Notice2024-17938
Greenhouse Gas Technical Assistance Provider and Third-Party Verifier Program Advisory Council: Notice of Intent To Establish Charter and Solicitation for Nominations
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Published
August 13, 2024
Issuing agencies
Agriculture DepartmentAgricultural Marketing Service
Abstract
This notice announces the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary's intent to establish the Greenhouse Gas Technical Assistance Provider and Third-Party Verifier Program Advisory Council (Council) under the Growing Climate Solutions Act and in accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), solicits nominations for membership on the Council, and solicits nominations for a pool of candidates to fill future unexpected vacancies in any of the position categories should that occur.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 89 Issue 156 (Tuesday, August 13, 2024)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 156 (Tuesday, August 13, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 65836-65838]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2024-17938]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Agricultural Marketing Service
[Doc. No. AMS-LP-24-0012]
Greenhouse Gas Technical Assistance Provider and Third-Party
Verifier Program Advisory Council: Notice of Intent To Establish
Charter and Solicitation for Nominations
AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of intent to establish charter and call for nominations.
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SUMMARY: This notice announces the U.S. Department of Agriculture
(USDA) Secretary's intent to establish the Greenhouse Gas Technical
Assistance Provider and Third-Party Verifier Program Advisory Council
(Council) under the Growing Climate Solutions Act and in accordance
with the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), solicits nominations
for membership on the Council, and solicits nominations for a pool of
candidates to fill future unexpected vacancies in any of the position
categories should that occur.
DATES: The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) invites interested
persons to submit comments on this notice. Comments will be accepted
until 11:59 p.m. ET on October 15, 2024, via <a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://www.regulations.gov</a>: Document # AMS-LP-24-0012. Nomination packages
including a cover letter to the Secretary, the nominee's typed resume
or curriculum vitae, and a completed USDA Advisory Committee Membership
Background Information Form AD-755 must be postmarked on or before
October 15, 2024.
ADDRESSES: Nomination packages can be submitted electronically by email
to <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#247745574c450a7750564b4c4964515740450a434b52"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="144775677c753a4760667b7c7954616770753a737b62">[email protected]</span></a>, or mailed to: Sasha Strohm, U.S. Department
of Agriculture, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Stop 0249, Washington, DC
20250, Attn: GCSA Advisory Council. Electronic submittals are
preferred.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sasha Strohm by telephone at 202-720-
5705 or email at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#792a180a1118572a0d0b161114390c0a1d18571e160f"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="3162504259501f6245435e595c71444255501f565e47">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background and Authority
The Growing Climate Solutions Act (GCSA) directs the Secretary of
USDA to establish a non-discretionary advisory
[[Page 65837]]
committee to be known as the ``Greenhouse Gas Technical Assistance
Provider and Third-Party Verifier Program Advisory Council'' (Council).
The GCSA was signed into law as part of the Consolidated Appropriations
Act of 2023 (Pub. L. 117-328) and is codified in relevant part at 7
U.S.C. 6712. The GCSA specifies that the Council shall be subject to
the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. 10, 1001-1014), except
that section 14(a)(2) of that Act (5 U.S.C. 1013(a)(2)), concerning the
automatic termination of advisory committees, shall not apply. The
purpose of the Council is to support the newly established Greenhouse
Gas Technical Assistance Provider and Third-Party Verifier Program
(Program) in facilitating the participation in voluntary environmental
credit markets of farmers, ranchers, and private forest landowners,
including beginning, socially disadvantaged, limited resource, and
veteran farmers.
Key activities of the Council include periodically reviewing and
recommending any appropriate changes to the protocols recognized by the
Program for generating environmental credits; the required
qualifications for entities that provide technical assistance to
farmers, ranchers, and landowners; and the activities available to
farmers, ranchers, and landowners under the Program to prevent, reduce,
or mitigate greenhouse gas emissions.
The Council responsibilities include advising the Secretary
regarding: (1) current methods used in voluntary environmental credit
markets to quantify and verify the prevention, reduction, or mitigation
of greenhouse gas emissions; and (2) ways to reduce the barriers to
entry and transaction costs associated with such markets. Finally, the
Council will submit an initial assessment to Congress about the
Program, and it will consult with the Secretary regarding subsequent
periodic assessments. For more information about the Council's duties
and functions, interested persons are encouraged to review the GCSA, as
set forth in 7 U.S.C. 6712, particularly subsections (f) and (g) of the
law.
II. Structure
The Secretary will appoint the Council members. The GCSA requires
that the Council be broadly representative of the agriculture and
private forest sectors; include beginning, socially disadvantaged,
limited resource, and veteran farmers, ranchers, and private forest
landowners; and be composed of not less than 51 percent farmers,
ranchers, or private forest landowners.
In accordance with the GCSA, members appointed shall include:
<bullet> Up to four representatives from USDA, Environmental
Protection Agency, and National Institute of Standards and Technology,
including:
[cir] Not more than two from USDA, as determined by the Secretary;
[cir] Not more than one from the Environmental Protection Agency,
as determined by the Administrator; and
[cir] Not more than one from the National Institute of Standards
and Technology.
