What
is a Wilderness Study Area (WSA)? Well back when Congress created the Wilderness
Act in 1964, they sent the BLM and other federal land agencies off to find where
all the potential Wilderness Areas lied. All of these areas were declared WSAs
and were intended to be short-lived designations that give the
appropriate government agencies an opportunity to determine whether to recommend
to Congress that land be officially designated as a permanent Wilderness Area.
During this “study” period, federal
agencies must protect them as if they were Wilderness Areas.Once the federal agency determines suitability (if they ever actually do)
Congress then needs to take action to either designate or release the area.Well, when Congress thought up the Wilderness Act, they never factored in
what to do with WSAs that didn’t get designated as Wilderness (this perpetual
study of an area simply leaves land closed off to human use without
congressional approval).
Amazingly, 665 such designations, covering nearly 23 million acres,
exist in 18 states.
Wilderness Study Areas exist at the following Sand Dunes:
All of the Wilderness Study Areas at these dunes were determined
by the Bureau of Land Management to be not suitable for designation as
Wilderness. But until
Congress either affirmatively designates or expressly rejects a particular WSA
for wilderness preservation, the FLPMA mandates that the BLM "shall
continue to manage" the WSAs "in a manner so as not to impair the
suitability of such areas for preservation as wilderness."
How can a WSA impact your ability to ride?
At Coral Pink in Utah (Moquith Mountain BLM wilderness study
area), the fight went all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court:
And the battle didn't end with the
Supreme Court. SUWA is still fighting to get the Moquith WSA to be
designated as Wilderness. And the BLM has been closing trails and
limiting camping (and may completely close) camping at the meadow.
Action Items:
Contact
your members of Congress and ask them to support a Wilderness Study
Release bill so that WSA's are not left in limbo forever. You can also send Congressman
Otter (HR 1153, HR 4620) & Congressman
Doolittle (HR 4589) a letter asking them to reintroduce their WSA release
bills.
Please note: If you do not live within their district, you
must use US mail or Fax. Your letters don't have to be long. Just tell
them that you and your family enjoy using OHVs at a particular dune, and that
you are concerned about the impact of the WSA on future access. Ask them
to author a bill that would release the particular WSA. Simple.
Pictures:
St. Anthony, ID
Christmas Valley, OR
Coral Pink, UT
History of Congressional Wilderness Study Area Reform
108th Congress (2002 - 2003)
H.R.1153
: America's Wilderness Protection Act
Sponsor:Rep. Otter, C. L. (Butch) [ID-1] + 17 cosponsors
107th Congress (2001 - 2002)
H.R.4620
: America's Wilderness Protection Act
Sponsor:Rep Otter, C. L. (Butch) [ID-1] + 36 cosponsors
H.R.4589
: Wilderness Study Area Release Act
Sponsor: Rep Doolittle, John T. [CA-4] + 7 cosponsors
106th Congress (1999 - 2000)
H.R.
1500 & H.R.1258
: America's Wilderness Protection Act
Sponsor:Rep Hansen, James V. [UT-1] + 17 cosponsors
Wilderness
Act of September 3, 1964's definition of "wilderness."See 43 U.S.C.1782(a).That act, in relevant part, defines "wilderness" as an area of
undeveloped Federal land retaining its primeval character and influence, without
permanent improvements or human habitation, . . . which (1) generally appears to
have been affected primarily by the forces of nature, with the imprint of man's
work substantially unnoticeable; (2) has outstanding opportunities for solitude
or a primitive and unconfined type of recreation; (3) has at least five thousand
acres of land or is of sufficient size to make practicable its preservation and
use in an unimpaired condition; and (4) may also contain ecological, geological,
or other features of scientific, educational, scenic, or historical value.
