Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 98 Part 2.djvu/1189

 PUBLIC LAW 98-508—OCT. 19, 1984

98 STAT. 2349

Public Law 98-508 98th Congress An Act To designate certain national forest system lands in the State of Arkansas for inclusion in the National Wilderness Preservation System, and for other purposes.

Oct. 19, 1984 [S. 2125]

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled. That this Act may Arkansas Wilderness Act be cited as the "Arkansas Wilderness Act of 1984". of 1984. SEC. 2. (a) The Congress finds that— National (1) many areas of undeveloped national forest system lands in Wilderness the State of Arkansas possess outstanding natural characteris- Preservation tics which give them high values as wilderness and will, if System. Forest properly preserved, contribute as an enduring resource of wil- National System. derness 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 Arkansas and the related congressional review of such lands have identified areas which, on the basis of their land-form, 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 Arkansas and the related congressional review of such lands have also identified areas which do not possess outstanding 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 available for nonwilderness multiple uses under the land management planning process and other applicable laws. (b) The purposes of this Act are to— (1) designate certain national forest system lands in the State of Arkansas as components of the National Wilderness Preservation System, in order to promote, perpetuate, and preserve the wilderness character of the land, protect watersheds and wildlife habitat, preserve scenic and historic resources, and promote scientific research, primitive recreation, solitude, physical and mental challenge, and inspiration 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 Arkansas be available for nonwilderness multiple uses. SEC. 3. In furtherance of the purposes of the Wilderness Act, the 16 USC 1131 following lands in the State of Arkansas are hereby designated as note. wilderness and, therefore, as components of the National Wilderness Preservation System: (a) certain lands in the Ouachita National Forest, Arkansas, 16 USC 1132 which comprise approximately seven thousand five hundred note.

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