[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 173 (Thursday, December 13, 2001)]
[Senate]
[Pages S13116-S13118]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




AGRICULTURE, CONSERVATION, AND RURAL ENHANCEMENT ACT OF 2001--Continued

  Mr. WYDEN. I ask unanimous consent that the amendment I filed with 
Senator Brownback of Kansas be called up at this time.
  THE PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Michigan.
  Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, reserving the right to object, I want to 
make sure that Senator Reid knows precisely what is going on. That is 
the only reluctance I have. I don't know whether it is even in order 
without first getting the bill before the Senate and then having the 
amendment and then setting the bill aside. I want Senator Reid to hear 
your request.
  Mr. WYDEN. To restate my request, I ask unanimous consent the 
amendment I have filed with Senator Brownback of Kansas, that I believe 
can be disposed of very quickly, be considered at this time.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.


                Amendment No. 2546 to Amendment No. 2471

(Purpose: To provide for forest carbon sequestration and carbon trading 
                     by farmer-owned cooperatives)

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report.

[[Page S13117]]

  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       The Senator from Oregon [Mr. Wyden], for himself and Mr. 
     Brownback, proposes an amendment numbered 2546 to amendment 
     No. 2471.

  Mr. WYDEN. I ask unanimous consent reading of the amendment be 
dispensed.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  (The text of the amendment is printed in today's Record under 
``Amendments Submitted.'')
  Mr. WYDEN. I will be very brief. I express my appreciation to the 
Senator from Michigan and the Senator from Virginia.
  One of the most serious environmental problems in our country and in 
the world is the excessive emissions of carbons into the atmosphere. 
Senator Brownback and I have worked for a number of years together on a 
bipartisan basis because we believe it is time for the U.S. Congress to 
begin moving together on a bipartisan basis to deal with this serious 
environmental problem. Therefore, the amendment we worked out with 
Senator Harkin and Senator Lugar sets up what is known as a carbon 
sequestration program, a program that allows us to store these carbons 
in trees, in agricultural products, and in the land.
  Our legislation specifically does two things: It allows the research 
dollars in the legislation to be used by State forestry programs for 
carbon sequestration. This allows mobilization of various State 
forestry programs such as we have in Oregon and other States in this 
country to seriously attack this carbon problem.
  Second, our legislation sets up a carbon sequestration demonstration 
effort which allows private parties to pay farmers and foresters a 
market-based fee to store carbon and to otherwise reduce net emissions 
of greenhouse gasses. It would be the first effort to set up a 
marketplace-oriented system of reducing these carbons.
  We are not saying tonight, Senator Brownback and I, that carbon 
sequestration is the be-all and end-all of dealing with the climate 
change problem. But it can be a significant tool in our toolbox to 
reduce global warming. I happen to think that carbon sequestration can 
be a very significant jackhammer for those who are fighting the climate 
change issue.
  I conclude by thanking Senator Harkin and Senator Lugar. This is a 
chance to bring Americans together--businesses, environmental leaders. 
It will not cost jobs, it will save money. Look at the costs. It takes 
between $2 and $20 per ton to store carbon in trees and soil. Emissions 
reductions can cost as much as $100 per ton. That is why Senator 
Brownback and I have worked for several years. I believe this 
legislation can reduce a third of the problems we are having with 
excessive emissions in our country.
  With that, and with thanks to Senator Harkin and Senator Lugar, I ask 
that the amendment be agreed to on a voice vote at this time.
  I yield the floor.
  Mr. BROWNBACK. Mr. President, today, I join with Senator Wyden to 
bring an amendment to the floor on the farm bill which will establish a 
pilot program for farmer owned cooperatives to measure, verify and 
trade sequestered soil carbon through agriculture conservation 
practices. This amendment will authorize $5 million over 5 years to 
establish a program that will allow our nation's farmers to implement 
the promise offered by carbon sequestration--a process where crops and 
trees convert carbon dioxide into stored carbon in the soil. At the 
same time, this project will provide the Congress with important 
information about how effective soil carbon sequestration will be in 
addressing the issue of climate change.
