Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 95.djvu/1560

 95 STAT. 1534

22 USC 2151a.

PUBLIC LAW 97-113—DEC. 29, 1981

considers appropriate, the President shall require all agencies and officials responsible for programs or projects under this chapter— "(A) to prepare and take fully into account an environmental impact statement for any program or project under this chapter si^iificantly affecting the environment of the global commons outside the jurisdiction of any country, the environment of the United States, or other aspects of the environment which the President may specify; and "(B) to prepare and take fully into account an environmental assessment of any proposed program or project under this chapter significantly affecting the environment of any foreign country. Such agencies and officials should, where appropriate, use local technical resources in preparing environmental impact statements and environmental assessments pursuant to this subsection. "(2) The President may establish exceptions from the requirements of this subsection for emergency conditions and for cases in which compliance with those requirements would be seriously detrimental to the foreign policy interests of the United States. «(d)(l) In enacting section 103(b)(3) of this Act the Congress recognized the importance of forests and tree cover to the developing countries. The Congress is particularly concerned about the continuing and accelerating alteration, destruction, and loss of tropical forests in developing countries. Tropical forests constitute a major world resource. Their destruction and loss pose a serious threat to development and the environment in developing countries. Tropical forest destruction and loss result in shortages of wood, especially wood for fuel; siltation of lakes, reservoirs and irrigation systems; floods; destruction of indigenous peoples; extinction of plant and animal species; reduced capacity for food production; and loss of genetic resources; and can result in desertification and in destabilization of the earth's climate. Properly managed tropical forests provide a sustained source of fiber and other commodities essential to the economic growth of developing countries. "(2) The concerns expressed in paragraph (1) and the recommendations of the United States Interagency Task Force on Tropical Forests shall be considered by the President— "(A) in formulating and carrying out programs and policies with respect to developing countries, including those relating to bilateral and multilateral assistance and those relating to private sector activities, and "(B) in seeking opportunities to coordinate public and private development and investment activities which affect forests in developing countries. "(3) It is the sense of the Congress that the President should instruct the representatives of the United States to the United Nations and to other appropriate international organizations to urge— "(A) that higher priority be given in the programs of these organizations to the problems of tropical forest alteration and loss, and "(B) that there be improved cooperation and coordination among these organizations with respect to tropical forest activities.".

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