Home Mission 2007 Team Information Research Topics Sources Progress Journal	DEFINITION OF WILDERNESS Summary:  Wilderness is defined as the existence of land without permanent human impact.  Companies are allowed to exploit mineral resources on lands designated as wilderness, but full restoration of the land is required. Purpose:  Parts of ANWR are defined as wilderness so as the political team it is necessary to know what constitutes wilderness and how it is protected. Relevance:  The 1002 region of ANWR is not defined as wilderness, so it is not protected under these regulations.  If oil drilling occurs it is important to note that 1002 cannot be defined as wilderness because of the impact drilling will have.  One way environmentalists could protect the 1002 region even more is by petitioning for it to be defined as wilderness.  The extra protection this title creates would require a decision to drill to fulfill more requirements than currently necessary. I found the purpose of the National Wilderness Preservation System and the definition of wilderness. Title 16-Conservation     Chapter 23-National Wilderness Preservation System         Section 1131:  National Wilderness Preservation System             -(a) ". . .the policy of the Congress to secure for the American people of present and future generations the benefits of an enduring resource of wilderness.  For this purpose there is hereby established a National Wilderness Preservation System to be composed of federally owned areas  . . Shall be administered for the use and enjoyment of the American people in such a manner as will leave them unimpaired for future use and enjoyment as wilderness. . ."             -(c) "Wilderness" is  ". . .hereby recognized as an area where the earth and its community of life are untrammeled by man, where man himself is a visitor who does not remain."  ". . .further defined as. . .an area of undeveloped Federal land retaining its primeval character and influence, without permanent improvements or human habitation. . ."  ". . .(4) may also contain ecological, geological, or other features of scientific educational, scenic, or historical value." Corporations can survey wilderness with approval from the Secretary of the Interior.  Companies can extract minerals as long as restoration is performed as soon as possible after completion of extraction.      Section 1133:  Use of wilderness area           -(d) Special provisions                -(2)  Mineral activities, surveys for mineral value                     -"Nothing in this chapter shall prevent within national forest wilderness areas any activity, including prospecting, for the purpose of gathering information about mineral or other resources, if such activity is carried on in a manner compatible with the preservation of the wilderness environment.                       -jurisdiction:  Sec. of Interior w/ Sec. of agriculture                       -surveys:  USGS, USB of Mines                -(3)  Mining and mineral leasing laws. . .                     -". . .restoration as near as practicable of the surface of the land disturbed in performing prospecting, location, and, in oil and gas leasing, discovery work, exploration, drilling, and production, as soon as they have served their purpose."                       -"Provided, That, unless hereafter specifically authorized, no patent within wilderness areas designated by this chapter shall issue after December 31, 1983." Source:  U.S. Code Annotated.  United States of America, 2000.
Last updated: 9 Nov. 03 22:04 Page Layout: Mariela Perignon Kat Vater - kvater@mit.edu Team 9 - m2007-9@mit.edu