Bureau of Land Management Wilderness Study

Within fifteen years after October 21, 1976 , the Secretary shall review those roadless areas of five thousand acres or more and roadless islands of the public lands, identified during the inventory required by section 1711(a) of this title as having wilderness characteristics described in the Wilderness Act of September 3, 1964 ( 78 Stat. 890 ; 16 U.S.C. 1131 et seq.) and shall from time to time report to the President his recommendation as to the suitability or nonsuitability of each such area or island for preservation as wilderness: Provided , That prior to any recommendations for the designation of an area as wilderness the Secretary shall cause mineral surveys to be conducted by the United States Geological Survey and the United States Bureau of Mines to determine the mineral values, if any, that may be present in such areas: Provided further , That the Secretary shall report to the President by July 1, 1980 , his recommendations on those areas which the Secretary has prior to November 1, 1975 , formally identified as natural or primitive areas. The review required by this subsection shall be conducted in accordance with the procedure specified in section 3(d) of the Wilderness Act [ 16 U.S.C. 1132(d) ].

( Pub. L. 94–579, title VI, § 603 , Oct. 21, 1976 , 90 Stat. 2785 ; Pub. L. 102–154, title I , Nov. 13, 1991 , 105 Stat. 1000 ; Pub. L. 102–285, § 10(b) , May 18, 1992 , 106 Stat. 172 .)