16 USC § 3845 - Environmental services markets | Title 16 - Conservation | U.S. Code

USCPrelim is a preliminary release and may be subject to further revision before it is released again as a final version.

Current through Pub. L. 113-9. (See Public Laws for the current Congress.)

(a) Technical guidelines required

The Secretary shall establish technical guidelines that outline science-based methods to measure the environmental services benefits from conservation and land management activities in order to facilitate the participation of farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners in emerging environmental services markets. The Secretary shall give priority to the establishment of guidelines related to farmer, rancher, and forest landowner participation in carbon markets.

(b) Establishment

The Secretary shall establish guidelines under subsection (a) for use in developing the following:

(1) A procedure to measure environmental services benefits.

(2) A protocol to report environmental services benefits.

(3) A registry to collect, record and maintain the benefits measured.

(c) Verification requirements

(1) Verification of reports

The Secretary shall establish guidelines for a process to verify that a farmer, rancher, or forest landowner who reports an environmental services benefit pursuant to the protocol required by paragraph (2) of subsection (b) for inclusion in the registry required by paragraph (3) of such subsection has implemented the conservation or land management activity covered by the report.

(2) Role of third parties

In establishing the verification guidelines required by paragraph (1), the Secretary shall consider the role of third-parties in conducting independent verification of benefits produced for environmental services markets and other functions, as determined by the Secretary.

(d) Use of existing information

In carrying out subsection (b), the Secretary shall build on activities or information in existence on the date of the enactment of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 regarding environmental services markets.

(e) Consultation

In carrying out this section, the Secretary shall consult with the following:

(1) Federal and State government agencies.

(2) Nongovernmental interests including—

(A) farm, ranch, and forestry producers;

(B) financial institutions involved in environmental services trading;

(C) institutions of higher education with relevant expertise or experience;

(D) nongovernmental organizations with relevant expertise or experience; and

(E) private sector representatives with relevant expertise or experience.

(3) Other interested persons, as determined by the Secretary.

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(a) Technical guidelines required

The Secretary shall establish technical guidelines that outline science-based methods to measure the environmental services benefits from conservation and land management activities in order to facilitate the participation of farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners in emerging environmental services markets. The Secretary shall give priority to the establishment of guidelines related to farmer, rancher, and forest landowner participation in carbon markets.

(b) Establishment

The Secretary shall establish guidelines under subsection (a) for use in developing the following:

(1) A procedure to measure environmental services benefits.

(2) A protocol to report environmental services benefits.

(3) A registry to collect, record and maintain the benefits measured.

(c) Verification requirements

(1) Verification of reports

The Secretary shall establish guidelines for a process to verify that a farmer, rancher, or forest landowner who reports an environmental services benefit pursuant to the protocol required by paragraph (2) of subsection (b) for inclusion in the registry required by paragraph (3) of such subsection has implemented the conservation or land management activity covered by the report.

(2) Role of third parties

In establishing the verification guidelines required by paragraph (1), the Secretary shall consider the role of third-parties in conducting independent verification of benefits produced for environmental services markets and other functions, as determined by the Secretary.

(d) Use of existing information

In carrying out subsection (b), the Secretary shall build on activities or information in existence on the date of the enactment of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 regarding environmental services markets.

(e) Consultation

In carrying out this section, the Secretary shall consult with the following:

(1) Federal and State government agencies.

(2) Nongovernmental interests including—

(A) farm, ranch, and forestry producers;

(B) financial institutions involved in environmental services trading;

(C) institutions of higher education with relevant expertise or experience;

(D) nongovernmental organizations with relevant expertise or experience; and

(E) private sector representatives with relevant expertise or experience.

(3) Other interested persons, as determined by the Secretary.

Source

(Pub. L. 99–198, title XII, § 1245, as added Pub. L. 110–234, title II, § 2709,May 22, 2008, 122 Stat. 1081, and Pub. L. 110–246, § 4(a), title II, § 2709,June 18, 2008, 122 Stat. 1664, 1809.)

References in Text

The date of the enactment of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008, referred to in subsec (d), is the date of enactment of Pub. L. 110–246, which was approved June 18, 2008.

Codification

Pub. L. 110–234and Pub. L. 110–246enacted identical sections. Pub. L. 110–234was repealed by section 4(a) ofPub. L. 110–246.

Prior Provisions

A prior section 3845,Pub. L. 99–198, title XII, § 1245,Dec. 23, 1985, 99 Stat. 1516; Pub. L. 101–624, title XIV, § 1443,Nov. 28, 1990, 104 Stat. 3602; Pub. L. 102–552, title V, § 516(b)(1),Oct. 28, 1992, 106 Stat. 4137, related to authorization of appropriations, prior to the general amendment of this subchapter by Pub. L. 104–127.

A prior section 3846,Pub. L. 99–198, title XII, § 1246, as added Pub. L. 101–624, title XIV, § 1444,Nov. 28, 1990, 104 Stat. 3602, directed Secretary to report to Congress on erodible land and wetland conservation program, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 104–66, title I, § 1011(a),Dec. 21, 1995, 109 Stat. 709.

A prior section 3847,Pub. L. 99–198, title XII, § 1247, as added Pub. L. 101–624, title XIV, § 1445,Nov. 28, 1990, 104 Stat. 3603; amended Pub. L. 102–237, title II, § 204(8),Dec. 13, 1991, 105 Stat. 1855, which related to assistance for control of spread of weeds and pests, was omitted in the general amendment of this subchapter by Pub. L. 104–127.

Effective Date

Enactment of this section and repeal of Pub. L. 110–234by Pub. L. 110–246effective May 22, 2008, the date of enactment of Pub. L. 110–234, see section 4 ofPub. L. 110–246, set out as a note under section 8701 of Title 7, Agriculture.

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The most recent Classification Table update that we have noticed was Monday, June 17, 2013

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16 USC	Description of Change	Session Year	Public Law	Statutes at Large

16 USC § 3845 - Environmental services markets

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