* Act of October 24, 1988 (P.L. 100-521, 102 Stat. 2601; 16 U.S.C. 1600(note), 16 U.S.C. 1642(note))

Short Title

Sec. 1. This Act may be cited as the "Forest Ecosystems and Atmo-spheric Pollution Research Act of 1988". (16 U.S.C. 1600(note))

Findings

Sec. 2. 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 hard-wood species, particularly sugar maples and oaks, in the eastern United States and the effects of atmo-spheric pollutants on the health and productivity of these forests;

(3) declines in the productivity of certain commercially important Southern pine species have been measured;

(4) existing research indi-cates 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 exist-ing Federal, State, and private re-search, including research by private indus-try, to determine the cause of chang-es in the health and productiv-ity of domestic forest ecosystems and to monitor and evaluate the effects of atmospheric pollutants on such eco-systems; and

(6) such research and monitor-ing should not impede efforts to control atmospheric pollutants. (16 U.S.C. 1642(note))

Establishment of Research Pro-gram

Sec. 3. Section 3 of the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resourc-es Research Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 1642) is amended by adding at the end the following:

Note-See P.L. 95-307, Section 3(c) for remainder of Act.

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