[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 132 (Wednesday, July 12, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44251-44252]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-14158]



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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

[Docket ID: USDA-2023-0009]


Federal Strategy To Advance Measurement and Monitoring Greenhouse 
Gas Measurement and Monitoring for the Agriculture and Forest Sectors

AGENCY: Office of Chief Economist, Department of Agriculture (USDA).

ACTION: Request for information.

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SUMMARY: The draft interagency report entitled, Federal Strategy to 
Advance Greenhouse Gas Measurement and Monitoring for the Agriculture 
and Forest Sectors (Strategy), has been published on the USDA website 
and is available at: https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/Draft-Federal-Ag-and-Forest-MMRV-Strategy.pdf and is also 
available on http://www.regulations.gov. This is a Request for 
Information (RFI) issued on behalf of the Administration's Greenhouse 
Gas Monitoring and Measurement Interagency Working Group (GHG IWG), 
USDA's Office of the Chief Economist (OCE) requests public comment 
broadly from individuals, U.S. industry, universities, non-profit 
organizations, Federal Funded Research and Development Centers 
(FFRDCs), and other U.S. Federal, State, local, Tribal government 
agencies. This RFI does not constitute a commitment, implied or 
otherwise, that USDA or other agencies of the U.S. Government will take 
action in this matter. Comments received will inform the GHG IWG, and 
agencies planning and implementation of an agriculture and forestry 
monitoring, measurement, reporting, and verification framework and 
near-term activities, including discussions on potential partnerships.

DATES: We will consider comments received on or before 11:59 p.m. (ET) 
on August 11, 2023.

ADDRESSES: We invite you to submit comments on this notice. You may 
submit comments by going to http://www.regulations.gov and searching 
for Docket ID: USDA-2023-0009. Follow the online instructions for 
submitting comments.
    Instructions for submitting comments are provided in the Questions 
section below.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Any questions about this notice should 
be sent to Mindy Selman, Office of Energy and Environmental Policy via 
email: [email protected], or telephone: 571-329-8711.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Background. In January 2022, the Office of Science and Technology 
Policy, White House Climate Policy Office, and Office of Management and 
Budget established the Greenhouse Gas Monitoring & Measurement 
Interagency Working Group (GHG IWG) to enhance coordination on existing 
capabilities and opportunities for enhancing measurement and 
quantification of GHG emissions and removals. In addition to the White 
House offices mentioned above, the GHG IWG includes the following 
United States (U.S.) Federal agencies: USDA, Department of Commerce 
(including the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) 
and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)), 
Department of Defense (DOD), Department of Energy (DOE), Department of 
Interior (DOI), Department of State (State), Environmental Protection 
Agency (EPA), NASA, and the National Science Foundation (NSF).
    The draft Federal Strategy to Advance Greenhouse Gas Measurement 
and Monitoring for the Agriculture and Forest Sectors (Strategy) 
developed by the GHG IWG outlines a framework for an integrated U.S 
Government (USG) approach to improving and advancing measurement, 
monitoring, reporting and verification (MMRV) of GHG fluxes from 
agriculture and forestry. The Strategy includes a strategic framework 
identifying elements of a comprehensive MMRV strategy. Within each 
framework element, the Strategy identifies strategic priorities for 
advancing MMRV within the agriculture and forest sectors. The Strategy 
is aligned with ongoing work across the USG to quantify the carbon 
sequestration and carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide emissions 
outcomes associated with activities funded through the Inflation 
Reduction Act (IRA). USDA received public comment on implementation of 
the IRA (87 FR 70770) including several questions regarding systems and 
strategies for quantification and will continue to ensure this ongoing 
work is aligned with the Strategy.
    The GHG IWG is seeking public comments on the draft Strategy in 
recognition of the significant expertise on this topic that exists 
outside of government and growing interest by companies, non-
governmental organizations, and local and State agencies in 
collaborating and/or contributing expertise, or who are customers of 
research, tools, data products and analyses that may result from 
implementation of the Strategy. A copy of the draft Strategy is posted 
as a separate PDF file on http://www.regulations.gov and is also 
available on the USDA website at https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/Draft-Federal-Ag-and-Forest-MMRV-Strategy.pdf.

