The BWCA Wilderness Act of 1978 (Pub.L. 95-495) created the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW or BWCA), which was previously known as the Boundary Waters Canoe Area. The bill was introduced in October 1975 by United States Congressman Jim Oberstar and was a source of major controversy and debate. Topics of major concern were logging, mining, the use of snowmobiles and motorboats. After much debate, the Act was signed into law by President Jimmy Carter on October 21, 1978.