Michigan Wilderness Act of 1987
PL 100-184 (H.R.148), enacted 12/08/1987

SHORT TITLE 
101 STAT. 1274 
PUBLIC LAW 100-184—DEC. 8, 1987 
Public Law 100-184 
100th Congress 
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An Act 
Dec. 8, 1987 
To designate certain public lands in the State of Michigan as wilderness, and for 
[H.R. 148] 
other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
Michigan 
United States of America in Congress assembled, 
Wilderness 
Act of 1987. 
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National 
Preservation 
SECTION 1. This Act may be cited as the "Michigan Wilderness Act 
System. 
of 1987". 
Forests and 
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forest products. 
FINDINGS 
SEC. 2. In designating wilderness areas pursuant to this Act, the 
Congress— 
(1) finds, as provided in the Wilderness Act, that such areas— 
(A) generally appear to have been affected primarily by 
the forces of nature, with the imprint of man's work 
substantially unnoticeable; 
(B) have outstanding opportunities for solitude or a primi-
tive and unconfined type of recreation; and 
(C) contain ecological, geological, and other features of 
scientific, educational, and scenic value; and 
Pollution. 
(2) considers significant the assurances of the Governor of 
Michigan that he has no intention of seeking more stringent air 
quality standards which would impinge on development of lands 
surrounding wilderness areas designated by this Act. 
DESIGNATION OF WILDERNESS AREAS 
16 use 1132 
SEC. 3. In furtherance of the purposes of the Wilderness Act of 
note. 
1964 (16 U.S.C. 1131), the following lands in the State of Michigan 
are hereby designated as wilderness, and therefore as components of 
the National Wilderness Preservation System— 
(a) subject to valid existing rights and reasonable access to 
exercise such rights certain lands in the Manistee National 
Forest, comprising approximately three thousand four hundred 
and fifty acres as generally depicted on a map entitled 
"Nordhouse Dunes Wilderness—Proposed", dated November 
1987, 
and which shall be known as the Nordhouse Dunes 
Wilderness; 
(b) certain lands in the Ottawa National Forest, comprising 
approximately eighteen thousand three hundred and twenty 
seven acres as generally depicted on a map entitled "Sylvania 
Wilderness—Proposed", dated November 1987, and which shall 
be known as the Sylvania Wilderness; 
(c) certain lands in the Ottawa National Forest, comprising 
approximately fourteen thousand five hundred acres as gen-
erally depicted on a map entitled "Sturgeon River Gorge 
PUBLIC LAW 100-184—DEC. 8, 1987 
101 STAT. 1275 
Wilderness—Proposed", dated November 1987, and which shall 
be known as the Sturgeon River Gorge Wilderness; 
(d) certain lands in the Hiawatha National Forest, comprising 
approximately four thousand six hundred and forty acres as 
generally depicted on a map entitled "Rock River Canyon 
Wilderness—Proposed", dated November 1987, and which shall 
be known as the Rock River Canyon Wilderness; 
(e) certain lands in the Hiawatha National Forest, comprising 
approximately five thousand five hundred acres as generally 
depicted on a map entitled "Big Island Lake Wilderness— 
Proposed", dated November 1987, and which shall be known as 
; 
the Big Island Lake Wilderness; 
(f) certain lands in the Hiawatha National Forest, comprising 
approximately twelve thousand two hundred and thirty acres as 
generally depicted on a map entitled "Mackinac Wilderness— 
Proposed", dated November 1987, and which shall be known as 
the Mackinac Wilderness; 
(g) certain lands in the Hiawatha National Forest, comprising 
approximately three thousand seven hundred and ninety acres 
as generally depicted on a map entitled "Horseshoe Bay Wilder-
ness—Proposed", dated November 1987, and shall be known as 
the Horseshoe Bay Wilderness; 
(h) certain lands in the Hiawatha National Forest, comprising 
approximately three hundred and seventy eight acres as gen-
erally depicted on a map entitled "Round Island Wilderness— 
Proposed", dated November 1987, and which shall be known as 
the Round Island Wilderness; 
(i) certain lands in the Ottawa National Forest, comprising 
approximately sixteen thousand eight hundred and fifty acres 
as generally depicted on a map entitled "McCormick Wilder-
ness—Proposed", dated November 1987, and which shall be 
known as the McCormick Wilderness; and 
(j) certain lands in the Hiawatha National Forest, comprising 
approximately eleven thousand eight hundred and seventy 
acres as generally depicted on a map entitled "Delirium Wilder-
ness—Proposed", dated November 1987, and which shall be 
known as the Delirium Wilderness. 