Questions

    Responses to this RFI will be shared across USDA and with the GHG 
IWG. Respondents should focus their responses on areas where they have 
expertise and need not address all of the questions.
    This RFI requests information on the following themes:

General Comments or Questions on the Strategy

    1. What key research and data gaps or modeling and monitoring needs 
are most critical to address in order to advance measurement, 
monitoring, reporting and verification of greenhouse gases in the 
agriculture and forestry sector?
    2. Are the proposed activities and projects in section VI of the 
Strategy those which would most effectively advance the administration 
goals outlined in the Introduction? If not, what would be?
    3. Are there data or data products (e.g., conservation activity 
data, land management data, environmental data, etc.) available or 
under development that can improve the accuracy and timeliness of GHG 
estimates? This includes leveraging current or upcoming geospatial/
remote sensing data products in quantifying GHG emissions for the 
agriculture and forest sectors.
    4. For respondents in the agriculture and forest sectors that rely 
on Federal GHG inventory information and methods, how could the Federal 
Government's efforts be improved to meet your needs?
    5. What opportunities exist for Federal agencies to partner with 
external entities on the strategic priorities (e.g., forest carbon 
monitoring, data and computation systems, methane monitoring) outlined 
in the draft Strategy in ways that they have not previously done? This 
can include leveraging existing convening or organizing bodies.
    6. What verification protocols (national, subnational, or field 
scales) should the Federal Government be aware of to accelerate 
progress in GHG measurement and monitoring for forestry or agricultural 
GHG monitoring?

Animal Agriculture

    1. What additional data not mentioned in the RFI would assist with 
assessing and quantifying GHG emissions from livestock emissions;

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what emissions estimation gap would use of these data address, and how 
would these data best be obtained?
    2. The Federal Government plans to improve process representations 
as well as calibration and validation of livestock models and methods. 
What models or improvements would significantly improve emissions 
estimates from livestock?
    3. As the Federal Government looks to establish research networks 
to synthesize findings on GHG emissions from the livestock sector, what 
existing networks exist and could be leveraged as part of this effort?

Croplands

    1. What technologies or methods not currently used by the Federal 
Government could reduce the costs and improve reliability of in situ 
and remote sensing relevant to soil carbon measurements for use in the 
proposed soil carbon monitoring network?
    2. What data should be reported from the soil carbon monitoring 
network? How will the data be useful to you?
    3. Are there existing soil testing sampling methods USDA should be 
looking to synchronize with? What improvements or adjustments to 
existing technologies or methods used by the Federal Government could 
help improve data collection and integration into program delivery?

Forestry

    1. What technologies and methods have demonstrated success in 
improving annual GHG estimation of forest carbon, including forest 
product life cycle assessments and associated long-term carbon 
implications, and could, with modest additional effort, be transitioned 
to more sustained use or scaled up?
    2. What technologies and methods have demonstrated success in 
improving GHG estimation for urban forestry? For respondents in the 
urban forestry sector that rely on Federal GHG inventory information 
and methods, how could the Federal Government's efforts be improved to 
meet your needs?

Data and Data Sharing

    1. What approaches should the Federal Government consider to expand 
access to GHG-related data and methods for GHG quantification/
estimation? This includes aggregating proprietary or survey data for 
higher-level analysis and sharing.
    2. What key gaps in data on GHG emissions from management and 
production methods should USDA prioritize when quantifying emissions 
from manure management, rice cultivation, or fertilizer application?
    Responses should be limited to 4 pages maximum.

USDA Non-Discrimination Policy

    In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of 
Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, USDA, its 
Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or 
administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on 
race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity (including 
gender expression), sexual orientation, disability, age, marital 
status, family or parental status, income derived from a public 
assistance program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for 
prior civil rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or 
funded by USDA (not all bases apply to all programs). Remedies and 
complaint filing deadlines vary by program or incident.
    Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of 
communication for program information (for example, braille, large 
print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.) should contact the 
responsible agency or USDA TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 or 844-433-
2774 (toll-free nationwide). Additionally, program information may be 
made available in languages other than English.
    To file a program discrimination complaint, complete the USDA 
Program Discrimination Complaint Form, AD-3027, found online at https://www.usda.gov/oascr/how-to-file-a-program-discrimination-complaint and 
at any USDA office or write a letter addressed to USDA, and provide in 
the letter all the information requested in the form. To request a copy 
of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form 
or letter to USDA by mail to: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of 
the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, 
Washington, DC 20250-9410 or email: [email protected].
    USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.

Seth Meyer,
Chief Economist, Office of the Chief Economist, United States 
Department of Agriculture.
[FR Doc. 2023-14158 Filed 7-11-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-GL-P