22-5201. LEGISLATIVE INTENT. Increasing levels of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere have led to growing interest in national and international forums for implementing measures to slow and reverse the buildup of such atmospheric constituents. Such measures may potentially include the establishment of systems of trading in credits for adoption of practices, technologies or other measures which decrease net emissions of carbon dioxide. Improved agricultural and timber production methods, soil and forest conservation practices and other methods of stewardship of soil and other land resources have great potential to increase carbon sequestration on agricultural and private forest lands and help offset carbon dioxide emissions from other sectors of the economy. It is in the interest of agricultural producers, nonindustrial private forest landowners and the public in general that the Idaho state soil and water conservation commission document and quantify carbon sequestration and greenhouse emissions reductions associated with agricultural and forestry practices, management systems and land uses occurring on cropland, forest land and rangeland in Idaho. It is the intent of the legislature that efforts to quantify and verify carbon sequestration on agricultural and forest lands will enhance the ability of the state’s agricultural and nonindustrial private forest landowners to participate in any system of carbon sequestration marketing or trading.

History:

[(22-5201) 22-5101, added 2002, ch. 256, sec. 1, p. 736; am. & redesig. 2003, ch. 16, sec. 3, p. 52; am. 2010, ch. 279, sec. 19, p. 744.]