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Citation: 123 Cong. Rec. 38136 1977 

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P00000139751

Case 6:15-cv-01517-AA Document 381-428 Filed 10/15/18 Page 1 of 3
38136

known at present. One idea mentioned in

the panel's report is to increase the Earth's

albedo (reflectivity) so as to absorb less solar

radiation; this could be done, in principle,

by spreading large quantities of small reflecting platelets of latex over the ocean surface-however, the pile-up of billions of

platelets on the world's beaches is an easily

predicted and environmentally undesirable

side-effect.

The panel states that it is not yet known

whether climatic changes occur in fairly

discrete, "steplike" shifts from one dynamically stable state to another, or if they take

place by a gradual passage through a continuum of states. The steplike transition

would be especially worrisome, because seem- ingly minor changes might bring on an

abrupt change in climate. An even more suitable problem for the physicist is to determine

what contributions to the world's energy

needs can be expected from the various "renewable" (sometimes called "inexhaustible")

resources.

More accurate measurements of a number

of parameters in the energy-climate problem

are needed. The variation with time of the

ratio of C1

2 to C13 in the atmosphere must be

measured over a wide range of geographic

locations to learn the net flux of CO. between

the atmosphere and the biosphere, says the

panel, because the changes in Cr'-C3 ratio

are likely to be small compared to random

errors. Other measurements the panel deems

necessary include:

Better estimates of changes in land use;

Estimated annual changes in global forest

biomass;

Determination of changes in carbon content of soil humus;

Intercomparable mean monthly values of

the partial pressure for CO. in the atmosphere, the ocean surface and subsurface

waters;

Refined estimates of the quantities of CO,

released by the burning of fossil fuels;

The dispersal of tritium from atmospheric

nuclear-weapons tests in subsurface ocean

waters (as a measure of advection, convection

and turbulent-mixing processes in the

ocean), and

Reduction of error in the Suess effect, the

decrease of atmospheric radiocarbon content

over the century and a half before 1950 due to

injection of C14-free C02 into the atmosphere

from combustion of fossil fuels.

Recommendations-The Revelle panel

suggests that its study of possible climatic

consequences of fossil-fuel use should be

only part of a family of similar assessments

of the most attractive alternative energy

sources' environmental impacts. The panel

recommends a "comprehensive worldwide research program" of a uniquely interdisciplinary nature to carry on the investigation of

CO_-related climatic effects. "Consideration

should be given," says their report, "to the

establishment at the national level of a mechanism to weave together the interests and

capabilities [of scientists and Government

agencies] in dealing with climate-related

problems." This "Climatic Council," as the

panel describes it, would coordinate studies

of the C02 cycle, energy demand, future population changes and ways of mitigating the

effects of global climatic shifts.

Revelle and his colleagues conclude that

there are two sorts of counter-measures possible-the reduction of actual climatic

changes or adaptation to such changes with

a view to minimizing their impact on human

life. Adaptation, they say, is the most readily approached; attempts to reduce the climatic effect of additional CO2 in the atnosphere they find to be "formidably difficult,"

requiring extended efforts over centuries.

With an eye to the future, however, the panel

also proposes an intriguing challenge: In

light of the expanding knowledge and inEXTENSIONS OF REMARKS

terest in climatic changes, they say, "perhaps

the auestion that should be addressed soon

is 'What shoulc the atmospheric carbon

dioxide content be over the next century or

two to achieve an optimum global climate?'"

HOW FAST CAN WE SAFELY BURN

COAL?

HON. BOB WILSON OF CALIFORNIA

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Tuesday, November 29, 1977

Mr. BOB WILSON. Mr. Speaker, under

leave to extend my remarks in the

RECORD, I include the following:

[From the Oak Ridge National Laboratory

Review, fall 19771

CARBON DIOXIDE AND CLIMATE-How FAST CAN

WE SAFELY BURN COAL?

SOME SCENARIOS FOR THE YEAR 2040

(By Carolyn Krause)

For the first time in years, the White

House has not receiv'd a Fraser balsam fir

from the Blue Ridge Mountains for its official

Christmas tree. A change in climate there

and in the Great Smoky Mountains has

caused these outlying areas of Maritime

Canada climate to warm up. The warmer

climate is unsuitable for the fir trees and,

furthermore, favors a devastating insect

pest-the balsam wooly aphid-to hasten destruction of the fir forests. The Fraser fir is

in danger of becoming extinct, and forest

rangers and national park officials are worried that the aphid will start to work on a

new host-the red spruce trees which, along

with the firs, have thrived for hundreds of

thousands of years in these mountains.

