Date: 1986-08-13
Speaker: DE LA GARZA (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. H.R. 2631 will direct the Secretary of Agriculture. through the Forest Service. to establish a 10year program to determine the effects that atmospheric pollution may have on forest ecosystems located in the United States. Under the program. the Secretary would increase forest inventories and surveys to determine the scope of the problem of declining forests in the United States. conduct accelerated and expanded research to evaluate the effects of air pollutants on forest ecosystems. and make recommendations for solving or mitigating problems related to the effects of air pollutants on forest health and productivity. The program also would foster greater public and private sector cooperation in research and monitoring. encourage the international exchange of scientific information on air pollution and forests. and provide a basis for estimating longterm funding needs to support research programs related to the effects of air pollution on United States forest ecosystems. The program would be developed with the advice of a committee established by the Secretary. and composed of scientists with training and experience in appropriate scientific disciplines. Once work under the program has been completed. the Secretary would submit to the President and Congress a final report on program activities with recommendations to solve or mitigate air pollution effects on forest ecosystems. Concern for declining health and productivity of forests in the United States and Europe has intensified in recent years. Although some of these declines have been associated with drought. insect infestations. or disease. there is increasing. evidence that air pollution may also be a contributing factor. Recent dramatic declines in the health and vigor of West German forestswhich the Germans have termed "Waldsterben" or "forest death" have been widely publicized. When the Federal Republic of Germany conducted its August 1 3. 1986 first national vegetation survey in 1982. it was estimated that 7.7 percent of the forest area was affected by Waldsterben. By 1985. survey results indicated that more than 50 percent of German forests were exhibiting dieback or decline symptoms. Other European nations have also reported damage to their forests. Until recently. this damage has been primarily attributed to the effects of acid precipitation. Visible declines in the health of high elevation spruce forests along the Appalachian Mountains first raised public concern in the United States about possible air pollution damage to domestic forests. Studies of spruce forests on Camels Hump in Vermont and on Mount Mitchell in North Carolina were offered as evidence that air pollutants. particularly acid precipitation. were affecting domestic forests. A November 1985 U.S. Forest Service report documented declines in the growth of commercially important southern pine in the Piedmont and mountain regions of the Southeast. Declines of 30 to 50 percent in the radial growth of certain trees were reported during the past two decades. Although air pollution could not be confirmed as the cause. the Forest Service noted that radial growth reductions had occurred in trees in Europe many years before visible symptoms of air pollution damage were apparent. The current information gives us warning signals of potentially grave problems that threaten the health and productivity of our Nations forests. This legislation is responsive to current concerns by broadening the scope of research and monitoring related to the effects of pollution on forests. With the successful completion of the program called for by the bill. we will be in a solid position to take remedial and timely action as needed to preserve our productive forests. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting passage of H.R. 2631.