Oregon Wilderness Act of 1984
PL 98-328 (H.R.1149), enacted 06/26/1984

98 STAT. 272 
PUBLIC LAW 98-328—JUNE 26, 1984 
Public Law 98-328 
98th Congress 
t . ) 
An Act ' 
June 26, 1984 
[H.R. 1149] 
Oregon 
Wilderness Act 
of 1984. 
National 
Wilderness 
Preservation 
System. 
National Forest 
System. 
16 u s e 1131 
note. 
To designate certain national forest system and other lands in the State of Oregon for 
inclusion in the National Wilderness Preservation System, 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 referred to as the "Oregon Wilderness Act of 1984". 
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SEC. 2. (a) The Congress finds that— 
(1) many areas of undeveloped National Forest System land in 
the State of Oregon possess outstanding natural characteristics 
which give them high value as wilderness and will, if properly 
preserved, contribute as an enduring resource of wilderness for 
the benefit of the American people; 
(2) the Department of Agriculture's second roadless area 
review and evaluation (RARE II) of National Forest System 
lands in the State of Oregon and the related congressional 
review of such lands have identified areas which, on the basis of 
their landform, ecosystem, associated wildlife, and location, will 
help to fulfill the National Forest System's share of a quality 
National Wilderness Preservation System; and 
(3) the Department of Agriculture's second roadless area 
review and evaluation of National Forest System lands in the 
State of Oregon and the related congressional review of such 
lands have also identified areas which do not possess outstand-
ing wilderness attributes or which possess outstanding energy, 
mineral, timber, grazing, dispersed recreation and other values 
and which should not now be designated as components of the 
National Wilderness Preservation System but should be avail-
able for nonwilderness multiple uses under the land manage-
ment planning process and other applicable laws. 
(b) The purposes of this Act are to— 
(1) designate certain National Forest System lands and cer-
tain public lands in the State of Oregon as components of the 
National Wilderness Preservation System, in order to promote, 
perpetuate, and preserve the wilderness character of the lands, 
protect watersheds and wildlife habitat, preserve scenic and 
historic resources, and promote scientific research, primitive 
recreation, solitude, physical and mental challenge, and inspira-
tion for the benefit of all the American people, to a greater 
extent than is possible in the absence of wilderness designation; 
and 
(2) insure that certain other National Forest System lands in 
the State of Oregon be available for nonwilderness multiple use. 
SEC. 3. In furtherance of the purpose of the Wilderness Act the 
following lands in the State of Oregon comprising approximately 
eight hundred fifty-nine thousand six hundred acres and as gen-
erally depicted on maps appropriately referenced, dated May 1984; 
are hereby designated as wilderness, and therefore, as components 
of the National Wilderness Preservation System— 
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PUBLIC LAW 98-328—JUNE 26, 1984 
98 STAT. 273 
(1) certain lands in the Mount Hood National Forest, which 
comprise approximately thirty-nine thousand acres, are gener-
ally depicted on a map entitled "Columbia Wilderness—Pro-
posed", and which shall be known as the Columbia Wilderness; 
(2) certain lands in the Mount Hood National Forest, which 
comprise approximately forty-four thousand six hundred acres, 
are generally depicted on a map entitled "Salmon-Huckleberry 
Wilderness—Proposed", and which shall be known as the 
Salmon-Huckleberry Wilderness; 
(3) certain lands in the Mount Hood National Forest, which 
comprise approximately twenty-four thousand acres, are gener-
ally depicted on a map entitled "Badger Creek Wilderness— 
Proposed", and which shall be known as the Badger Creek 
Wilderness; 
(4) certain lands in the Mount Hood National Forest and the 
Willamette National Forest, which comprise approximately 
thirty-four thousand nine hundred acres, are generally depicted 
on a map entitled "Bull of the Woods Wilderness—Proposed", 
and which shall be known as the Bull of the Woods Wilderness; 
(5) certain lands in the Siuslaw National Forest, which com-
prise approximately five thousand eight hundred acres, are 
generally depicted on a map entitled "Drift Creek Wilderness— 
Proposed", and which shall be known as the Drift Creek 
Wilderness; 
(6) certain lands in the Siuslaw National Forest, which com-
prise approximately seven thousand four hundred acres, are 
generally depicted on a map entitled "Rock Creek Wilderness— 
Proposed", and which shall be known as the Rock Creek 
Wilderness; 
(7) certain lands in the Siuslaw National Forest, which com-
prise approximately nine thousand three hundred acres, are 
generally depicted on a map entitled "Cummins Creek Wilder-
ness—Proposed", and which shall be known as the Cummins 
Creek Wilderness; 
