, Augusta
Economic
Pershing County
5/15/2020
Mountains (portions
Development,
Economic Development

in Clark County),
Conservation
and Conservation Act
Desatoya Mountains
and Military
(H.R. 252 /S. 2804),
(portions in Clark
Modernization
Douglas County
County), and any
Act of 2020
Economic Development
portion of the WSAs

and Conservation Act (S.
not designated under
2890), and Northern
Sec. 303(a) of H.R.
Nevada Economic
6889 and depicted as
Development and
released on map
Conservation Act (H.R.
referenced in the bill.
6228). See
corresponding table
entries.
Yolla Bolly, Timbered
Restoring Access H.R. 572
CA

H.R. 572
Crater, Lava, Pit
to Public Lands
River Canyon, Tule
Act
Mountain, South
Warner Contiguous,
Bitterbrush, Buffalo
Hills, Twin Peaks, Five
Springs, Dry Valley
Rim, Skedaddle,
Tunnison Mountain
Source: Congressional Research Service (CRS).
Notes: CRS identified acreage from the latest version of the legislation – as introduced, reported, passed, or
enacted. WSA release legislation may specify that WSA acreage is to be released if not otherwise acted upon in
that legislation; for example, all WSA acreage not designated as wilderness is to be released. Wilderness study
area releases in multiple bills are listed next to the first introduced bill. Bills containing minor boundary
adjustments to WSAs are not included. Legislative provisions that passed appear in boldface in the “Latest
Action” column, along with the P.L. number of the legislation in which they passed.

Author Information

Anne A. Riddle
Eric P. Nardi
Analyst in Natural Resources Policy
Senior Research Librarian

Katie Hoover

Specialist in Natural Resources Policy

Acknowledgments
Several former CRS employees made important contributions to earlier versions of this report, including
the late Sandra L. Johnson, Kristina Alexander, and Ross Gorte.
Congressional Research Service

32

Wilderness: Issues and Legislation

Disclaimer
This document was prepared by the Congressional Research Service (CRS). CRS serves as nonpartisan
shared staff to congressional committees and Members of Congress. It operates solely at the behest of and
under the direction of Congress. Information in a CRS Report should not be relied upon for purposes other
than public understanding of information that has been provided by CRS to Members of Congress in
connection with CRS’s institutional role. CRS Reports, as a work of the United States Government, are not
subject to copyright protection in the United States. Any CRS Report may be reproduced and distributed in
its entirety without permission from CRS. However, as a CRS Report may include copyrighted images or
material from a third party, you may need to obtain the permission of the copyright holder if you wish to
copy or otherwise use copyrighted material.

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