Lee Metcalf Wilderness and Management Act of 1983
PL 98-140 (S.96), enacted 10/31/1983

PUBLIC LAW 98-140—OCT. 31, 1983 
97 STAT. 901 
Public Law 98-
98th Congress 
140 
An Act 
To establish the Lee Metcalf Wilderness and Management Area in the State of 
Montana, 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 "Lee Metcalf Wilderness and Management Act of 
1983". 
Oct. 31, 1983 
[S. 96] 
Lee Metcalf 
Wilderness and 
Management 
Act of 1983. 
DESIGNATION AND MANAGEMENT OF LEE METCALF WILDERNESS AND 
MANAGEMENT AREA 
SEC. 2. (a) In furtherance of the purposes of the Wilderness Act (78 
Stat. 890; 16 U.S.C. 1131), certain lands within the Beaverhead and 
Gallatin National Forests and certain lands in the Dillon Resource 
Area, Montana, administered by the Bureau of Land Management 
which comprise approximately two hundred and fifty-nine thousand 
acres as generally depicted as the "Lee Metcalf Wilderness" on a 
map entitled "Lee Metcalf Wilderness—Proposed", and dated Octo-
ber 1983 are hereby designated as wilderness and shall be known as 
the Lee Metcalf Wilderness. 
(b) Subject to valid existing rights, the Lee Metcalf Wilderness as 
designated by this Act shall be administered by the Secretary of 
Agriculture, hereafter referred to as "the Secretary", in accordance 
with the Wilderness Act governing areas designated by that Act as 
wilderness: Provided, That any reference in such provisions to the 
effective date of the Wilderness Act shall be deemed to be a refer-
ence to the effective date of this Act: Provided further. That the 
Bear Trap Canyon portion of the Lee Metcalf Wilderness shall be 
administered by the Secretary of the Interior. 
(c) The Congress finds that certain lands within the Gallatin 
National Forest near Monument Mountain have important recre-
ational and wildlife values, including critical grizzly bear and elk 
habitat. In order to conserve and protect these values, the area lying 
adjacent to the Monument Mountain and Taylor-Hilgard units of 
the Lee Metcalf Wilderness as designated by this Act and compris-
ing approximately thirty-eight thousand acres, as generally depicted 
on the map entitled Lee Metcalf Wilderness—Proposed", dated 
October 1983, shall be managed to protect the wildlife and recre-
ational values of these lands and shall be hereby withdrawn from all 
forms of appropriation under the mining laws and from disposition 
under all laws pertaining to mineral leasing and geothermal leas-
ing, and all amendments thereto. The area shall further be adminis-
tered by the Secretary of Agriculture to maintain presently existing 
wilderness character, with no commercial timber harvest nor addi-
tional road construction permitted. The Secretary shall permit con-
tinued use of the area by motorized equipment only for activities 
associated with existing levels of livestock grazing, administrative 
purposes (including snowmobile trail maintenance) and for snow-
mobiling during periods of adequate snow cover but only where such 
16 u s e 1132 
note. 
16 u s e 1131 
note. 
Administration 
of lands. 
16 u s e 1131 
note. 
Motorized 
equipment 
activities. 
97 STAT. 902 
PUBLIC LAW 98-140—OCT. 31, 1983 
Forest plan. 
16 u s e 1604. 
16 u s e 1600 
note. 
Studies and 
initial plans. 
91 Stat. 1243. 
16 u s e 1600 
note. 
Wilderness 
study areas. 
91 Stat. 1243. 
43 u s e 1782. 
uses are compatible with the protection and propagation of wildlife 
within the area: Provided, That the Secretary may, in his discretion, 
also permit limited motor vehicle access by individuals and others 
within the area where such access is compatible with the protection 
and propagation of wildlife and where such access was established 
prior to the date of enactment of this Act. Management direction for 
the area that recognizes these values shall be included in the forest 
plan developed for the Gallatin National Forest in accordance with 
section 6 of the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Plan-
ning Act of 1974 as amended by the National Forest Management 
Act of 1976. 
