§460ll. Findings and declaration of policy

(a) The Congress finds that-

(1) certain lands on the Lolo National Forest in Montana have high value for watershed, water storage, wildlife habitat, primitive recreation, historical, scientific, ecological, and educational purposes. This national forest area has long been used as a wilderness by Montanans and by people throughout the Nation who value it as a source of solitude, wildlife, clean, free-flowing waters stored and used for municipal purposes for over a century, and primitive recreation, to include such activities as hiking, camping, backpacking, hunting, fishing, horse riding, and bicycling; and

(2) certain other lands on the Lolo National Forest, while not predominantly of wilderness quality, have high value for municipal watershed, recreation, wildlife habitat, and ecological and educational purposes.

(b) Therefore, it is hereby declared to be the policy of Congress that, to further the purposes of the Wilderness Act of 1964 (16 U.S.C. 1131) and the National Forest Management Act of 1976 (16 U.S.C. 1600), the people of the Nation and Montana would best be served by national recreation area designation of the Rattlesnake area to include the permanent preservation of certain of these lands under established statutory designation as wilderness, and to promote the watershed, recreational, wildlife, and educational values of the remainder of these lands.

( Pub. L. 96–476, §1, Oct. 19, 1980, 94 Stat. 2271 .)

Editorial Notes

References in Text

The Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1131), referred to in subsec. (b), is Pub. L. 88–577, Sept. 3, 1964, 78 Stat. 890 , which is classified generally to chapter 23 (§1131 et seq.) of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 1131 of this title and Tables.

The National Forest Management Act of 1976 (16 U.S.C. 1600), referred to in subsec. (b), is Pub. L. 94–588, Oct. 22, 1976, 90 Stat. 2949 , which enacted sections 472a, 521b, 1600, and 1611 to 1614 of this title, amended sections 500, 515, 516, 518, 576b, and 1601 to 1610 of this title, repealed sections 476, 513, and 514 of this title, and enacted provisions set out as notes under sections 476, 513, 528, 594–2, and 1600 of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title of 1976 Amendment note set out under section 1600 of this title and Tables.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Short Title

Pub. L. 96–476, §1, Oct. 19, 1980, 94 Stat. 2271 , provided in part: "That this Act [enacting this subchapter] may be cited as the 'Rattlesnake National Recreation Area and Wilderness Act of 1980'."