OMNIBUS DEAL INCLUDES BIPARTISAN, CLIMATE-FOCUSED AGRICULTURE BILL: The end-of-year omnibus bill released yesterday includes a bipartisan measure to help farmers measure and verify greenhouse gas reductions. The bill, the Growing Climate Solutions Act, was introduced last year in the House and Senate by Rep. Abigail Spanberger, a Virginia Democrat, Sen. Mike Braun, an Indiana Republican, and others.
The version of the bill included in the spending package would create a registry of third-party vendors that farmers could consult with to help measure carbon reductions from their conservation practices. Proponents say the government’s involvement will help to boost the credibility of carbon offset programs in the U.S.
Its inclusion was praised by advocacy groups on both sides of the aisle: “The Growing Climate Solutions Act shows us that bipartisan climate action is not only possible — it’s already happening,” American Conservation Coalition Action president, Benji Backer, said in a statement.
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