[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6232 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>






118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 6232

  To establish an interagency committee on soil carbon sequestration 
                   research, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            November 6, 2023

  Ms. McClellan (for herself and Mr. Lawler) introduced the following 
   bill; which was referred to the Committee on Science, Space, and 
   Technology, and in addition to the Committees on Agriculture, and 
 Natural Resources, for a period to be subsequently determined by the 
  Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall 
           within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To establish an interagency committee on soil carbon sequestration 
                   research, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Coordination for Soil Carbon 
Research and Monitoring Act''.

SEC. 2. SOIL CARBON RESEARCH AND MONITORING.

    (a) Interagency Committee.--
            (1) In general.--There is established an interagency 
        committee to be known as the ``Interagency Committee on Soil 
        Carbon Research'' (in this section referred to as the 
        ``Interagency Committee''), to be led by the Office of Science 
        and Technology Policy and composed of representatives from the 
        following:
                    (A) The Department of Agriculture.
                    (B) The Department of Energy.
                    (C) The Department of the Interior.
                    (D) The Environmental Protection Agency.
                    (E) The United States Geological Survey.
                    (F) The National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
                Administration.
                    (G) The National Science Foundation.
                    (H) The National Aeronautics and Space 
                Administration.
                    (I) The White House Environmental Justice Advisory 
                Council.
                    (J) The National Institute of Standards and 
                Technology.
                    (K) Such other Federal agencies as the Director of 
                the Office of Science and Technology Policy determines 
                appropriate.
            (2) Duties.--The Interagency Committee shall--
                    (A) 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;
                    (B) propose roles and responsibilities to each 
                Federal agency to advance soil carbon sequestration 
                research and monitoring;
                    (C) oversee working groups established under this 
                section;
                    (D) as appropriate, seek to consult with Federal 
                agencies and with the Office of Management and Budget 
                regarding planning and budget review, respectively, 
                concerning matters relating to Federal soil carbon 
                sequestration research and monitoring;
                    (E) submit to Congress a baseline report on 
                existing soil carbon sequestration research and 
                monitoring activities;
                    (F) submit to Congress progress reports on soil 
                carbon sequestration research and monitoring activities 
                at one-, three-, and five-year intervals;
                    (G) encourage coordination between Federal agencies 
                and evaluate soil carbon sequestration monitoring 
                activities, data collection on soil carbon and 
                greenhouse gas (GHG) fluxes, and long-term storage 
                protocols for soil carbon;
                    (H) support comprehensive reporting on soil carbon 
                sequestration related activities based on a 
                standardized integration of existing and new relevant 
                data collection efforts across Federal agencies;
                    (I) share recommendations for review and input with 
                soil science experts from academia, private industry, 
                and nonprofit organizations that represent the 
                geographic, operational, and demographic diversity of 
                United States agriculture; and
                    (J) designate a member of the Interagency Committee 
                to collaborate with Federal agency heads on soil carbon 
                sequestration research and monitoring activities.
            (3) Working groups.--
                    (A) In general.--The Interagency Committee may, as 
                appropriate and necessary, establish working groups to 
                coordinate on cross-cutting priorities on soil carbon 
                research as determined by the Interagency Committee, 
                including relating to the following:
                            (i) Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification 
                        (MRV).
                            (ii) Data collection and management, with a 
                        focus on measurement standards, standards for 
                        use of new technologies, and data architecture 
                        for accessibility across agencies.
                            (iii) Fundamental research, including 
                        regarding soil carbon dynamics, plant breeding, 
                        and soil amendments.
                            (iv) Community engagement in research 
                        development and dissemination of results, 
                        particularly with historically underserved and 
                        disadvantaged groups.
                    (B) Duties.--Working groups established pursuant to 
                subparagraph (A) shall--
                            (i) identify ongoing research and 
                        monitoring efforts on soil carbon at each 
                        Federal agency represented in each such working 
                        group;
                            (ii) identify gaps in current efforts on 
                        soil carbon sequestration research and 
                        monitoring;
                            (iii) outline current collaboration across 
                        agencies on soil carbon sequestration research 
                        and monitoring;
                            (iv) propose coordinated projects and 
                        budget requests to advance the field of soil 
                        carbon sequestration research and monitoring;
                            (v) engage with and conduct outreach to 
                        agricultural communities and producers, 
                        particularly those historically underserved, to 
                        ensure soil carbon sequestration research and 
                        monitoring is rooted in stakeholder engagement 
                        and on-the-ground perspectives;
                            (vi) engage with research and extension 
                        soil scientists, private industry, nonprofit 
                        organizations, and other interdisciplinary soil 
                        science expert groups to ensure that 
                        recommendations are informed by the best 
                        available science; and
                            (vii) collaborate on the development of 
                        standardized monitoring of the long-term carbon 
                        and environmental impacts of soil carbon 
                        sequestration research.
    (b) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated $10,000,000 to carry out this section.
                                 <all>