DESIGNATION AND MANAGEMENT OF CERTAIN NATIONAL FOREST LANDS 
IN THE STATE OF MONTANA 
SEC. 3. (a) The Congress hereby determines and directs that— 
(1) the areas listed in subsection (b) of this section have been 
adequately studied for wilderness pursuant to Public Law 95-
150 or in the RARE II Final Environmental Statement (dated 
January 1979); 
(2) such studies shall constitute an adequate consideration of 
the suitability of such lands for inclusion in the National Wil-
derness Preservation System and the Department of Agricul-
ture shall not be required to review the wilderness option for 
such areas prior to revision of the initial plans required for such 
lands by the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Plan-
ning Act of 1974 as amended by the National Forest Manage-
ment Act of 1976 (Public Law 94-588) and in no case prior to the 
date established by law for completion of the initial planning 
cycle; 
(3) such areas need not be managed, unless otherwise speci-
fied in this Act, for the purposes of protecting their suitability 
for wilderness designation pending revision of the initial plans. 
(b) The areas covered by subsection (a) of this section are as 
follows: 
(1) the Mount Henry Wilderness Study Area as designated by 
Public Law 95-150; 
(2) those portions of the Taylor-Hilgard Wilderness Study 
Area as designated by Public Law 95-150 but not designated as 
wilderness by this Act; 
(3) certain lands on the Gallatin National Forest and Beaver-
head National Forest identified as area 1549 in the Forest 
Service Roadless Area Review and Evaluation (II) Final Envi-
ronmental Statement, Executive Communication Numbered 
1504, May 3, 1979, not designated as wilderness by this Act; 
(4) certain lands on the Custer National Forest known as the 
proposed Tongue River Breaks Wilderness, which comprise ap-
proximately sixteen thousand five hundred acres, as identified 
in Executive Communication Numbered 1504, Ninety-sixth Con-
gress (House Document Numbered 96-119). 
(c)(1) The lands described in subsection (c)(2) of this section have 
been adequately studied for wilderness pursuant to section 603 of 
the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (Public Law 94-579) 
and are no longer subject to the requirement of section 603(c) of the 
Federal Land Policy and Management Act pertaining to manage-
ment in a manner that does not impair suitability for preservation 
as wilderness. 
PUBLIC LAW 98-140—OCT. 31, 1983 
97 STAT. 903 
16 u s e 1132 
note. 
(2) The lands covered by subsection (c)(1) of this section are as Wilderness 
follows: 
study areas. 
(A) certain lands administered by the Bureau of Land Man-
agement in the Powder River Resource Area, Montana, identi-
fied as area numbered 736, Tongue River Breaks Contiguity, 
comprising approximately two thousand acres as described in 
the "Final Decision Montana Wilderness Inventory" published 
November 1980 by the Bureau of Land Management; 
(B) certain lands administered by the Bureau of Land Man-
agement in the Dillon Resource Area, Montana, identified as 
area numbered MT-076-079 "Madison Tack-Ons" comprising 
approximately one thousand five hundred acres, as described in 
the "Final Decision Montana Overthrust Belt Wilderness Inven-
tory" published by the Bureau of Land Management, not other-
wise designated as wilderness by this Act; and 
(C) certain lands administered by the Bureau of Land Man-
agement known as "Bear Trap Canyon Study Area", Madison 
County, Montana, as described in "Draft Suitability and Envi-
ronmental Impact Statement for Wilderness Designation of 
Bear Trap Canyon Instant Study Area" published April 1980 by 
the Bureau of Land Management, not otherwise designated as 
wilderness by this Act. 
(d) The boundary of the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness, Mon-
tana, as designated by Public Law 95-249, is hereby modified to 
exclude from the wilderness approximately forty acres in the West 
Fork of Mill Creek and approximately twenty-seven acres in the 
Passage Creek drainage as depicted on a map entitled "Absaroka-
Beartooth Wilderness-West Fork Mill Creek and Passage Creek 
Deletions", dated August 1983. 
