[Federal Register: November 25, 2002 (Volume 67, Number 227)]
[Notices]
[Page 70576-70577]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr25no02-30]
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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 sharon--barcellos@grad.usda.go.
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 ghgcomments@oce.usda.gov.
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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