In the Great Plains, wheat farmers who

have not been wiped out financially by dustbowl storms are contemplating moving to

the cornbelt to raise their crops and establish their silos.- They have become persuaded

that the cyclic droughts of recent years are

part of a permanent trend to warming and

drying, not a series of temporary aberrations, so they are preparing for a migration.

Other regions of the world are benefiting

from the warming trend. Some deserts bloom

in response to greater-than-normal rainfall,

for example.

Climatologists attribute the warming

trend to the furnaces of civilization which

have been spewing forth increasing loads of

carbon dioxide to the atmosphere. This

colorless and odorless gas, exhaled by man

and used by plants to make themselves

green, restricts the escape into space of infrared radiation from the sun-warmth earth.

Since increased CO, absorbs more of the infrared radiation than formerly, a larger

amount of heat accumulates, causing a slight

but significant increase in average global

temperature. This impact of atmospheric

CO., on climate-dubbed the "greenhouse effect"-has become more apparent in recent years because of the escalating rate at which

power plants and industry throughout the

world have burned coal, oil from shale, and

synthetic oil and gas.

These scenarios may never happen, but

they may be within the realm of possibility

if the world usage of fossil fuels continues

to grow and coal becomes the principal

global source of energy. In 1976, Alvin Weinberg, former ORNL Director and now head

of the Institute for Energy Analysis at Oak

Ridge Associated Universities, warned that a

sharp rise in the rate at which the world

burns fossil fuel over the next few decades

could result in a large increase in atmospheric CO. content, which in turn could

November 29, 1977

boost the surface temperature of the earth

enough to have serious economic and ecological Implications. The same year, Alex

Zucker, ORNL's Associate Director of Physical Sciences, assembled an ad hoc study

group to compile a state-of-the-art report

on atmospheric CO and climate-a report

which would summarize what is known

about the problem, what studies are being

done, and what research is required to dispel

the uncertainties. Appointed to the group

were Charlie Baes of the Chemistry Division,

group chairman; Jerry Olson of the Environmental Sciences Division, who was already

at work on such an assessment and had advocated such a study since the 1960s; Hal

Goeller of ORNL's Program Planning and

Analyst Office, who has been concerned with

resource problems; and Ralph Rotty, meteorologist and engineer at the Institute for

Energy Analysis, who has long been concerned with fuels and climatic implications.

In August 1976 the group issued an ORNL

report entitled "The Global Carbon Dioxide

Problem;" an abbreviated version of this report entitled "Carbon Dioxide and Climate:

The Uncontrolled Experiment" was published in the May-June 1977 issue of American Scientist. The message of Weinberg and

the Oak Ridge report has not been lost on

the Carter Administration which proposed $3

million for new CO.-elimate studies in the

FY 1978 budget.

GROWTH IN ATMOSPHERIC CO,

According to the Oak Ridge report, atmospheric C02 has grown steadily from 295 ppm

in 1860 (when the Industrial Revolution

gathered momentum) to 330 ppm now, an

increase of 12 percent. The CO2 content of

the atmosphere has been increasing at 0.2

percent per year since 1958 when regular, accurate measurements commenced. The

overall increase has thus far been equivalent

to half of the cumulative release of CO from

the worldwide combustion of fossil fuels. The

other half of the released fossil carbon presumably has been absorbed by the oceans

and land biota.

One of the messages of the report is this:

If combustion of fossil fuels continues to

grow at the historical annual rate of 4.3 percent (an unlikely scenario unless there is a

ban on nuclear power), the atmospheric CO

concentration could double in 60 years, resulting in an increase in the average global

temperature of perhaps 2 to 3C. On the

other hand, a much slower rate of increase of

fossil fuel combustion might not affect the

climate enough to produce unacceptable

changes. So the question that needs to be

answered is this: Is there a maximum rate at which we can safely burn oil, gas, and

coal without dangerous disturbing the

climate?

