[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 227 (Monday, November 25, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 70576-70577]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-29881]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE


Accounting Rules and Guidelines for Forest and Agriculture 
Greenhouse Gas Offsets

AGENCY: Office of the Chief Economist, Global Change Program Office.

ACTION: Notice of registration for meetings.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Agriculture will hold two meetings to 
solicit input on the accounting rules and guidelines for forest and 
agriculture greenhouse gas offsets that will be used in the Department 
of Energy's 1605(b) greenhouse gas reporting system. These meetings 
will address technical methodological issues associated with preparing 
estimates of greenhouse gas offsets from agriculture and forestry 
activities and reporting them under DOE's 1605(b) program.

DATES: The Department will hold the meetings on the following dates:
    1. Agriculture Accounting Rules and Guidelines, January 14-15, 
2003, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Riverdale, MD.
    2. Forest Accounting Rules and Guidelines, January 23, 2003, 8:30 
a.m. to 5 p.m., Riverdale, MD.

ADDRESSES: The workshops will be held at the Department of Agriculture 
Center located at 4700 River Road, Riverdale, MD.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Registration Information: Persons 
interested in registering for the meetings or in obtaining more 
information about USDA's efforts to develop accounting rules and 
guidelines for forest and agriculture greenhouse gas offsets should 
visit the following web site: http://www.usda.gov/agency/oce/gcpo/greenhousegasreporting.htm.
    The website will also be used to make available draft and final 
meeting agendas, information on lodging, and any background papers or 
other information made available before the meetings.
    Technical Information: William Holhenstein, Director, Global Change 
Program Office, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Room 112-A, Whitten 
Federal Building, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20250-
3810.

    (Note: due to precautionary screening of mail to Federal 
offices, some delays should be expected.)

    Logistical Information: Inquiries regarding the logistics for these 
meetings may be e-mailed to [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On February 14, 2002, the President directed 
the Secretary of Agriculture, in consultation with the Department of 
Energy and the Environmental Protection Agency, to develop accounting 
rules and guidelines for crediting sequestration projects, taking into 
account emerging domestic and international approaches. Given the 
interactions between carbon sequestration and other greenhouse gas 
fluxes from land uses, USDA intends to develop accounting rules and 
guidelines for carbon and other greenhouse gas fluxes from land use 
practices (crops, animal agriculture, range and pasture, and forests).
    On February 14, 2002, the President also directed the Secretary of 
Energy, in consultation with the Secretary of Commerce, the Secretary 
of Agriculture, and the Administrator of the Environmental Protection 
Agency to proposed improvements to the current voluntary emission 
reduction registration program under section 1605(b) of the 1992 Energy 
Policy Act within 120 days. These improvements will enhance measurement 
accuracy, reliability, and verifiability, working with and taking into 
account emerging domestic and international approaches.
    To achieve these objectives it will be necessary to supplement or 
supplant the

[[Page 70577]]

existing guidelines with new, more rigorous reporting requirements. On 
July 8, 2002, the Secretaries of Energy, Agriculture, and Commerce, and 
the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency wrote to be 
the President stating that the improvements to the existing Voluntary 
Greenhouse Gas Reporting Programs should:
    1. Develop fair, objective, and practical methods for reporting 
baselines, reporting boundaries, calculating real results, and awarding 
transferable credits for actions that lead to real reductions.
    2. Standardize widely accepted, transparent accounting methods.
    3. Support independent verification of registry reports.
    4. Encourage reporters to report greenhouse gas intensity 
(emissions per unit of output) as well as emissions or emissions 
reductions.
    5. Encourage corporate or entity-wide reporting.
    6. Provide credits for actions to remove carbon dioxide from the 
atmosphere as well as for actions to reduce emissions.
    7. Develop a process for evaluating the extent to which past 
reductions may qualify for credit.
    8. Assure the voluntary reporting program is an effective tool for 
reaching the 18 percent greenhouse gas intensity goal by 2012.
    9. Factor in international strategies as well as State-level 
efforts.
    10. Minimize transactions costs for reporters and administrative 
costs for the Government, where possible, without compromising the 
foregoing recommendations.
    The meetings are intended to assist the Department in assessing the 
technical and methodological issues associated with developing new 
forest and agriculture accounting rules and guidelines. The meetings 
will provide an opportunity for open dialogue among farmers, forest 
land owners, farm groups and associations, businesses, industry 
associations, conservation organizations, environmental groups, 
institutions, individuals, and others affected interests. We intend to 
invite comments to ensure the full range of views and opinions are 
expressed. We also intend to provide an opportunity for those present 
to address the meeting. We also will accept and give full consideration 
to written views submitted including written responses to background 
materials prepared for the meetings. Written comments should be 
submitted to [email protected].
    Full agendas and various other materials will be made available 
prior to the workshop at: http://www.usda.gov/agency/oce/gcpo/greenhousegasreporting.htm.

    Dated: November 15, 2002.
Keith Collins,
Chief Economist.
[FR Doc. 02-29881 Filed 11-22-02; 8:45 am]
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