The selection process for the Federal employee seats referenced
above consists of the submission of a memorandum/letter from USDA to
the Agency Head/Department Secretary requesting the agency/department
identify a representative to serve on the Council by a certain date.
The corresponding agency would respond with a letter of recommendation
to USDA.
<bullet> Not fewer than twelve representatives of the agriculture
industry (of which not fewer than six must be active farmers and
ranchers).
<bullet> Not fewer than four representatives of private forest
landowners or the forestry and forest products industry.
<bullet> Up to four representatives of the relevant scientific
research community, including:
[cir] Not fewer than two representatives from land-grant colleges
and universities (as defined in section 1404 of the National
Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7
U.S.C. 3103)
[ssquf] Of which one shall be a representative of a college or
university eligible to receive funds under the Act of August 30, 1890
(commonly known as the ``Second Morrill Act'') (26 Stat. 417, chapter
841; 7 U.S.C. 321 et seq.), including Tuskegee University.
<bullet> Up to two experts or professionals, serving as Special
Government Employees (SGE), familiar with voluntary environmental
credit markets and the verification requirements in those markets.
<bullet> Up to three public representatives (i.e., members of
nongovernmental or civil society organizations with relevant
expertise):
[cir] Of which not fewer than one shall represent the interests of
socially disadvantaged groups.
<bullet> Up to three representatives from private sector businesses
or organizations that participate in voluntary environmental credit
markets.
The Council will be balanced in its membership in terms of the
points of view represented and the functions to be performed. Fresh
points of view are encouraged through staggered membership terms and
limiting the number of years a member may serve on the Council. In
accordance with the GCSA, a member term shall be 2 years, except that
of the members first appointed:
<bullet> not fewer than 8 members shall serve for a term of 1 year;
<bullet> not fewer than 12 members shall serve for a term of 2
years; and
<bullet> not fewer than 12 members shall serve for a term of 3
years.
After a member's initial term on the Council, the member may serve not
more than 4 additional 2-year terms.
The Council shall meet not less frequently than annually. During
the 90-day period beginning on the date on which the members are
appointed, the Council shall hold an initial meeting. All meetings are
open to the public in accordance with the FACA and its implementing
regulations and guidelines. Pursuant to the GCSA, the Agriculture
Secretary shall designate a member of the Council to serve as the
Chair.
A permanent Federal employee is to be appointed in accordance with
agency procedures and will serve as the Designated Federal Official
(DFO). The DFO will approve the Council's and subcommittees' meetings,
prepare and approve all meeting agendas, attend all council and
subcommittee meetings, adjourn any meeting when the DFO determines
adjournment to be in the public interest, and chair meetings when
directed to do so by the official to whom the Council reports.
The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) has the authority to
create subcommittees. Subcommittees must report back to the parent
Council and must not provide advice or work products directly to the
agency.
III. Compensation
In accordance with the GCSA, members of the Council shall serve
without compensation. However, members may be reimbursed for travel
expenses, including per diem instead of subsistence, while engaged in
the performance of duties away from their homes or regular places of
business. All travel for Council business must be approved in advance
by the DFO.
IV. Nominations
AMS will consider nominations of all qualified individuals to
ensure the Council includes the areas of subject matter expertise noted
above (see ``Structure''). Individuals may nominate themselves or other
individuals, and professional associations and organizations may
nominate one or
[[Page 65838]]
more qualified persons for membership on the Council. Nominations must
state that the nominee is willing to serve as a member of the Council.
A nomination package should include the following information for
each nominee:
(1) A completed USDA Advisory Committee Membership Background
Information Form AD-755, (<a href="https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/ad-755.pdf">https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/ad-755.pdf</a>).
(2) A curriculum vitae and/or resume, and
(3) A biographical sketch of the nominee (cover letter) explaining
which group the nominee would represent (see ``Structure''), how they
are qualified to represent that group, and why they want to serve on
the Council.
The following is optional:
<bullet> A letter of nomination stating the nominee's name,
affiliation, and contact information, the basis for the nomination
(i.e., what specific attributes recommend him/her for service in this
capacity), and the nominee's field(s) of expertise.
Equal opportunity practices in accordance with USDA's policies will
be followed in all member appointments to the Council. To ensure that
the recommendations of the Council consider the needs of the diverse
groups served by USDA, membership shall include, to the extent
practicable, individuals with demonstrated ability to represent the
many communities, identities, races, ethnicities, backgrounds,
abilities, cultures, and beliefs of the American people, including
underserved communities.
USDA prohibits discrimination in all of its programs and activities
on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender
identity (including gender expression), sexual orientation, disability,
age, marital status, family/parental status, political beliefs, income
derived from a public assistance program, or reprisal or retaliation
for prior civil rights activity in any program or activity conducted or
funded by USDA (not all bases apply to all programs).
The Charter and additional information on the Council will be
available on the website at: <a href="https://www.ams.usda.gov/services/GCSA">https://www.ams.usda.gov/services/GCSA</a> or
may be requested by contacting the person listed in the FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT section of this notice.
Dated: August 7, 2024.
Cikena Reid,
USDA Committee Management Officer.
[FR Doc. 2024-17938 Filed 8-12-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P
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