Forest Ecosystems and Atmospheric Pollution Research Act of 1988
PL 100-521 (H.R.2399), enacted 10/24/1988

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. 
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-
Oct. 24, 1988 
[H.R. 2399] 
Forest 
Ecosystems and 
Atmospheric 
Pollution 
Research Act of 
1988 
16 u s e 1600 
note. 
16 u s e 1642 
note. 
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 the effects of atmospheric pollutants on forest 
ecosystems among the United States, Canada, European na-
tions, and other nations; 
"(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. 
Reports. 
"(4) The Secretary shall submit to the President and to Congress 
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.