New Hampshire Wilderness Act of 1984
PL 98-323 (H.R.3921), enacted 06/19/1984

PUBLIC LAW 98-323—JUNE 19, 1984 
98 STAT. 259 
Public Law 98-
98th Congress 
323 
An Act 
To establish wilderness areas in New Hampshire, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled, That this Act may 
be cited as the "New Hampshire Wilderness Act of 1984". 
TITLE I—NEW WILDERNESS AREAS 
'" 
DESIGNATION OF WILDERNESS AREAS 
SEC. 101. In furtherance of the purposes of the Wilderness Act (16 
U.S.C. 1131-1136), the following lands are hereby designated as 
wilderness and, therefore, as components of the National Wilderness 
Preservation System: 
(1) certain lands in the White Mountain National Forest, New 
I 
Hampshire, which comprise approximately forty-five thousand 
acres, as generally depicted on a map entitled "Pemigewasset 
Wilderness—Proposed", dated July 1983, and which shall be 
known as the Pemigewasset Wilderness Area; 
I 
(2) certain lands in the White Mountain National Forest, New 
Hampshire, which comprise approximately twenty-five thou-
f 
sand acres, as generally depicted on a map entitled "Sandwich 
Range Wilderness—Proposed", dated July 1983, and which shall 
be known as the Sandwich Range Wilderness; and 
(3) certain lands in the White Mountain National Forest, New 
Hampshire, which comprise approximately seven thousand 
acres, as generally depicted on a map entitled "Presidential 
Range-Dry River Wilderness Additions—Proposed", dated July 
1983, and which are hereby incorporated in and shall be deemed 
to be a part of the Presidential Range-Dry River Wilderness as 
designated by Public Law 93-622. 
MAPS AND DESCRIPTIONS 
SEC. 102. As soon as practicable after enactment of this Act, the 
Secretary of Agriculture shall file a map and a legal description of 
each wilderness area designated by this Act with the Committee on 
Interior and Insular Affairs and the Committee on Agriculture of 
the United States House of Representatives and with the Committee 
on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the United States Senate. 
Each such map and description shall have the same force and effect 
as if included in this Act, except that correction of clerical and 
typographical errors in each such map and description may be made 
by the Secretary. Each such map and description shall be on file and 
available for public inspection in the Office of the Chief of the Forest 
Service, Department of Agriculture. 
June 19, 1984 
[H.R. 3921] 
New Hampshire 
Wilderness Act 
of 1984. 
National 
Wilderness 
) 
Preservation 
System. 
National Forest 
System. 
16 u s e 1132 
note. 
16 u s e 1132 
note. 
16 u s e 1132 
note. 
Public 
availability. 
Ml': 
i K J <*f 
98 STAT. 260 
PUBLIC LAW 98-323—JUNE 19, 1984 
16 u s e 1131 
note. 
ADMINISTRATION OF WILDERNESS 
SEC. 103. Subject to valid existing rights, each wilderness area 
designated by this Act shall be administered by the Secretary of 
Agriculture in accordance with the provisions of the Wilderness Act 
governing areas designated by that Act as wilderness, except that 
any reference in such provisions to the effective date of the Wilder-
ness Act shall be deemed to be a reference to the date of enactment 
of this Act. 
EFFECT OF RARE II 
Conservation. 
t i:^ "f»T'~."F 
Congress. 
m^ 
16 use 1600 
note. 
16 use 1600 
note. 
16 use 1604. 
16 use 1604. 
SEC. 104. (a) The Congress finds that— 
(1) the Department of Agriculture has completed the second 
roadless area review and evaluation program (RARE II); and 
(2) the Congress has made its own review and examination of 
National Forest System roadless areas in the State of New 
Hampshire and of the environmental impacts associated with 
alternative allocations of such areas. 
(b) On the basis of such review, the Congress hereby determines 
and directs that— 
(1) without passing on the question of the legal and factual 
sufficiency of the RARE II final environmental statement 
(dated January 1979) with respect to National Forest System 
lands in States other than New Hampshire, such statement 
shall not be subject to judicial review with respect to National 
Forest System lands in the State of New Hampshire; 
(2) with respect to the National Forest System lands in the 
State of New Hampshire which were reviewed by the Depart-
ment of Agriculture in the second roadless area review and 
evaluation (RARE II) and those lands referred to in subsection 
(d), that review and evaluation or reference shall be deemed for 
the purposes of the initial land management plans required for 
such lands by the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources 
Planning Act of 1974, as amended by the National Forest 
Management Act of 1976, to be an adequate consideration of the 
suitability of such lands for inclusion in the National Wilder-
ness Preservation System and the Department of Agriculture 
shall not be required to review the wilderness option prior to 
the revisions of the plans, but shall review the wilderness option 
o 
when the plans are revised, which revisions will ordinarily 
occur on a ten-year cycle, or at least every fifteen years, unless, 
prior to such time, the Secretary of Agriculture finds that 
conditions in a unit have significantly changed; 
(3) areas in the State of New Hampshire reviewed in such 
final environmental statement or referenced in subsection (d) 
and not designated wilderness upon enactment of this Act shall 
be managed for multiple use in accordance with land manage-
ment plans pursuant to section 6 of the Forest and Rangeland 
Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1974, as amended by the 
National Forest Management Act of 1976: Provided, That such 
areas need not be managed for the purpose of protecting their 
suitability for wilderness designation prior to or during revision 
of the initial land management plans; and 
(4) in the event that revised land management plans in the 
State of New Hampshire are implemented pursuant to section 6 
of the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning 
Act of 1974, as amended by the National Forest Management 
PUBLIC LAW 98-323—JUNE 19, 1984 
98 STAT. 261 
Act of 1976, and other applicable law, areas not recommended 
for wilderness designation need not be managed for the purpose 
of protecting their suitability for wilderness designation prior to 
or during revision of such plans, and areas recommended for 
wilderness designation shall be managed for the purpose of 
protecting their suitability for wilderness designation as may be 
required by the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources 
Planning Act of 1974, as amended by the National Forest 
Management Act of 1976, and other applicable law. 
