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U[)19H Public Law 88-577 88th Congress, S. 4 September 3, 1964 AN ACT To establish a National Wilderness Preservation System for the permanent good of the whole people, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SHORT TITLE Section 1. This Act may be cited as the "Wilderness Act". WILDERNESS SYSTEM ESTABLISHED STATEMENT OF POLICY Sec. '2. (a) In order to assure that an increasing population, accompanied by expanding settlement and growing mechanization, does not occupy and modify all areas within the United States and its possessions, leaving no lands designated for preser- vation and protection in their natural condition, it is hereby declared to be 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 designated by Congress as "wilderness areas", and these shall be administered for the use and enjoyment of the American people in such manner as will leave them unimpaired for future use and enjoyment as wilderness, and so as to provide for the protection of these areas, the preservation of their wilderness character, and for the gathering and dissemination of information regarding their use and enjoy- ment as wilderness; and no Federal lands shall be designated as "wilderness areas" except as provided for in this Aet or by a subsequent Act. (b) The inclusion of an area in the National Wilderness Preser- vation System notwithstanding, the area shall continue to be managed by the Department and agency having jurisdiction there- over immediately before its inclusion in the National Wilderness Preservation System unless otherwise provided by Act of Congress. No appropriation shall be available for the payment of expenses or salaries for the administration of the National Wilderness Preservation System as a separate unit nor shall any appropriations be available for additional personnel stated as being required solely for the purpose of managing or administering areas solely because they are included within the Nationa1 Wilderness Preser- vation System.