Source document: https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1696589957358.pdf (United States)
PUBLIC LAW 100-521—OCT.

24, 1988 102 STAT.

2601 Public Law 100-521 100th Congress An Act To provide for study and research on the decline in United States forest productivity and to determine the effects of atmospheric pollutants on forest environments, and for other purposes.

Oct. 24, 1988 [H.R.

2399] Forest Ecosystems and Atmospheric Pollution Research Act of 1988 16 u se 1600 note.

16 u se 1642 note.
16 u se 1642 note.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1.

SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the "Forest Ecosystems and Atmospheric Pollution Research Act of 1988".

SEC.

2.

FINDINGS.
Congress finds that— (1) the health and productivity of forests in certain regions of the United States are declining; (2) there is a special concern about the decline of certain hardwood species, particularly sugar maples and oaks, in the eastern United States and the effects of atmospheric pollutants on the health and productivity of these forests; (3) declines in the productivity of certain commercially impor tant Southern pine species have been measured; (4) existing research indicates that atmospheric pollution, including ozone, acidic deposition, and heavy metals, may contribute to this decline; (5) there is an urgent need to expand and better coordinate existing Federal, State, and private research, including research by private industry, to determine the cause of changes in the health and productivity of domestic forest ecosystems and to monitor and evaluate the effects of atmospheric pollutants on such ecosystems; and (6) such research and monitoring should not impede efforts to control atmospheric pollutants.
SEC.

3.

ESTABLISHMENT OF RESEARCH PROGRAM.

Section 3 of the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Research Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C.
1642) is amended by adding at the end the following: "(c)(1) The Secretary, acting through the United States Forest Service, shall establish not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this subsection a 10-year program (hereinafter in this subsection referred to as the 'Program') to— "(A) increase the frequency of forest inventories in matters that relate to atmospheric pollution and conduct such surveys as are necessary to monitor long-term trends in the health and productivity of domestic forest ecosystems; "(B) determine the scope of the decline in the health and productivity of domestic forest ecosystems; "(C) accelerate and expand existing research efforts (including basic forest ecosystem research) to evaluate the effects of at- 102 STAT.
2602 PUBLIC LAW 100-521—OCT.
24, 1988 mospheric pollutants on forest ecosystems and their role in the decline in domestic forest health and productivity; "(D) study the relationship between atmospheric pollution and other climatological, chemical, physical, and biological fac tors that may affect the health and productivity of domestic forest ecosystems; "(E) develop recommendations for solving or mitigating prob lems related to the effects of atmospheric pollution on the health and productivity of domestic forest ecosystems; "(F) foster cooperation among Federal, State, and private researchers and encourage the exchange of scientific informa tion on forest ecosystems among the United States, Canada, European na tions, and other nations; the effects of atmospheric pollutants on "(G) support the long-term funding of research programs and related efforts to determine the causes of declines in the health and productivity of domestic forest ecosystems and the effects of atmospheric pollutants on the health and productivity of domes tic forest ecosystems; and "(H) enlarge the Eastern Hardwood Cooperative by devoting additional resources to field analysis of the response of hard wood species to atmospheric pollution, and other factors that may affect the health and productivity of these ecosystems.
"(2) The Secretary shall establish a committee to advise the Secretary in developing and carrying out the Program, which shall be composed of scientists with training and experience in various disciplines, including atmospheric, ecological, and biological sci ences.

Such scientists shall be selected from among individuals who are actively performing research for Federal or State agencies or for private industries, institutions, or organizations.
"(3) The Secretary shall coordinate the Program with existing research efforts of Federal and State agencies and private indus tries, institutions, or organizations.

"(4) The Secretary shall submit to the President and to Congress Reports.
the following reports: "(A) Not less than 30 days before establishing the Program, the Secretary shall submit an initial program report— "(i) discussing existing information about declining health and productivity of forest ecosystems on public and private lands in North America and Europe; "(ii) outlining the findings and status of all current re search and monitoring efforts in North America and Europe on the causes and effects of atmospheric pollution on the health and productivity of forest ecosystems; "(iii) describing the Program; and "(iv) estimating the cost of implementing the Program for each fiscal year of its duration.
"(B) Not later than January 15, 1990, and January 15 of each year thereafter, during which the Program is in operation following the year in which the initial program report is submit ted, the Secretary shall submit an annual report— "(i) updating information about declining health and productivity of forest ecosystems on public and private lands in North America and Europe; "(ii) updating the findings and status of all current re search and monitoring efforts in North America and Europe on the causes and effects of atmospheric pollution PUBLIC LAW 100-521—OCT.
24, 1988 102 STAT.
2603 on the health and productivity of forest ecosystems, includ ing efforts conducted under the Program; "(iii) recommending additional research and monitoring efforts to be undertaken under the Program to determine the effects of atmospheric pollution on the health and productivity of domestic forest ecosystems; and "(iv) recommending methods for solving or mitigating problems stemming from the effects of atmospheric pollu tion on the health and productivity of domestic forest ecosystems.
"(C) Not later than 10 years after the date on which the initial program report is submitted, the Secretary shall submit a final report— "(i) reviewing existing information about declining health and productivity of forest ecosystems on public and private lands in North America and Europe; "(ii) reviewing the nature and findings of all research and monitoring efforts conducted under the Program and any other relevant research and monitoring efforts related to the effects of atmospheric pollution on forest ecosystem; and "(iii) making final recommendations for solving or miti gating problems stemming from the effects of atmospheric pollution on the health and productivity of domestic forest ecosystems.".
Approved October 24, 1988.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—H.R.

2399: HOUSE REPORTS: No.

100-241 (Comm.

on Agriculture).

CONGRESSIONAL RECORD: Vol.

133 (1987): July 27, considered and passed House.

Vol.

134 (1988): Oct. 5, considered and passed Senate, amended.

Oct. 6, House concurred in Senate amendment.