(e) The boundary of the UL Bend Wilderness, Montana, as desig-
nated by Public Law 94-557 is hereby modified to exclude from the 
wilderness approximately twenty-eight acres as depicted on a map 
entitled "UL Bend Wilderness Deletion", dated July 1983. 
(f) To provide for more efficient administration of lands designated 
by this Act as wilderness: 
(1) the exterior boundaries of the Beaverhead and Gallatin 
National Forests in the State of Montana are hereby modified to 
exclude all lands within the Bear Trap Canyon portion of the 
Lee Metcalf Wilderness and the said national forest boundaries 
shall hereafter be the same as the wilderness boundaries 
depicted on the maps referred to in section 2(a) of this Act. All 
national forest lands within the Bear Trap Canyon portion of 
the Lee Metcalf Wilderness are transferred to the administra-
tion of the Secretary of the Interior to be managed as public 
lands in accordance with this Act, the Wilderness Act and the 
Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976, as amended 
(90 Stat. 2743); 
(2) the public lands in section 12, township 10 south, range 1 
east, Montana principal meridian, administered by the Secre-
tary of the Interior are hereby transferred to the Secretary of 
Agriculture to be hereafter administered in accordance with 
this Act the laws, rules, and regulations applicable to the 
national forest system; 
(3) for purposes of section 7 of the Land and Water Conserva-
tion Fund Act of 1965 (78 Stat. 903, as amended), the boundaries 16 use 460Z-9. 
of the Beaverhead and Gallatin National Forests, as modified by 
16 u s e 1132 
note. 
Administration 
of designated 
lands. 
16 u s e 1131 
note. 
43 u s e 1701 
note. 
97 STAT. 904 
PUBLIC LAW 98-140—OCT. 31, 1983 
Land use 
authorizations. 
this subsection, shall be treated as if they were the boundaries 
of those forests on January 1,1965; 
(4) nothing in this Act shall affect valid existing rights or 
interests in existing land use authorizations, except that any 
such right or authorization shall hereafter be administered by 
the agency having jurisdiction of the land after the enactment 
of this Act, in accordance with this Act and applicable law. 
Reissuance of any such authorization shall be in accordance 
with applicable law and the regulations of the agency having 
jurisdiction. 
LAND ACQUISITION AND EXCHANGE 
SEC. 4. (a) The Congress finds that the wilderness area within the 
Gallatin and Beaverhead National Forests in Montana established 
by this Act contains significant amounts of intermingled lands 
owned by Burlington Northern Railroad Company and that in order 
to manage the wilderness in an efficient and effective manner these 
lands should be owned by the Federal Government. Notwithstand-
ing any other provision of law, this section hereby authorizes and 
directs the exchange of lands and interests in lands between Bur-
lington Northern Railroad Company and the United States through 
the Secretary and the revocation of existing withdrawals on the 
Federal lands. Accordingly, the Congress directs the Secretary to 
accept from Burlington Northern Railroad Company the following 
described lands and interests therein, consisting of twenty-four 
thousand and seven and twenty-three one-hundredths acres of land, 
more or less, subject to valid existing rights of record acceptable to 
the Secretary. 
Township 6 South, Range 1 East, Montana Principal Meridian 
Section 13: All, 
Township 6 South, Range 2 East 
Section 1: 
Lots 13,14, 
North half, 
West half southeast quarter. 
Section 19: All fractional, 
Section 27: All, 
Section 29: All, 
Section 31: All fractional. 
Section 33: All, 
Township 7 South, Range 1 East 
Section 1: All fractional. 
Section 3: 
Lots 1 and 2, 
South half northeast quarter. 
Section 11: North half northeast quarter. 
Township 7 South, Range 2 East 
Section 5: All fractional, 
Section 15: All, 
PUBLIC LAW 98-140—OCT. 31, 1983 
97 STAT. 905 
Section 17: All, 
Section 21: All, 
Section 25: All, 
Section 27: North half. 
Southeast quarter. 
East half southwest quarter, 
Section 85: North half, 
Township 7 South, Range 3 East 
Section 31: All fractional. 
