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Washington State Wilderness Act of 1984

Public Law 98-339 · S. 837 · 98th Congress · began in the Senate

Signed by Ronald Reagan (R) on Jul 3, 1984 · Public Lands and Natural Resources

Sponsor: Sen. Slade Gorton (R-WA)

Cosponsors (2): Sen. Scoop Jackson,

Passage votes

  • HouseVoice vote
  • SenateVoice vote
Data notes

The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.

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Summary

The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.

Washington State Wilderness Act of 1984 - Designates the following lands in the State of Washington as components of the National Wilderness Preservation System: (1) the Boulder River Wilderness in the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest; (2) the Buckhorn Wilderness in the Olympic National Forest; (3) the Clearwater Wilderness in the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest; (4) the Colonel Bob Wilderness in the Olympic National Forest; (5) the Glacier Peak Wilderness Additions in the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie and Wenatchee National Forests; (6) the Glacier View Wilderness in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest; (7) the Henry M. Jackson Wilderness in the Wenatchee and Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forests; (8) the Indian Heaven Wilderness in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest; (9) the Lake Chelan-Sawtooth Wilderness in the Okanogan and Wenatchee National Forests; (10) the Mount Adams Wilderness Additions in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest; (11) the Mount Baker Wilderness in the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest; (12) the Mount Skokomish Wilderness in the Olympic National Forest; (13) the Noisy-Diobsud Wilderness in the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest; (14) the Norse Peak Wilderness in the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie and Wenatchee National Forests; (15) the Pasayten Wilderness Additions in the Okanogan National Forest; (16) the Salmo Priest Wilderness in the Kaniksu and Colville National Forests; (17) the Tatoosh Wilderness in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest; (18) the Brothers Wilderness in the Olympic National Forest; (19) the Trapper Creek Wilderness in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest; (20) the William O. Douglas Wilderness in the Wenatchee and Gifford Pinchot National Forests; and (21) the Wonder Mountain Wilderness in the Olympic National Forest.

Revises the boundary of the Goat Rocks Wilderness in the Wenatchee and Gifford Pinchot National Forests.

Provides that the second roadless area review and evaluation (RARE II) final environmental statement (dated January 1979) with respect to national forest system lands in Washington shall not be subject to judicial review. Releases national forest system lands in Washington which were reviewed in the RARE II program from further review by the Department of Agriculture, pending revision of initial national forest management plans. Releases lands in Washington reviewed in the RARE II program and not designated as wilderness from management as wilderness areas. Prohibits the Department of Agriculture from conducting any further statewide roadless area review and evaluation of national forest system lands in Washington without express congressional authorization.

States that the provisions above shall also apply to: (1) national forest system roadless lands in the Gifford Pinchot, Olympic, and Umatilla National Forests which were evaluated in the Upper Cispus, Lone Tree, Clear Creek, Upper Lewis, Trapper-Siouxon, Soleduck, Quinault, Oregon Butte, and Shelton Cooperative Sustained Yield Unit unit plans; and (2) national forest system roadless lands in Washington which are less than 5,000 acres in size.

Designates specified lands in Franklin County, Washington, as the Juniper Dunes Wilderness.

Establishes the Mount Baker National Recreation Area in the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest.

Requires that national forest system lands comprising the North Cascades Scenic Highway area be administered by the Secretary of Agriculture to preserve the scenic value of the highway corridor.

Requires the Secretary to acquire specified lands in King and Pierce Counties in Washington from the Weyerhaeuser Company by exchange.

Withdraws Federal lands in Walla Walla and Columbia Counties in Washington located within the Mill Creek Watershed roadless area from all forms of location, entry, and patent under the U.S. mining laws and from disposition under the U.S. mineral leasing laws.

Committees

The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.

Data notes

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Timeline

From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 19 actions.

  1. Jul 3, 1984Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 98-339.
  2. Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
  3. Jun 26, 1984PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
  4. Jun 18, 1984FloorFloor · Passed House by Voice Vote.
  5. CommitteeCommittee · Discharged from House Agriculture Committee
  6. CommitteeCommittee · Discharged from House Natural Resources Committee
  7. Jun 13, 1984CommitteeCommittee · Markup by House Natural Resources Committee
  8. Jun 7, 1984CommitteeCommittee · Reported by National Parks and Public Lands Subcommittee of the House Natural Resources Committee
  9. CommitteeCommittee · Markup by National Parks and Public Lands Subcommittee of the House Natural Resources Committee
  10. CommitteeCommittee · Hearings by National Parks and Public Lands Subcommittee of the House Natural Resources Committee
  11. CommitteeCommittee · Referred to National Parks and Public Lands Subcommittee of the House Natural Resources Committee
  12. May 31, 1984CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Agriculture Committee
  13. CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Natural Resources Committee
  14. May 24, 1984FloorFloor · Passed Senate with amendments by Voice Vote.
  15. May 18, 1984CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
  16. May 2, 1984CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
  17. Sep 30, 1983CommitteeCommittee · Hearings by Public Lands, Reserved Water and Resource Conservation Subcommittee of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
  18. Mar 17, 1983CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
  19. IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the Senate
Data notes

Shows the introduction, each committee and subcommittee step the source dates (referral, hearings, markup, report, discharge), and the floor, conference, presidential and became-law steps. Calendar placements, messages between the chambers, amendments and committee report numbers are not shown for laws before the 108th Congress. Two entries the source lists twice are shown once.

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Official record

The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.