CCL applauds inclusion of Growing Climate Solutions Act in omnibus

WASHINGTON, DC, DEC. 20, 2022 — Citizens’ Climate Lobby applauds the inclusion of the Growing Climate Solutions Act in the omnibus spending bill expected to be passed this week. The legislation would help all farmers and foresters to access carbon credit markets and get paid for using climate-friendly practices that sequester carbon.

Since it was introduced last year, the bill has garnered broad bipartisan support, thanks in great part to the lobbying efforts of CCL volunteers throughout the country who contacted and met with their senators and representatives. The legislation cleared the Senate last summer with overwhelming support, 92-8. The House version of the bill gathered 100 cosponsors, demonstrating support that helped it to be included in the must-pass omnibus spending bill.

“This is one more win in a year that has seen tremendous progress on climate solutions,” said Madeleine Para, CCL Executive Director. “The agriculture sector is experiencing great hardship from climate change, and this legislation makes it easier for farmers to be part of the solution.”

CCL also commends Sens. Mike Braun (R-IN) and Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and Reps. Abigail Spanberger (D-VA07) and Don Bacon (R-NE02) for their leadership in sponsoring the Growing Climate Solutions Act and shepherding it through the legislative process.

The legislation creates a new program in the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture to help solve technical entry barriers for farmer and forest landowner participation in carbon credit markets, if the Secretary of Agriculture determines it will be beneficial. It will:

• Establish a Greenhouse Gas Technical Assistance Provider and Third-Party Verifier Program through which the USDA will be able to provide information for third party verifiers and technical service providers to private landowners so they may more easily generate carbon credits and access carbon markets.
• Enable the USDA to publish best practices for activities that prevent, reduce, or mitigate greenhouse gas emissions used across agriculture and forestry and help connect landowners to private and public sector actors who can assist the landowners in implementing the protocols and monetizing the climate value of their sustainable practices.
• It would also direct USDA and the EPA to conduct an assessment and report on carbon markets, the numbers of carbon credits, barriers to enter these markets and the need for greater education on carbon markets along with other information.

“The inclusion of this bill in the omnibus demonstrates the strong desire for Republicans and Democrats to come together on climate solutions,” said Ben Pendergrass, CCL’s VP for Government Affairs. “We’ll be looking for more bipartisan opportunities on climate like this in the upcoming Congress.”