Today, House Agriculture Committee Republican Leader Glenn "GT" Thompson (R-PA), House Science, Space, and Technology Committee Republican Leader Frank Lucas (R-OK), and House Natural Resources Committee Republican Leader Bruce Westerman (R-AR) introduced a bill that will improve our ability to capture and store greenhouse gasses from the atmosphere.
Land use like agriculture and forestry already offset total U.S. greenhouse gas emissions by 13%, but with increased research and development, that number could be much higher. The Carbon Sequestration Collaboration Act directs a coordinated research effort across the Department of Energy, the Department of Agriculture, and the Department of the Interior to improve our ability to sequester carbon through land use.
"As we continue to discuss natural solutions to address climate change, it is important to recognize the potential our soil has to sequester carbon through agriculture and forestry," Republican Leader Thompson said. "In 2020, the land use and forestry sector removed approximately 13% of total U.S. greenhouse gas emissions; however, additional research is needed to maximize the amount of carbon we can store in our soils. I am proud to join Ranking Members Lucas and Westerman in introducing this bill that will direct federal agencies to work together to address those knowledge gaps."
"As a farmer and rancher, I’m well aware of how sound land use practices can conserve resources and improve our environment," Republican Leader Lucas said. "The Department of Energy is already doing great research on large-scale carbon sequestration opportunities, but there is a knowledge gap when it comes to making use of smaller carbon sinks like soils and rangeland. We can’t afford to pass up the tremendous potential of land use to store greenhouse gases. We need an all-of-the-above approach to addressing climate change—one that makes use of our many resources. Research and development into innovative solutions like this will be what drives our success in greenhouse gas reductions—not restrictive mandates that raise prices on American families."
"America is already a global leader in reducing carbon emissions, and this legislation will enable us to further sequester carbon through natural solutions and other innovative methods," Republican Leader Westerman said. "As we continue developing advanced technology, we can’t forget the incredible carbon sequestration devices that have existed for millennia. Trees remain the most efficient and effective carbon sequestration tools we have, so I’m eager to incentivize sound forestry and other natural resource management, including sequestration through mine tailings, that will reduce the overall emissions lingering in the atmosphere. I’m honored to join committee leadership and my congressional colleagues in this important effort."
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