Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness Act
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| Long title | An Act to designate the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, to establish the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Mining Protection Area, and for other purposes. |
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| Nicknames | BWCA Wilderness Act |
| Enacted by | the 95th United States Congress |
| Effective | October 1, 1979 |
| Citations | |
| Public law | 95-495 |
| Statutes at Large | 92 Stat. 1649 |
| Codification | |
| Acts amended | Wilderness Act of 1964 |
| Legislative history | |
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The BWCA Wilderness Act of 1978 (Pub.L. 95-495) created the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW or BWCA), which was previously known as the Boundary Waters Canoe Area. The bill was introduced in October 1975 by United States Congressman Jim Oberstar and was a source of major controversy and debate. Topics of major concern were logging, mining, the use of snowmobiles and motorboats. After much debate, the Act was signed into law by President Jimmy Carter on October 21, 1978.
The main purpose of the law is to protect, preserve, and enhance the lakes, waterways and forested areas of the BWCA to enhance public enjoyment of the unique landscape and wildlife. It also intends to establish some form of management to maintain the area and places restrictions on logging, mining, and the use of motorized vehicles.
Serious concerns about destruction of the BWCA began to surface in the spring of 1964 when a group of people from the Twin Cities, Minnesota, known as the Conservation Affiliates, asked the United States Secretary of Agriculture Orville Freeman to stop logging and the use of motor vehicles in the Boundary Waters. On May 21, 1964, Secretary Freeman announced that he had appointed a Boundary Waters Canoe Area review committee, chaired by George A. Selke. Other members of this committee included Wayne Olson, Minnesota's conservation commissioner; Rollie Johnson, news director from WCCO-TV; and David J. Winton, chairman of the board of Winton Lumber Company. They reported their findings on December 15, 1964. They recommended that logging be banned in more parts of the area and more regulations be imposed on motorboat and snowmobile use. Secretary Freeman accepted the report and decided to allow a one-year period for public comment due to the controversy surrounding the issues.
The U.S. Congress passed the Wilderness Act on September 3, 1964. This new law made the Boundary Waters Canoe Area part of the new National Wilderness Preservation System and became an "instant wilderness." However, the act left much of the management, specifically in regards to logging and motorboat use, in the hands of the Secretary of Agriculture. The BWCA was the only area with such major exceptions in management policy.
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