Whereas the Mauna Loa Observatory (referred to in this preamble as the MLO) is an atmospheric baseline station of the Global Monitoring Laboratory within the Earth System Research Laboratories (referred to in this preamble as the ESRL) organized under the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research;

Whereas the mission of the ESRL is to measure atmospheric constituents that are capable of forcing adjustments to the climate of the Earth and those that may deplete the ozone layer;

Whereas the mission of the ESRL is primarily accomplished through long-term tropospheric measurements of key atmospheric parameters such as carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, methane, chlorofluorocarbons, ozone, sulfur dioxide, nitrous oxide, radon, aerosols, optical depth, and a spectrum of solar radiation parameters;

Whereas the MLO, due to its location on the north flank of Mauna Loa Volcano, on Hawaii Island, is the premier long-term atmospheric monitoring facility on Earth for sampling the troposphere as it protrudes through the strong marine temperature inversion layer present in the region;

Whereas the MLO, constructed in 1956 and continuously in operation since, is the site where the ever-increasing concentrations of global atmospheric carbon dioxide have been observed;

Whereas the MLO has been home to hundreds of atmospheric research programs—

(1)

with national and international universities and government organizations; and

(2)

related to a diverse spectrum of research categories; and

Whereas the MLO and its 4 sites on Hawaii Island, including the critical administrative office in Hilo, is home to a dedicated workforce committed to their mission to acquire, evaluate, and make available accurate, long-term records of the atmosphere in a manner that allows the causes and consequences of change to be understood: Now, therefore, be it