(8) certain lands in the Umpqua National Forest, which com-
prise approximately nineteen thousand one hundred acres, are 
generally depicted on a map entitled "Boulder Creek Wilder-
ness—Proposed", and which shall be known as the Boulder 
Creek Wilderness; 
(9) certain lands in the Umpqua and Rogue River National 
Forests, which comprise approximately thirty-three thousand 
two hundred acres, are generally depicted on a map entitled 
"Rogue-Umpqua Divide Wilderness—Proposed", and which 
shall be known as the Rogue-Umpqua Divide Wilderness; 
(10) certain lands in the Willamette National Forest, which 
comprise approximately thirty-nine thousand two hundred 
acres, are generally depicted on a map entitled "Waldo Lake 
Wilderness—Proposed", and which shall be known as the Waldo 
Lake Wilderness; 
(11) certain lands in the Willamette National Forest, which 
comprise approximately four thousand eight hundred acres, are 
Generally depicted on a map entitled "Menagerie Wilderness— 
'roposed", and which shall be known as the Menagerie 
Wilderness; 
(12) certain lands in the Willamette National Forest, which 
comprise approximately seven thousand five hundred acres, are 
generally depicted on a map entitled "Middle Santiam Wilder-
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31-194 0 - 8 6 - 1 1 
: QL. 3 Part 1 
98 STAT. 274 
PUBLIC LAW 98-328—JUNE 26, 1984 
ness—Proposed", and which shall be known as the Middle 
Santiam Wilderness; 
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(13) certain lands in the Siskiyou National Forest which 
note. 
comprise approximately seventeen thousand two hundred acres, 
are generally depicted on a map entitled "Grassy Knob Wilder-
ness—Proposed", and which shall be known as the Grassy Knob 
Wilderness; 
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(14) certain Isinds in the Siskiyou National Forest, which 
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comprise approximately three thousand four hundred acres, are 
generally depicted on a map entitled "Red Buttes Wilderness— 
Proposed", and which shall be known as the Red Buttes 
Wilderness; 
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(15) certain lands in the Rogue River and Winema National 
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Forests, which comprise approximately one hundred sixteen 
thousand three hundred acres, are generally depicted on a map 
entitled "Sky Lake Wilderness—Proposed", and which shall be 
known £is the Sky Lakes Wilderness; 
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(16) certain lands in the Ochoco National Forest, which com-
"^ote. 
prise approximately five thousand four hundred acres, are gen-
erally depicted on a map entitled "Bridge Creek Wilderness— 
Proposed', and which shall be known as the Bridge Creek 
Wilderness; 
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(17) certain lands in the Ochoco National Forest, which com-
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prise approximately seventeen thousand four hundred acres, 
are generally depicted on a map entitled "Mill Creek Wilder-
ness—Proposed", and which shall be known as the Mill Creek 
Wilderness; 
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(18) certain lands in the Ochoco National Forest which com-
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prise approximately thirteen thousand four hundred acres, are 
generally depicted on a map entitled "Black Canyon Wilder-
ness—Proposed", and which shall be known as the Black 
Canyon Wilderness; 
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(19) certain lands in the Wallowa-Whitman and Umatilla 
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National Forests, which comprise approximately one hundred 
if 
twenty-one thousand four hundred acres, are generally depicted 
on a map entitled "North Fork John Day Wilderness—Pro-
posed", and which shall be known as the North Fork John Day 
^Vilderness* 
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(20) certain lands in the Umatilla National Forest, which 
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comprise approximately twenty thousand two hundred acres, 
are generally depicted on a map entitled "North Fork Umatilla 
Wilderness—Proposed", and which shall be known as the North 
Fork Umatilla Wilderness; 
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(21) certain lands in the Malheur and Wallowa-Whitman 
note. 
National Forests, which comprise approximately nineteen thou-
sand eight hundred acres, are generally depicted on a map 
entitled "Monument Rock Wilderness—Proposed", and which 
shall be known as the Monument Rock Wilderness; 
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(22) certain lands located in the Salem District of the Bureau 
note. 
of Land Management, Oregon, which comprise approximately 
five thousand five hundred acres, as generally depicted on a 
map entitled "Table Rock Wilderness—Proposed", and which 
shall be known as the Table Rock Wilderness; 
(23) certain lands in the Willamette and Mount Hood 
lib a. 
