[5] The report was completed a year later, and the results released the data that had been requested which provided more information on the current state of federal land.

President John F. Kennedy, was a supporter of the Wilderness Act, his administration worked to rally Legislators to pass the bill.

During a press conference on June 23, 1963, President Johnson included the Wilderness Act as a piece of legislation that needed to be passed in his list of 30 "musts.

"[8] After going to a conference committee to resolve differences between the House and Senate versions of the bill, the Act was eventually signed into law by President Johnson on September 3, 1964.

It was passed with the support in both the Senate (73–12) and the House of Representatives (373–1), showing bipartisan agreement on the importance of preserving natural landscapes for future generations.

Prohibited actions include: Sections 5, 6, and 7 discuss how Congress shall handle acquisition of more land, gifts, and addition of new designated wilderness areas.

Wilderness advocacy groups and some agency staff have attempted to use this standard: "the word 'roadless' refers to the absence of roads that have been improved and maintained by mechanical means.

[9] The Wilderness Act, therefore, not only marked a critical moment in the history of environmental protection but also set the stage for ongoing debates about the role of government in managing natural resources and the balance between conservation and development.

The 1964 Wilderness Act, which was praised for protecting undisturbed American landscapes, encountered strong resistance from the Sagebrush Rebellion in the latter part of the 1970s.

The majority of "resource Westerners" who were affected by federal environmental regulations that limited their access to public lands, such as ranchers, miners, and loggers, were the ones who initiated this backlash.

"[14] James G. Watt, nominated by President Ronald Reagan as Secretary of the Interior, emerged as a key player in this situation.

During his tenure, he worked to extend the scope of mineral rights to include coal and oil, a goal that suited the interests of people impacted by the Wilderness Act and other environmental laws.

[14] The pioneering research and advocacy work of Margaret and Olaus Murie and Celia Hunter, along with the Alaska Conservation Society, was crucial to the passage of the Wilderness Act, and to the creation of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

[15] Margaret worked with Wilderness Society staffer Howard Zahniser, author of the bill, to promote passage of the act, and she attended the signing ceremony.

Grassroots coalitions are working with local congressional delegations on legislative proposals for additional wilderness areas, including Vermont, southern Arizona, national grasslands in South Dakota, Rocky Mountain peaks of Montana, Colorado and Wyoming.

[20] Notably, discussions delved into the role of litigation in shaping wilderness management, emphasizing strategic decisions by plaintiffs.

This expansion has been largely due to the bipartisan support wilderness designations often receive, reflecting a shared value across the political spectrum.