Township 8 South, Range 1 East 
Section 25: North half. 
Township 8 South, Range 2 East 
Section 1: All fractional. 
Section 3: All fractional. 
Section 9: All, 
Section 11: All, 
Section 13: All, 
Section 15: All, 
Section 17: All, 
Section 19: All fractional. 
Section 21: All, 
Section 23: All, 
Section 25: All, 
Section 27: All, 
Section 33: East half. 
Section 35: All, 
Township 8 South, Range 3 East 
Section 5: All fractional, 
Section 7: All fractional. 
Section 17: All, 
Section 19: All fractional. 
Section 21: West half. 
Section 29: All, 
Section 31: Lots 1 and 2, 
Northeast quarter, 
East half northwest quarter. 
Township 9 South, Range 2 East 
Section 1: All fractional. 
Section 11: All. 
The lands acquired by the United States under the provisions of this 
section shall become parts of the Gallatin and Beaverhead National 
Forests subject to the laws, rules, and regulations applicable to the 
national forest system. 
(b) Upon acceptance of title by the United States to the lands Conveyance. 
described in subsection (a) of this section, the United States through 
the Secretary shall convey to Burlington Northern Railroad Com-
pany all right, title, and interests to the following described national 
forest system lands and interests therein, consisting of eleven thou-
97 STAT. 906 
PUBLIC LAW 98-140—OCT. 31, 1983 
sand eight hundred and ten and forty-seven one-hundredths acres of 
land more or less, which are of substantially equal value to the 
lands and interests conveyed to the United States and described as 
follows: 
Township 5 South, Range 1 East, Montana Principal Meridian 
Section 24: South half. 
Section 26: All, 
Section 34: 
Lots 1, 2, 3, 4, 
Southeast quarter. 
Section 36: All, less HES 187 and 190, 
Township 5 South, Range 2 East 
Section 30: All fractional, 
Section 32: All, 
Section 34: South half. 
Township 6 South, Range 1 East 
Section 2: All fractional. 
Section 12: All, 
Township 6 South, Range 2 East 
Section 2: All fractional. 
Section 4: All fractional, 
Section 6: All fractional. 
Section 8: All, 
Section 10: All, 
Section 12: All fractional. 
Section 14: All, 
Section 16: All, 
Section 22: All, 
Section 24: All, 
Township 6 South, Range 3 East 
Section 18: All fractional. 
The lands described in this subsection are conveyed subject to the 
following reservations: 
(1) ditches and canals as provided for in the Act of August 30, 
1890 (26 Stat. 391, 43 U.S.C. 945); and 
(2) for so long as the Secretary deems necessary, Burlington 
Northern Railroad Company accepts the responsibility accruing 
from this exchange to provide and manage three (3) public 
recreational accesses, including trail head facilities, in the Jack 
Creek drainage over routes approximately as illustrated on 
Exhibit C of the Memorandum of Understanding dated Novem-
ber 20, 1981, between the United States Forest Service and 
Burlington Northern Railroad Company to utilize national 
forest lands. 
Conveyances. 
(c) The transactions necessary to effect the conveyances of title to 
lands authorized by this section shall be completed within ninety 
days of enactment of this Act: Provided, That the rights and respon-
PUBLIC LAW 98-140—OCT. 31, 1983 
97 STAT. 907 
sibilities of the respective owners shall remain with such owners 
until such time as the conveyances are executed. 
(d) The following orders of withdrawal, as they apply to the lands 
conveyed by the United States and involved in the transactions 
authorized by this section, are hereby revoked: 
Executive Order Numbered 30—Montana 7—Phosphate Re-
serve—October 9, 1917 (one hundred and eighty-five acres). 
Executive Order Numbered 30—Montana 8—Coal Reserve— 
December 27, 1911 (two thousand two hundred and eighty 
acres). 
Montana 1—Coal Reserve—July 9, 1910 (seven thousand 
three hundred and sixteen and seventy-three one-hundredths 
acres). 
Public Land Order Numbered 1370—Hammond Administra-
tive Site—November 28,1956. 
