Wilderness designation of Bureau of Land Management lands and impacts on the availability of energy resources
In 1964 Congress mandated the establishment of the National Wilderness Preservation System - a collection of federal lands dedicated to the preservation of selected parts of our once vast wilderness. Because wilderness management precludes many traditional land uses, controversy has plagued the efforts of land-management agencies to select and recommend areas for wilderness inclusion. This study examines potential impacts on the supply of energy resources from the possible withdrawal by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) of some part of the 24.3 million acres of public lands now under study for inclusion in the wilderness system. Except for uranium, the energy-resource potential of the total WSA-acreage is low. Wilderness designation of some WSAs is therefore not expected to cause serious impacts on the future availability of energy resources. Because the significance of land withdrawals by the BLM will depend to some extent on the availability of other federal lands for mineral activities, an up-to-date estimate of the current and future status-of-access to western federal lands for mineral activities was prepared. Overall conclusions of the report are that (1) the inclusion of some BLM land in the National Wilderness Preservation System will not interfere with the nation's required supply of energy resources, (2) there is sufficient federal land currently available in the West for mineral activities, (3) the availability of western federal land for mineral activities will increase in the future, (4) the administration should continue to support the major land-review programs, and (5) the administration should accelerate the review process for WSAs in regions that have a high energy-resource potential.
- Research Organization:
- Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (USA); Science Applications, Inc., Oak Ridge, TN (USA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-26
- OSTI ID:
- 6532228
- Report Number(s):
- ORNL/TM-8310; ON: DE83008306
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Interrelationships of the Mineral Lands Leasing Act, the Wilderness Act, and the Endangered Species Act: a conflict in search of resolution
Reconnaissance geochemical assessment of the Clover Mountains Bureau of Land Management Wilderness Study Area (NV-050-139), Lincoln County, Nevada
Related Subjects
290300* -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Environment
Health
& Safety
290400 -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Energy Resources
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
COAL
ECONOMIC IMPACT
ELECTRIC POWER
ENERGY SOURCES
FEDERAL REGION IX
FEDERAL REGION VIII
FEDERAL REGION X
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
GEOTHERMAL RESOURCES
Geothermal Legacy
HYDROELECTRIC POWER
MATERIALS
MINERAL RESOURCES
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
NATURAL GAS DEPOSITS
NATURE RESERVES
NORTH AMERICA
PETROLEUM DEPOSITS
POWER
RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES
RESOURCE POTENTIAL
RESOURCES
URANIUM DEPOSITS
US DOI
US ORGANIZATIONS
USA