Answering this question requires more extensive mathematical modeling to determine

levels of CO and its distribution among air,

oceans, and terrestrial plant life. Mechanisms

that must be accounted for in these models,

according to the Oak Ridge report, are decreased snow and ice cover (which would

result in a decrease in reflected radiation,

thus producing additional warming),

changes in cloud cover and in the temperature of cloud tops, effects of ocean circulation on CO. absorption, and effects of

changes in water balance and terrestrial

plant life on atmospheric CO2 levels.

RECENT COOLING TREND

The earth's surface temperature, which

averages 15.C, rose about 0.6°C in the 60

years before 1940. In the past three decades,

the earth has undergone a cooling, with its

temperature dropping 0.30C. Some scientists

ascribed this slight cooling to industrial

pollution, theorizing that airborne particulates can shade the earth by reflecting

back incoming solar radiation. (Cool sumP00000139752

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November 30, 1977 Cc

mers tend to follow the larger volcanic eruptions for several years because of the dust

blown into the stratosphere which settles out

slowly.) Industry spews forth both CO2 and

particulates, but the latter's effects are mostly local and likely to remain much less

than metrologists are coming to expect from

CO,. Opposing influences on climate may

have been canceling each other's effects

lately, giving rise to the controversy over whether the net effects of man's future ac- tivities will be a cooling or warming trend.

In recent national meetings on climate or the CO. problem, Olson finds scientists generally tending to agree now that discharges

of fossil carbon pose substantially more

threat to the climate on a global scale than

do particles from energy sources. (The particles, incidentally, may absorb some solar

radiation, thus adding heat to the atmosphere, but the extent to which this absorption occurs depends on the location and the

various particles' optical properties.) Thermal discharges from energy sources, Olson

adds, are considered even less of a threat to

the next century's global climate, although

they could have adverse localized impacts.

)NGRESSIONAL RECORD-HOUSE

There is 10 times as much carbon in the

world's fossil fuel reserves as in the atmosphere; or, more specifically, the atmosphere

contains 700 x l09 metric tons of carbon while

the recoverable fossil fuel reserves hold

7300 X 109 tons.

The Oak Ridge group considers as a highuse scenario one involving the use of fossil

fuel at a growth rate near 4 percent per year

for a while followed by an eventual gradual

decrease as the supply is used up. In this

scenario, roughly half of all fossil carbon

resources might be released to the atmosphere In less than 100 years-a situation

which could produce many of the consequences mentioned above. In the group's lowuse scenario, which might have more acceptable, or at least delayed, consequences,

they envision the use of fossil fuel growing at

2 percent of the present rate per year until

the year 2025, followed by a decrease as renewable energy sources become available and

as fossil fuel use is discouraged. The total

fossil carbon released would be 1.5 times the

carbon content of the pre-industrial atmosphere, or one-fourth that of the realistic

high-use hypothesis.

Olson believes the fossil fuel consumption

38137

pattern that will be adopted will lie somewhere near the high-use rate at first, followed by a struggle to return to a low-use

scenario after effects of the excess release

are belatedly recognized. How any fossil fuel

use scenario will affect man's welfare cannot

be predicted until more knowledge is obtained on the carbon cycle, on the likely

climatic effects of increasing atmospheric

CO, and on the ecological and economic

consequences of climate change. How well the

various parts of the problem can be organized

and solved will challenge the best efforts of

all the people and agencies who become

involved.

As Roger Revelle and H. E. Suess stated in

1957: "Human beings are now carrying out

a large-scale geophysical experiment of a

kind that could not have happened in the

past nor be repeated in the future. Within a

few centuries we are returning to the atmosphere and oceans the concentrated organic

carbon stored in the sedimentary rocks over

hundreds of millions of years. This experiment, if adequately documented, may yield

a far-reaching insight into the processes determining weather and climate."

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES-Wednesday, November 30, 1977

The House met at 12 o'clock noon.

The Chaplain, Rev. Edward G. Latch,

D.D., offered the following prayer:

Fear not, for I am with you; be not

dismayed, for I am your God; I will

strengthen you; yea, I will help you.-

Isaiah 41: 10.

