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000818 after "existing mining and grazing uses" ....as inserted, and language in a subsequent House Report suggests that it was to be so modified. 11/ In the total context of section 603, it s~s logical to conclude that Congress envisioned "mineral leasing" as a use taking place on the public lands rather than merely as a legal entitle:nent by which a party would be allowed to conduct mining operations on the land. It follows, therefore, that section 603 proscribes the Secretary from regulating existing operations being conducted under a federal lease solely for the purpose of preserving an area's wilderness characteristics so long as the operations take place in the sa'lle manner and to the same degree as they took place on October 21, 1976. Once the mining activity changes in manner or degree, section 603(c) directs ~~e Secretary to regulate it, if such action is necessary to preserve the area's wilderness characteristics. Such activity .D~ld have to be regulated in the same manner as a mining operation taking place on October 21, 1976 under the Mining Law of 1872 which subseqJently differs in "manner" or "degree." " i; Section 603(c) directs the Secretary not to exercise his discretionary authority and issue or renew federal leases or prospecting permits, if notwithstanding the use of regulations, stipulations and other safeguards designed to preserve an area's wilderness characteristics, he determines such action will impair an area's wilderness characteristics. I: '. I jI ;;:... ~is result must, however, be read against the backdrop of the Wilderness. Act, similar to the discussion on pages 5 and 9 above regarding mining claims. Congress determined in 1964 that. new mineral leasing could take place at least for a limited period, consistent with the designation of an area as wilderness. We believe that Congress in 1976 made the same assumption in section 603(c). Congress has in effect told the Secretary .that it thinks it is possible to allow s~'lIe mineral leasing in wilderness study areas while at the same time making th~'lI subject to such regulation as is necessary to protect the wilderness characteristics of the area from destruction. " Hence, whenever the Secretary exercises his discretion and issues a prospecting permit or a federal lease or renews a federal lease in an area subject to section 603 review, that section directs the Secretary to condition the permit or lease so that the permittee or lessee is placed on notice that the land is under wilderness review, and is made subject to.regulation in order to preserve the area's wilderness characteristics. ~e circumstances under which the Secretary may be justified in deciding not to issue a particular lease in order to preserve an area's wilderness characteristics cannot be predicted in advance of actual practice. In wilderness review areas where operations on oil and gas leases are currently being conducted, however, the answer seems rela- tively easy. The Secretary would usually have little reason to prevent further oil and gas leasing in the same area, or fail to renew existing leases, solely to preserve the area's wilderness characteristics, because