(c) As used in this section, and as provided in section 6 of the 
Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1974, 
as amended by the National Forest Management Act of 1976, the 
term "revision" shall not include an "amendment" to a plan. 
(d) The provisions of this section shall also apply to— 
(1) those National Forest System roadless lands in the State of 
New Hampshire which were evaluated in the Kancamagus, 
Waterville Valley, and Presidential unit plans; and 
(2) National Forest System roadless lands in the State of New 
Hampshire which are less than five thousand acres in size. 
(e) The Kilkenny Unit Plan Area, as depicted on a map entitled 
"Kilkenny Unit Plan Area", dated October 1983, shall be considered 
for all uses, including wilderness, during preparation of a forest plan 
for the White Mountain National Forest pursuant to section 6 of the 
Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1974, 
as amended by the National Forest Management Act of 1976. 
(f) The provisions of this section shall not apply to any lands in the 
White Mountain National Forest located within the State of Maine. 
16 u s e 1600 
note. 
16 use 1600 
note. 
16 use 1604. 
16 use 1604. 
TITLE II—WILD AND SCENIC RIVER STUDY 
WILDCAT BROOK WILD AND SCENIC RIVER STUDY 
SEC. 201. Section 5(a) of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (Public 
Law 90-542; 82 Stat. 906, as amended) is further amended by adding 16 use 1276. 
at the end thereof the following new paragraph: 
"(89) Wildcat Brook, New Hampshire: The segment from its 
headwaters including the principal tributaries to its confluence 
with the Ellis River. The study authorized in this paragraph Report, 
shall be completed no later than six years from the date of 
enactment of this paragraph and an interim report shall be 
prepared and submitted to the Congress no later than three 
years from the date of enactment of this paragraph.". 
TITLE III—NATIONAL FOREST BOUNDARY EXPANSION 
PURCHASE OF PILOT RANGE TRACTS 
SEC. 301. In order to develop and preserve recreational opportuni-
ties, maintain long-term public access, and provide the watershed 
protection and controlled timber harvesting associated 
with 
National Forest System ownership, the Secretary of Agriculture is 
authorized to purchase, under the provisions of the Weeks Act of 
March 1, 1911 (16 U.S.C. 480 et seq.), certain lands contiguous to the 
White Mountain National Forest, New Hampshire, comprising ap-
proximately four thousand acres, as generally depicted on the map 
entitled "Pilot Range Tracts", dated 1984. The maps and legal 
description of the boundary of such lands shall be on file and 
16 use 552 note. 
Public 
availability. 
98 STAT. 262 
PUBLIC LAW 98-323—JUNE 19, 1984 
available for public inspection in the office of the Chief of the Forest 
Service, Department of Agriculture, and appropriate field offices of 
the Forest Service. 
ADDITION TO THE WHITE MOUNTAIN NATIONAL FOREST 
SEC. 302. All lands purchased pursuant to section 301 of this title 
are hereby added to the White Mountain National Forest, and shall 
be administered in accordance with the laws, rules, and regulations 
applicable with respect to lands in the National Forest System. 
LAND AND WATER CONSERVATION FUND 
SEC. 303. For the purpose of section 7 of the Land and Water 
1
6 use 460/-9. 
Conservation Fund Act of 1965 (16 U.S.C. 4601-9), the boundary of 
the White Mountain National Forest, as modified by this title, shall 
be treated as if it were the boundary of that forest as of January 1, 
1965. 
AUTHORIZATION FOR APPROPRIATIONS 
; 
SEC. 304. There are hereby authorized to be appropriated such 
sums as are necessary to carry out the provisions of this title. 
.^09i 
Approved June 19, 1984. 
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LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—H.R. 3921: 
iitii 
HOUSE REPORT No. 98-545, Pt. 1 (Comm. on Interior and Insular Affairs). 
SENATE REPORT No. 98-414 (Comm. on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry). 
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD: 
Vol. 129 (1983): Nov. 15, considered and passed House. 
Vol. 130 (1984): May 24, considered and passed Senate, amended. 
June 6, House concurred in Senate amendments. 
WEEKLY COMPILATION OF PRESIDENTIAL DOCUMENTS, Vol. 20, No. 25 (1984): 
June 19, Presidential statement.