Almighty God, our Father, before we

begin the work of this day we turn to

You in our morning prayer. We come

with hearts filled with gratitude for the

opportunity of serving our country in

this House. Grant that Your spirit of

wisdom and truth may guide us in these

critical hours as we plan for the future

of our Republic. Help us to think the

thoughts, possess the emotions, and do

the deeds which become us as leaders of

this great land.

May we ever be tru, to the high principles upon which our Nation was

founded, may we ever hold high our

enthusiasm for life, liberty, and the

pursuit of happiness and may we ever

keep our concern for the needy, the poor,

and the oppressed.

Grant that good will and justice may

live in every heart and increasingly prevail in our planet. Together may we do

justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with

You. Amen.

CALL OF THE HOUSE

Mr. ROUSSELOT. Mr. Speaker, under

rule 1, clause I, of the rules of the House,

I make the point of order that a quorum

is not present.

The SPEAKER. Evidently a quorum is

not present.

Without objection, a call of the House

is ordered.

There was no objection.

The call was taken by electronic device, and the following Members failed

to respond: [Roll No. 752]

Abdnor Armstrong Beilenson

Alexander Ashley Biaggi Ambro Badillo Boiling

Burton, John

Cederberg

Chappell

Chisholm

Cochran

Conyers

Crane

Cunningham

Davis

Dent

Derwinski

Diggs

Dingell

Duncan, Oreg.

Fithian

Ford, Mich.

Fraser

Frey

Goodling

Hammerschmidt

Harsha

Hawkins

Jones, Tenn.

Kasten

Kelly

Koch

Krueger

Lundine

McDonald

Mikva

Moss

Myers, John

Nolan

Pike

Pursell

Rangel

Rosenthal

Ruppe

Santini

Sarasin

Scheuer

Seiberling

Smith, Nebr.

Teague

Thone

Thornton

Tucker

Udall

Van Deerlin

Wampler

Waxman

Whalen

White

Wilson, Tex.

The SPEAKER. On this rollcall 371

Members have recorded their presence

by electronic device, a quorum.

By unanimous consent, further proceedings under the call were dispensed

with.

THE JOURNAL

The SPEAKER. The Chair has examined the Journal of the last day's

proceedings and announces to the House

his approval thereof.

Without objection, the Journal stands

approved.

There was no objection.

MESSAGE FROM THE SENATE

A message from the Senate by Mr.

Sparrow, one of its clerks, announced

that the Senate had passed without

amendment a concurrent resolution of

the House of the following title:

H. Con. Res. 417. Concurrent resolution

commending Anwar el Sadat, the President

of Egypt, and Menachem Begin, the Prime

Minister of Israel.

The message also announced that the

Senate agrees to the amendment of the

House to the amendment of the Senate

numbered 5 and receded from its amendment numbered 6 to a bill of the House

of the following title:

H.R. 1904. An act to suspend until July 1,

1980, the duty on intravenous fat emulsion.

The message also announced that Mr.

DANFORTH be a conferee, on the part of

the Senate, on the bill (H.R. 9346) entitled "An act to amend the Social Security Act and the Internal Revenue Code

of 1954 to strengthen the financing of the

social security system, to reduce the effect of wage and price fluctuation on the

system's benefit structure, to provide for

the conduct of studies with respect to

coverage under the system for Federal

employees and for employees of State

and local governments, to increase the

earnings limitation, to eliminate certain

gender-based distinctions and provide

for a study of proposals to eliminate dependency- and sex discrimination from

the social security program, and for

other purposes," vice Mr. LAXALT, excused.

DR. ORRIN E. HUDSON, SR.

(Mr. HUBBARD asked and was given

permission to address the House for 1

minute and to revise and extend his

remarks.)

Mr. HUBBARD. Mr. Speaker, it is

with genuine sadness that I speak today

in the House of Representatives regarding a friend and supporter of many years,

Dr. Orrin E. Hudson, Sr.

Dr. Hudson, age 74, of Madisonville,

Ky., died there at Hopkins County

Hospital November 19 following an apparent heart attack.

He was a complement to many constructive interests in Madisonville. The

impressions he tendered upon those

around him will endure for years to

come. He was an outstanding family

man, a faithful churchman, and worked

for progress in his community.

Dr. Hudson, a native of Golden, Ill.,

came to Madisonville following his 1944

graduation from Palmer College of

Chiropractic in Davenport, Iowa. During

his practice he served on the board of

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