Soil carbon research, monitoring legislation would aid farmers, climate crisis

The Coordination for Soil Carbon Research and Monitoring Act would empower the federal government to support interagency work around soil carbon sequestration research and monitoring.

U.S. Reps. Jennifer L. McClellan of Virginia and Mike Lawler of New York introduced H.R. 641 last week.

Soil carbon sequestration refers to land management practices that help the soil absorb carbon. Such practices offer clear benefits to farmers and the environment, making farms and ranches more resilient to drought, heavy rainfall and other extreme weather conditions exacerbated by climate change. Experts estimate that soil could store nearly 5 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide worldwide each year, preventing approximately 13 percent of global annual greenhouse gas emissions from entering the atmosphere.

“Agriculture represents the largest private industry in Virginia. As the impacts of climate change intensify, our farmers and ranchers feel the impacts more severely. Unprecedented weather events and extreme temperatures threaten crop yields, revenue, and livelihoods. I am taking action to protect our agricultural communities by reintroducing the bipartisan Coordination for Soil Carbon Research and Monitoring Act as my first bill of the 119th Congress. I thank Congressman Lawler for his continued partnership in this effort and look forward to advocating for its advancement,” McClellan said.

Lawler said that sequestration is a game changer and the legislation ensures maximization of the technology to support farmers, strengthen food security and build a sustainable future.

Originally introduced in the 118th Congress, the Coordination for Soil Carbon Research and Monitoring Act:

• Establishes an Interagency Committee on Soil Carbon Research led by the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy.
• Directs the Interagency Committee to develop a cross-agency strategic plan for federal research, development, and deployment regarding soil carbon sequestration sampling and measurement methodologies, measurement and monitoring technologies, and community needs.
• Establishes working groups to coordinate soil carbon research priorities including Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification (MRV), data collection and management, fundamental research and community engagement.
• Requires regular reporting to Congress on soil carbon sequestration research and monitoring activities.
  The Coordination for Soil Carbon Research and Monitoring Act is endorsed by Carbon180, Bipartisan Policy Center Action, Union of Concerned Scientists, and Appalachian Voices.

“Farmers play a crucial role in stewarding our soil, a major carbon sink, in addition to feeding the nation. Yet, most farmers lack the tools and knowledge to measure, track, and fully benefit from soil carbon outcomes. To unlock the potential of soil carbon, we need a coordinated, large-scale effort across federal agencies to advance research and monitoring. We commend Reps. McClellan and Lawler for addressing these challenges through the Coordination for Soil Carbon Research and Monitoring Act. This legislation provides a roadmap to bring together the federal government, private sector, universities, technical service providers, and producers to advance soil carbon research for informed farmer decision-making and effective land stewards,” Mary Olive, interim director of land policy at Carbon180, said.

Michele Stockwell, BPC Action president, said the organization applauds Lawler and McClellan’s efforts.

“The Coordination for Soil Carbon Research and Monitoring Act will provide the building blocks needed to coordinate cross-cutting priorities on soil carbon research including monitoring, reporting, and verification, data collection and management, and fundamental research regarding soil dynamics. This research will help the U.S. agriculture sector better understand how to increase soil health and enhance farming practices to boost the natural processes of capturing carbon dioxide and storing it in soils,” Stockwell said.

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Legislation would encourage research, monitoring of soil carbon sequestration