HR 641119th CongressIn Committee

Coordination for Soil Carbon Research and Monitoring Act

Introduced: Jan 23, 2025

Standard Summary

Comprehensive overview in 1-2 paragraphs

The Coordination for Soil Carbon Research and Monitoring Act would create an Interagency Committee on Soil Carbon Research, led by the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), with representation from multiple federal agencies (including Agriculture, Energy, Interior, EPA, USGS, NOAA, NSF, NASA, the White House Environmental Justice Advisory Council, and NIST) and any others the OSTP Director designates. The core mission is to coordinate and accelerate federal research, development, and deployment related to soil carbon sequestration—covering how to sample and measure soil carbon, monitor changes, and address community needs. The bill requires a cross-agency strategic plan, a baseline report within one year, progress reports at 1, 3, and 5 years, and the creation of working groups to address cross-cutting priorities (such as measurement standards, data sharing, fundamental research, and community engagement). A total of $10 million in new appropriations is authorized to carry out these activities.

Key Points

1Establishes the Interagency Committee on Soil Carbon Research, led by OSTP, with broad federal agency participation and the potential to add other agencies as deemed appropriate.
2Requires the committee to develop a cross-agency strategic plan for soil carbon sequestration research, measurement methodologies, monitoring technologies, and alignment with community needs; assign roles/responsibilities to agencies; and oversee working groups.
3Mandates a baseline report within one year describing existing soil carbon research and monitoring activities, followed by progress reports at one, three, and five years.
4Creates working groups (as needed) to coordinate priorities such as Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification (MRV); data collection/management and data standards; fundamental research; and community engagement, with a focus on historically underserved and disadvantaged groups.
5Directs working groups to identify ongoing federal efforts, gaps, collaboration opportunities, and coordinated projects and budget needs; emphasize stakeholder engagement and integration of diverse inputs; and develop standardized monitoring of long-term carbon and environmental impacts.
6Authorizes $10,000,000 in appropriations to implement the section.

Impact Areas

Primary group/area affected- Federal agencies involved in science, environment, agriculture, energy, and related fields; researchers in soil carbon science; and agricultural producers who may be affected by research, standards, and recommendations emerging from coordinated federal efforts.Secondary group/area affected- Communities historically underserved or disadvantaged, as well as private industry and nonprofit organizations engaged in soil science, farming, and land management, due to mandated community engagement and diverse stakeholder input.Additional impacts- Potential improvements in data standards, data sharing, and long-term monitoring of soil carbon and greenhouse gas fluxes across agencies.- Alignment of federal research priorities and budgets around soil carbon sequestration, which could influence funding decisions and program administration.- Enhanced coordination across agencies may affect how environmental research is planned and reviewed by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and other federal bodies.

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