  As we set farm policy for the next five years, there are several 
important areas we have an opportunity to expand. One promising example 
is in a potential environmental market for farmers--where producers are 
paid by utilities and other greenhouse gas producers to offset carbon 
dioxide emissions to ease into CO2 reductions more cost 
effectively. Such a market is already being looked at in many sectors, 
but more information and applied research is needed to answer policy 
questions surrounding the effectiveness and permanence of carbon 
sequestration as part of the global climate change solution.
  I have introduced 3 bills involving carbon sequestration in this last 
year. I am pleased that many of these ideas have been embraced by the 
new farm bill currently on the Senate floor. Many farm conservation 
practices have been sequestering carbon for years--but we have not 
adequately been able to measure and capitalize on this promising 
process.
  The new farm bill will contain $225 million over 5 years for carbon 
sequestration grants to producers and research uninversities to do 
pilot projects to measure and verify carbon gains. In addition, USDA 
will become more engaged in measuring and verifying which farm 
conservation practices store carbon. There will also be continued 
funding for research through land grant universities--being led 
prominently by Kansas State University.
  In addition, the farm bill contains a grant program of $500 million 
over 5 years for private enterprise conservation--which includes carbon 
sequestration activities.
  Despite my concerns about many provisions in this farm bill--I am 
very pleased to see these provisions included. This will build a new 
market for farmers--one that pays for how they produce, not just what 
they produce.
  The Wyden-Brownback amendment builds on this promise and expands it 
to help us explore how carbon trading might work by using one of the 
most trusted friends of the farmer--cooperatives.
  Carbon sequestration is a largely untapped resource that can buy us 
the one thing we need most in the climate debate time. The Department 
of Energy estimates that over the next 50 to 100 years, agricultural 
lands alone could have the potential to remove anywhere from 40 to 80 
billion metric tons of carbon from the atmosphere. If we expand this to 
include forests, the number will be far greater--indicating there is a 
real difference that could be made by encouraging a carbon sink 
approach.
  Carbon sequestration alone can not solve the climate change dilemma, 
but as we search for technological advancement that allow us to create 
energy with less pollution, and as we continue to research the cause 
and potential effects of climate change, it only makes sense that we 
enhance a natural process we already know has the benefit of reducing 
existing concentrations of greenhouse gases--particularly when this 
process also improves water quality, soil fertility and wildlife 
habitat. This is a no-regrets policy--much like taking out insurance on 
your house or car. We should do no less for the protection of the 
Planet.
  Carbon sequestration can only be one tool in the fight to reduce 
greenhouse gases in a cost effective way, but it is something we can be 
doing right now for the benefit of our atmosphere, our water, our soil 
and our farmers and foresters. There is no downside to supporting this 
amendment. We advance important conservation goals and begin taking 
concrete action on one of o ur toughtest environmental challenges.
  Not only does this amendment help the environment, it also helps to 
flesh out the details behind a very promising and potentially lucrative 
market for farmers and foresters--a market where they would be paid for 
how they produce, in addition to what they produce.
  Early estimates from the Consortium for Agricultural Soils Mitigation 
of Greenhouse Gases indicate that the potential for a carbon market for 
U.S. agriculture could reach $5 billion per year for the next 30-40 
years.
  Mr. President--this is a common sense amendment--which is good for 
our farmers, good for the environment and could provide a bridge to 
begin dealing with one of our most challenging environmental problems 
by applying the market principles to reduce climate change. This is an 
important first step--which opens the door to a new bi-partisan 
alliance that will help make real progress on the issue. I urge my 
colleagues to support the Wyden-Brownback amendment.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The question is on agreeing to the amendment 
of the Senator from Oregon, amendment No. 2546.
  The amendment (No. 2546) was agreed to.

[[Page S13118]]

  Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, I move to reconsider the vote.
  Mr. WYDEN. I move to lay that motion on the table.
  The motion to lay on the table was agreed to.

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