DESCRIPTION AND MAPS 
SEC. 4. As soon as practicable after this Act takes effect, the 
Secretary of Agriculture shall file maps and legal descriptions of 
each wilderness area designated by this title with the Committee on 
Energy and Natural Resources, United States Senate, and the 
Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs, House of Representa-
tives, and each such map and legal description shall have the same 
force and effect as if included in this Act: Provided, however, That 
correction of clerical and typographical errors in such legal descrip-
tions and maps may be made. Each such map and legal description public 
shall be on file and available for public inspection in the office of the information. 
Chief of the Forest Service, Department of Agriculture. 
ADMINISTRATION OF WILDERNESS AREAS 
SEC. 5. 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 
91-194 O - 90 -10 : QL.3 Part 2 
101 STAT. 1276 
PUBLIC LAW 100-184—DEC. 8, 1987 
of 1964 governing areas designated by that Act as wilderness areas 
except that with respect to any area designated in 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. 
RARE II REVIEW 
^ SEC. 6. (a) The Congress finds that— 
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(1) the Department of Agriculture has completed the second 
roadless area review and evaluation program (RARE II); and 
Environmental 
(2) the Congress has made its own review and examination of 
protection. 
National Forest System roadless areas in the State of Michigan 
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and of the environmental impacts associated with alternative 
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allocations of such areas. 
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(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 
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lands in the State of Michigan; such statement shall not be 
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subject to judicial review with respect to National Forest 
System lands in the State of Michigan; 
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(2) with respect to the National Forest System lands in the 
State of Michigan which were reviewed by the Department of 
Agriculture in the second roadless area review and evaluation 
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(RARE II) and those lands referred to in subsection (d), that 
review and evaluation or reference shall be deemed for the 
ii 
purposes of the initial land management plans required for such 
lands by the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Plan-
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ning Act of 1974, as amended by the National Forest Manage-
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f 
ment Act of 1976, to be an adequate consideration of the suit-
ability of such lands for inclusion in the National Wilderness 
Preservation System and the Department of Agriculture shall 
not be required to review the wilderness option prior to the 
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revisions of the plans, but shall review the wilderness option 
ft, 
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 Michigan 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 management 
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plans pursuant to section 6 of the Forest and Rangeland Renew-
able Resources Planning Act of 1974, as amended by the Na-
tional Forest Management Act of 1976: Provided, That such 
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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; 
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(4) in the event that revised land management plans in the 
State of Michigan are implemented 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, and other applicable law, areas not recommended for 
f':' 
wilderness designation need not be managed for the purpose of 
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protecting their suitability for wilderness designation prior to or 
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during revision of such plans, and areas recommended for 
PUBLIC LAW 100-184—DEC. 8, 1987 
101 STAT. 1277 
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; and 
(5) unless expressly authorized by Congress, the Department 
of Agriculture shall not conduct any further statewide roadless 
area review and evaluation of National Forest System lands in 
the State of Michigan for the purpose of determining their 
suitability for inclusion in the National Wilderness Preserva-
tion 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 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 National 
Forest System roadless lands in the State of Michigan which are less 
than five thousand acres in size. 
NONWILDERNESS ACTIVITIES 
SEC. 7. Congress does not intend that designation of wilderness 
areas in the State of Michigan 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 
areas within the wilderness shall not, of itself, preclude such activi-
ties or uses up to the boundary of the wilderness. 
HUNTING, FISHING, AND TRAPPING 
SEC. 8. As provided in section 4(d)(7) of the Wilderness Act, 
nothing in this Act shall be construed as affecting the jurisdiction or 
responsibilities of the State of Michigan with respect to wildlife and 
fish in the national forests in Michigan. 
INHOLDERS RIGHTS 
SEC. 9. As provided in section 5 of the Wilderness Act— 
(1) owners of private lands within any area designated by this 
Act shall be assured the right of adequate access; and 
(2) no privately owned lands within any area designated by 
this Act may be acquired without concurrence of the owner of 
such lands. 
101 STAT. 1278 
PUBLIC LAW 100-184—DEC. 8, 1987 
FIRE, INSECTS, AND DISEASE CONTROL 
SEC. 10. As provided in section 4(d)(1) of the Wilderness Act, the 
Secretary may take such measures as may be necessary to control 
fire, insects, and diseases within any area designated by this Act. 
Approved December 8, 1987. 
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LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—H.R. 148: 
HOUSE REPORTS: No. 100-29, Pt. 1 (Comm. on Interior and Insular Affairs) and Pt. 2 
(Comm. on Agriculture). 
SENATE REPORTS: No. 100-206 (Comm. on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry). 
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 133 (1987): 
Apr. 7, considered and passed House. 
Nov. 19, considered and passed Senate, amended. 
Nov. 20, House concurred in Senate amendment.