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National Forests, which comprise approximately six thousand 
cjjou 
eight hundred acres, are generally depicted on a map entitled 
"Mount Jefferson Wilderness Additions—Proposed", and which 
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PUBLIC LAW 98-328—JUNE 26, 1984 
98 STAT. 275 
are hereby incorporated in, and which shall be deemed to be a 
part of, the Mount Jefferson Wilderness as designated by Public 
Law 88-577; 
leuscim 
(24) certain lands in the Willamette and Deschutes National 
"°^-
Forests, which comprise approximately six thousand four hun-
dred acres, are generally depicted on a map entitled "Mount 
Washington Wilderness Additions—Proposed", and which are 
hereby incorporated in, and which shall be deemed to be part of, 
the Mount Washington Wilderness as designated by Public 
Law 88-577; 
(25) certain lands in the Willamette and Deschutes National 
Forests which comprise approximately thirty-eight thousand 
one hundred acres, are generally depicted on a map entitled 
"Three Sisters Wilderness Additions—Proposed", and which are 
hereby incorporated in, and which shall be deemed to be a part 
of, the Three Sisters Wilderness as designated by Public Laws 
88-577 and 95-237; 
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(26) certain lands in the Fremont National Forest which note, 1132 note. 
comprise approximately four thousand one hundred acres, are 
generally depicted on a map entitled "Gearhart Mountain Wil-
derness Additions—Proposed", and which are hereby incorpo-
rated in, and which shall be deemed to be a part of, the 
Gearhart Mountain Wilderness as designated by Public 
Law 88-577; 
(27) certain lands in the Malheur National Forest which 
comprise approximately thirty-five thousand three hundred 
acres, are generally depicted on a map entitled "Strawberry 
Mountain Wilderness Additions—Proposed", and which are 
hereby incorporated in, and which shall be deemed a part of, 
the Strawberry Mountain Wilderness as designated by Public 
Law 88-577; 
(28) certain lands in the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest 
which comprise approximately sixty-six thousand five hundred 
acres, are generally depicted on a map entitled "Eagle Cap 
Wilderness Additions—Proposed", and which are hereby incor-
porated in, and which shall be deemed to be a part of, the Eagle 
Cap Wilderness as designated by Public Laws 88-577 and 16 use 1131 
92-521- 
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(29) certain lands in the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest, 
which comprise approximately twenty-two thousand seven hun-
dred acres, are generally depicted on a map entitled "Hells 
Canyon Wilderness Additions—Proposed", and which are 
hereby incorporated in, and which shall be deemed to be part of, 
the Hells Canyon Wilderness as designated in Public Law 
94-199. 
I6use460gg. 
SEC. 4. (a) In order to conserve, protect, and manage, in a substan- ?°?f|JT^«^P; 
tially undeveloped condition, certain National Forest System lands 
in the State of Oregon having unique geographic, topographic, 
biological, ecological features and possessing significant scenic, wild-
life, dispersed recreation, and watershed values, there is hereby 
established, within the Umpqua, Willamette, Winema and Des-
chutes National Forests, the Oregon Cascades Recreation Area 
(hereinafter referred to in this Act as the "recreation area"). 
(b) The recreation area shall comprise approximately one hundred 
fifty-six thousand nine hundred acres as generally depicted on a 
map entitled "Oregon Cascades Recreation Area" dated March 1984. 
Except as otherwise provided in this section, the Secretary of Agri-
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98 STAT. 276 
PUBLIC LAW 98-328—JUNE 26, 1984 
culture (hereinafter referred to as the "Secretary") shall administer 
and manage the recreation area in accordance with the laws and 
• 
regulations applicable to the National Forest System so as to 
enhance scenic and watershed values, wildlife habitat, and dispersed 
recreation. 
(c) The recreation area shall be managed in accordance with plans 
prepared in subsection (g) to: 
(1) provide a range of recreation opportunities from primitive 
to full service developed campgrounds; 
(2) provide access for use by the public; 
(3) to the extent practicable, maintain the natural and scenic 
character of the area; and 
(4) provide for the use of motorized recreation vehicles. 
Mines and 
(d)(1) Subject to valid existing rights, all mining claims located 
mining. 
within the recreation area shall be subject to such reasonable 
regulations as the Secretary may prescribe to insure that mining 
activities will, to the maximum extent practicable, be consistent 
with the purposes for which the recreation area is established. Any 
patent issued after the date of enactment of this Act shall convey 
title only to the minerals together with the right to use the surface 
of lands for mining purposes subject to such reasonable regulations 
as the Secretary shall prescribe. 
