Conservation activist George Whitmore later credited the Act with establishing "the longest stretch of de facto wilderness in the lower 48 states.
In a letter, Regional Forester Smith commented, ...On balance, I think RARE II was a success...for the first time somebody thought about what the wilderness system ought to look like when it was complete.
RARE II ...brought the question of land use, particularly wilderness, to the attention of more people in this country than any other effort.Feb.4, 1982 Box 3, 95-91-0003 National Archive Record Center The old 1978 inventory was updated and revised in 1983 but was still too controversial in many states.
[6] When the Wilderness Act of 1964 was being drafted California politicians were concerned about maintaining the viability of plans for a Trans-Sierra Highway connecting the Eastern Sierra and the San Joaquin Valley.
[7] Reagan continued his efforts after being elected President in 1980 and his influence helped the area to eventually be designated as wilderness by this legislation.
The Sierra Nevada escarpment is now a continuous wilderness from Round Mountain (near Inyokern) to Tioga Pass, a distance of about 150 miles.
The US Forest Service planned to upgrade and pave a 6-mile (9.7 km) segment of the road that goes through an area called Chimney Rock.
[8] In 1982, the Forest Service decided not to adopt this recommendation, and it prepared a final environmental impact statement for construction of the road.
After trial, the District Court issued a permanent injunction prohibiting the Forest Service from constructing the Chimney Rock section of the G-O road or putting the timber harvesting management plan into effect.
The court found that both actions would violate the Free Exercise Clause because they "would seriously damage the salient visual, aural, and environmental qualities of the high country."
The court also found that both proposed actions would violate the FWPCA, and that the environmental impact statements for construction of the road were deficient under the NEPA.
Finally, the court concluded that both projects would breach the Government's trust responsibilities to protect water and fishing rights reserved for Native Americans of Hoopa Valley.
Justice O'Connor wrote the majority opinion which basically stated that the First Amendment rights of the Native Americans have not been violated because the actions of the Forest Service do not prohibit the practice of religion.