--- kind: "section" citation: "43 U.S.C. § 1782" title: "43" title_heading: "Public Lands" number: "1782" heading: "Bureau of Land Management Wilderness Study" release: "119-102" date: "2026-07-12" url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/43/1782" units: - "Chapter 35 — Federal Land Policy and Management" - "Subchapter VI — Designated Management Areas" --- # §1782. Bureau of Land Management Wilderness Study - (a) **Lands subject to review and designation as wilderness—** Within fifteen years after October 21, 1976, the [Secretary](/usc/43/1702.md?p=g) shall review those roadless areas of five thousand acres or more and roadless islands of the [public lands](/usc/43/1702.md?p=e), identified during the inventory required by [section 1711(a) of this title](/usc/43/1711.md?p=a) as having [wilderness](/usc/43/1702.md?p=i) characteristics described in the Wilderness Act of September 3, 1964 (78 Stat. 890; [16 U.S.C. 1131](/usc/16/1131.md) 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](/usc/43/1702.md?p=i): Provided, That prior to any recommendations for the designation of an area as [wilderness](/usc/43/1702.md?p=i) the [Secretary](/usc/43/1702.md?p=g) shall cause mineral [surveys](/usc/43/31b.md?p=10) to be conducted by the United States Geological [Survey](/usc/43/31b.md?p=10) 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](/usc/43/1702.md?p=g) shall report to the President by July 1, 1980, his recommendations on those areas which the [Secretary](/usc/43/1702.md?p=g) 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)](/usc/16/1132.md?p=d)]. - (b) **Presidential recommendation for designation as wilderness—** The President shall advise the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives of his recommendations with respect to designation as [wilderness](/usc/43/1702.md?p=i) of each such area, together with a map thereof and a definition of its boundaries. Such advice by the President shall be given within two years of the receipt of each report from the [Secretary](/usc/43/1702.md?p=g). A recommendation of the President for designation as [wilderness](/usc/43/1702.md?p=i) shall become effective only if so provided by an Act of Congress. - (c) **Status of lands during period of review and determination—** During the period of review of such areas and until Congress has determined otherwise, the [Secretary](/usc/43/1702.md?p=g) shall continue to manage such lands according to his authority under this Act and other applicable law in a manner so as not to impair the suitability of such areas for preservation as [wilderness](/usc/43/1702.md?p=i), subject, however, to the continuation of existing mining and grazing uses and mineral leasing in the manner and degree in which the same was being conducted on October 21, 1976: Provided, That, in managing the [public lands](/usc/43/1702.md?p=e) the [Secretary](/usc/43/1702.md?p=g) shall by regulation or otherwise take any action required to prevent unnecessary or undue degradation of the lands and their resources or to afford environmental protection. Unless previously withdrawn from appropriation under the mining laws, such lands shall continue to be subject to such appropriation during the period of review unless withdrawn by the [Secretary](/usc/43/1702.md?p=g) under the procedures of [section 1714 of this title](/usc/43/1714.md) for reasons other than preservation of their [wilderness](/usc/43/1702.md?p=i) character. Once an area has been designated for preservation as [wilderness](/usc/43/1702.md?p=i), the provisions of the Wilderness Act [[16 U.S.C. 1131](/usc/16/1131.md) et seq.] which apply to national forest [wilderness](/usc/43/1702.md?p=i) areas shall apply with respect to the administration and use of such designated area, including mineral [surveys](/usc/43/31b.md?p=10) required by section 4(d)(2) of the Wilderness Act [[16 U.S.C. 1133(d)(2)](/usc/16/1133.md?p=d-2)], and mineral development, access, exchange of lands, and ingress and egress for mining claimants and occupants. ## Source credit (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.) ## Notes ### Editorial Notes ### References in Text The Wilderness Act of September 3, 1964, referred to in subsecs. (a) and (c), is Pub. L. 88–577, Sept. 3, 1964, 78 Stat. 890, which is classified generally to chapter 23 (§ 1131 et seq.) of Title 16, Conservation. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 1131 of Title 16 and Tables. This Act, referred to in subsec. (c), is Pub. L. 94–579, Oct. 21, 1976, 90 Stat. 2743, known as the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Tables. ### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries ### Change of Name “United States Geological Survey” substituted for “Geological Survey” in subsec. (a) pursuant to provision of title I of Pub. L. 102–154, set out as a note under section 31 of this title. “United States Bureau of Mines” substituted for “Bureau of Mines” in subsec. (a) pursuant to section 10(b) of Pub. L. 102–285, set out as a note under section 1 of Title 30, Mineral Lands and Mining. For provisions relating to closure and transfer of functions of the United States Bureau of Mines, see note set out under section 1 of Title 30. Pub. L. 104–134, title I, § 101(c) [title I], Apr. 26, 1996, 110 Stat. 1321–156, 1321–165; renumbered title I, Pub. L. 104–140, § 1(a), May 2, 1996, 110 Stat. 1327, provided in part: “That the authority granted to the United States Bureau of Mines to conduct mineral surveys and to determine mineral values by section 603 of Public Law 94–579 [43 U.S.C. 1782] is hereby transferred to, and vested in, the Director of the United States Geological Survey.”