(2) Effective January 1, 1989, and subject to valid existing rights, 
the lands located within the recreation area are hereby withdrawn 
from all forms of appropriation under the mining laws and from 
disposition under all laws pertaining to the mineral leasing and 
geothermal leasing and all amendments thereto. 
(e) Within the recreation area, the Secretary may permit, under 
appropriate regulations those limited activities and facilities which 
he determines necessary for resource protection and management 
and for visitor safety and comfort, including— 
(1) those necessary to prevent and control wildfire, insects, 
diseases, soil erosion, and other damaging agents including 
timber harvesting activities necessary to prevent catastrophic 
mortality from insects, diseases or fire; 
(2) those necessary to maintain or improve wildlife habitat, 
water yield and quality, forage production, and dispersed out-
door recreation opportunities; 
(3) livestock grazing, to the extent that such use will not 
significantly adversely affect the resources of the recreation 
area; 
(4) salvage of major timber mortality caused by fire, insects, 
disease, blowdown, or other causes when the scenic characteris-
tics of the recreation area are significantly affected, or the 
health and safety of the public is threatened, or the overall 
protection of the forested area inside or outside the recreation 
area might be adversely affected by failure to remove the dead 
or damaged timber; 
(5) those developments or facilities necessary for the public 
enjoyment and use of the recreation area, when such develop-
ment or facilities do not detract from the purposes of the 
recreation area; and 
(6) public service land occupancies, including power transmis-
sion lines, provided there is no feasible alternative location, and, 
the Secretary finds that it is in the public interest to locate such 
facilities within the recreation area. 
PUBLIC LAW 98-328—JUNE 26, 1984 
98 STAT. 277 
(f) The following lands within the recreation area are hereby 
designated as wilderness and therefore as components of the 
National Wilderness Preservation System, and shall, notwithstand-
ing any other provisions of this section, be administered by the 
Secretary in accordance with the applicable provisions of the Wil-
derness Act: Certain lands in the Umpqua, Willamette, and Winema 
National Forests which comprise approximately fifty-five thousand 
one hundred acres, are generally depicted on a map dated March 
1984, entitled "Mount TOelsen Wilderness—Proposed", and which 
shall be known as the Mount Thielsen Wilderness; and certain lands 
in the Willamette and Deschutes National Forests, which comprise 
approximately fifteen thousand seven hundred acres, are generally 
depicted on a map dated March 1984, entitled "Diamond Peak 
Wilderness Additions—Proposed", and which are hereby incorpo-
rated in, and which shall be deemed to be a part of, the Diamond 
Peak Wilderness as designated in Public Law 88-577. 
(g) Management direction for the recreation area shall be devel-
oped in either the forest plans developed for the Umpqua, Winema, 
Deschutes and Willamette Forests in accordance with section 6 of 
the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act of 
1974, as amended, or in an integrated management plan that shall 
be prepared within three years from the date of enactment of this 
Act and revised in accordance with the Forest and Rangeland 
Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1974, as amended. Any plan 
developed by the Secretary for the recreation area shall identify and 
designate specific and appropriate areas and routes for the use of 
motorized recreation vehicles within the recreation area. 
SEC. 5. (a) As soon as practicable after this Act takes effect, the 
appropriate Secretary shall file the maps referred to in sections 3 
and 4 of this Act and legal descriptions of each wilderness area 
designated by sections 3 and 4 of this Act with the Committee on 
Energy and Natural Resources, United States Senate, and the Com-
mittee on Interior and Insular Affairs, House of Representatives, 
and each such map and legal description shall have the same force 
and effect as if included in this Act: Provided, That correction of 
clerical and typographical errors in such legal descriptions and 
maps may be made. Each such map and legal description shall be on 
file and available for public inspection in the Office of the Chief of 
the Forest Service, Department of Agriculture; and the Director, 
Bureau of Land Management, Department of the Interior. 
(b) Subject to valid existing rights, each wilderness area desig-
nated by sections 3 and 4 of this Act shall be administered by the 
appropriate Secretary in accordance with the provisions of the 
Wilderness Act of 1964 governing areas designated by that Act as 
wilderness areas, except that, with respect to any areas designated 
in sections 3 and 4 of this Act, any reference in such provisions to 
the effective date of the Wilderness Act of 1964 shall be deemed to 
be a reference to the effective date of this Act, and any reference to 
the Secretary of Agriculture shall be deemed to be a reference to the 
Secretary who has administrative jurisdiction over the area. 
