Overview. This Act authorizes and directs the Secretary of Agriculture to take steps towards researching climate change, including establishing: a Global Climate Change Program; a technical advisory committee; an Office of International Forestry; urban forestry demonstration projects; biomass energy demonstration projects. The Secretary is also directed to study the effects of global climate change on agriculture and forestry, and the interaction between forest greenhouse gas emissions and climate change.
Global Climate Change Program. The Act directs the Secretary of Agriculture (Secretary) to establish a Global Climate Change Program in order to have within the Department of Agriculture a focal point for coordinating all issues of climate change. The Secretary must designate a director, who shall: coordinate policy analysis, long range planning research, and response strategies relating to climate change issues; provide liaison with other federal agencies, through the Office of Science and Technology Policy, regarding issues of climate change; perform other enumerated duties. § 6701.
Agriculture and Forestry. The Act directs the Secretary to study: the effects of global climate change on agriculture and forestry; the emissions of methane, nitrous oxide, and hydrocarbons from tropical and temperate forests, and the manner in which they may affect, and will be affected by, global climate change. The Secretary must submit to Congress reports of the agriculture and forestry studies by November 1993 and November 1996, respectively. § 6702.
Technical Advisory Committee. The Secretary must establish a technical advisory committee to provide advice to the Secretary concerning the major study areas required under this chapter. § 6703.
Office of International Forestry. The Secretary, acting through the Chief of the Forest Service, must establish an Office of International Forestry within the Forest Service. The Chief is to appoint a Deputy Chief for International Forestry responsible for the international forestry activities of the Forest Service. § 6704.
Institutes of Tropical Forestry. The Secretary is authorized and directed to establish an Institute of Tropical Forestry in Puerto Rico and an Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry. The Institutes will conduct research on forest management and natural resources that must include: managing and developing tropical forests; the relationship between climate change and tropical forests; threatened and endangered species recreation and tourism; developing tropical forest resources on a sustainable yield basis; techniques to monitor health and productivity of tropical forests; tropical forest regeneration and restoration; effects of tropical deforestation on biodiversity, global climate, wildlife, soils and water. § 6706.
Urban Forestry Demonstration Projects. The Secretary is authorized to undertake, through the Forest Service's Northeastern Area State and Private Forestry Program, a study and pilot implementation project to demonstrate the benefits of retaining and integrating forests in urban development. § 6707.
Biomass Energy Demonstration Projects. The Secretary may carry out projects that demonstrate the potential of short-rotation silvicultural methods to produce wood for electricity production and industrial energy needs. § 6708.
Interagency Cooperation to Maximize Biomass Growth. The Secretary may enter into an agreement with the Secretary of Defense to: conduct a study of reforestation and improved management of Department of Defense military installations and lands; develop a program to manage such forests and lands so as to maximize their potential for biomass growth and sequestering carbon dioxide. § 6709.
Appropriations Authorized. There are authorized to be appropriated sums necessary to carry out the Act for fiscal years 1991 through 1996. § 6710.