Public Land Order Numbered 909—Jack Creek Administra-
tive Site—July 13,1953. 
Orders of 
withdrawal. 
FILING OF MAPS AND DESCRIPTIONS 
SEC. 5. As soon as practicable after enactment of this Act, maps 
and legal descriptions of the Lee Metcalf Wilderness shall be filed 
with the Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs of the House of 
Representatives and the Committee on Energy and Natural Re-
sources of the United States Senate, and such maps and legal 
descriptions shall have the same force and effect as if included in 
this Act: Provided, however, That correction of clerical and typo-
graphical errors in such legal descriptions and maps may be made. 
Submittal to 
congressional 
committees. 
Land leases and 
bidding rights. 
16 u s e 460^^^. 
"Money." 
AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS 
SEC. 6. There is hereby authorized to be appropriated such funds 
as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of this Act. 
SEC. 7. (a) Subsection Ot))(3) of section 4 of the Rattlesnake National 
Recreation Area and Wilderness Act of 1980 (Public Law 96-476) is 
amended to read as follows: 
"(3) If for any reason, including but not limited to the failure 
of the Secretary of the Interior to offer for lease lands in the 
Montana portion of the Powder River Coal Production Region 
as defined in the Federal Register of November 9, 1979 (44 F.R. 
65196), or the failure of the holder of the bidding rights to 
submit a successful high bid for any such leases, any bidding 
rights issued in an exchange under this Act have not been 
exercised within two years from the date of enactment of this 
Act, the bidding rights may be used as a monetary credit, which 
shall be considered 'money' within the meaning of section 35 of 
the Mineral Lands Leasing Act of 1920 (30 U.S.C. 191), against 
that portion of bonus payments, rental or royalty payments 
paid into the Treasury of the United States and retained by the 
Federal Government on any Federal coal lease won or otherwise 
held by the applicant, its successors or assigns. The holder of the 
bidding rights shall pay the balance due on such bonus pay-
ments, rental or royalty payments in cash for transmittal to the 
States in the same manner and in the same amounts as though 
the entire payment were made in cash under the provisions of 
the Mineral Leasing Act of 1920 as amended. The bidding rights 30 use 181 note 
may be transferred or sold at any time by the owner to any 
97 STAT. 908 
PUBLIC LAW 98-140—OCT. 31, 1983 
Lands exchange 
and bidding 
rights. 
16 u s e 460i/-3. 
"Cash 
Equivalency 
Rate." 
other party with all the rights of the owner to the credit, and 
after such transfer, the owner shall notify the Secretary.". 
(b) Section 4 of the Rattlesnake National Recreation Area and 
Wilderness Act of 1980 (Public Law 96-476) is further amended by 
adding a new subsection to read as follows: 
"(e) The Secretary of the Interior, in consultation with the Secre-
tary of Agriculture, shall consummate the exchange of the lands 
owned by the Montana Power Company within the boundaries of 
the Rattlesnake National Recreation Area and Rattlesnake Wilder-
ness by issuing bidding rights to the Montana Power Company 
which shall equal the negotiated cash equivalent of the fair market 
value of such Montana Power Company lands, as provided in the 
agreement of April 4,1983, signed by the authorized representatives 
of the Secretary of Agriculture, the Secretary of the Interior and the 
Montana Power Company, except that adjustments in the 'Cash 
Equivalency Rate' referred to in said agreement shall not exceed a 
rate determined by the Secretary of the Interior taking into consid-
eration the current average market yield on outstanding market-
able obligations of the United States with remaining periods to 
maturity comparable to the remaining period during which the 
bidding rights may be used.". 
Approved October 31, 1983. 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—S. 96: 
HOUSE REPORT No. 98-405, Pt. 1 (Comm. on Interior and Insular Affairs). 
SENATE REPORT No. 98-16 (Comm. on Energy and Natural Resources). 
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 129 (1983): 
Apr. 13, considered and passed Senate. 
Oct. 6, considered and passed House, amended. 
Oct. 19, Senate concurred in House amendment.