SEC. 6. Congress does not intend that designation of wilderness 
areas in the State of Oregon lead to the creation of protective 
perimeters or buffer zones around each wilderness area. The fact 
that nonwilderness activities or uses can be seen or heard from the 
areas within the wilderness shall not, of itself, preclude such activi-
ties or uses up to the boundary of the wilderness area. 
SEC. 7. (a) The Congress finds that— 
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Plans. 
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Public 
availability. 
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98 STAT. 278 
PUBLIC LAW 98-328—JUNE 26, 1984 
(1) the Department of Agriculture has completed the second 
roadless area review and evaluation program (RARE II); 
(2) the Congress has made its own review and examination of 
National Forest System roadless areas in Oregon and the envi-
ronmental impacte associated with alternative allocations of 
such areas. 
Congress. 
(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 lands in 
States other than Oregon, such statement shall not be subject to 
judicial review with respect to National Forest System lands in 
the State of Oregon; 
(2) with respect to the National Forest System lands in the 
State of Oregon which were reviewed by the Department of 
Agriculture in the second roadless area review and evaluation 
(RARE II), and those lands referred to in subsection (d), except 
those lands remaining in further planning or special manage-
ment pursuant to section 4 of this Act upon enactment of this 
Act, that review and evaluation or reference shall be deemed for 
the purpose of the initial land management plans required for 
such lands by the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources 
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Planning Act of 1974 as amended by the National Forest Man-
I6%sc 1600 
agement Act of 1976, to be an adequate consideration of the 
note. 
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 revision of the plans, but shall review the wilderness options 
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 Oregon reviewed in such final envi-
ronmental statement or referenced in subsection (d) and not 
designated as wilderness or for special management pursuant to 
section 4 of this Act or remaining in further planning upon 
enactment of this Act shall be managed for multiple use in 
accordance with land management plans pursuant to section 6 
of the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning 
1
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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 desig-
nation prior to or during revision of the land management 
plans; 
(4) in the event that revised land management plans in the 
State of Oregon are implemented pursuant to section 6 of the 
Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act of 
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1974, as amended by the National Forest Management Act of 
1976, and other applicable law, areas not recommended for 
wilderness designation, need not be managed for the purpose of 
protecting their suitabUity 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 
PUBLIC LAW 98-328—JUNE 26, 1984 
98 STAT. 279 
Planning Act of 1974, as amended by the National Forest 
16USC1600 
Management Act of 1976, and other applicable law; and 
le^'sc 1600 
(5) unless expressly authorized by Congress, the Department 
note, 
of Agriculture shall not conduct any further statewide roadless 
area review and evaluation of National Forest System lands in 
the State of Oregon for the purpose of determining their suit-
ability for inclusion in the National Wilderness Preservation 
System. 
(c) As used in this section, and as provided in section 6 of the 
Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1974 as 
16 use 1604. 
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 Mount 
Hood, Siskiyou, Umatilla, Umpqua, Wallowa-Whitman, Willam-
ette, and Winema National Forests in the State of Oregon 
which were evaluated in the Esigle Creek; Roaring River; Mount 
Butler-Dry Creek; Oregon Butte; Cougar Bluff-Williams Creek; 
Grand Ronde; Wallowa Valley; Willamette; or Chemult unit 
plans; and 
'• 
(2) National Forest System roadless lands in the State of 
Oregon which are less than five thousand acres in size. 
SEC. 8. Subject to valid existing rights, the Federal lands within 
Mines and 
the Mill Creek watershed roadless area identified in the Oregon 
^mmg. 
Butte Unit Plan, which is located in Wallowa and Umatilla Counties 
in Oregon, are hereby withdrawn from all forms of location, entry, 
and patent under the United States mining laws and from disposi-
tion under all laws pertaining to mineral leasing and all amend-
ments thereto. 
Approved June 26, 1984. 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—H.R. 1149: 
HOUSE REPORT No. 98-13, Pt. 1 (Comm. on Interior and Insular Affairs). 
SENATE REPORT No. 98-465 (Comm. on Energy and Natural Resources). 
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD: 
Vol. 129 (1983): Mar. 21, considered and passed House. 
Vol. 130 (1984): May 24, considered and passed Senate, amended. 
June 4, 6, House concurred in Senate amendments.