WASHINGTON— U.S. Senator John Boozman (R-AR), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, expressed skepticism about evolving concepts described as a “carbon bank” that fail to consider whether the secretary of agriculture has the authority to pursue such proposals without congressional authorization.
“I appreciate the interest from food and agriculture organizations to develop proposals intended to provide for a greater role for agriculture in addressing climate change. The reality is that the secretary does not have the authority to create and operate a ‘carbon bank’ as proposed by the Biden administration. Since it was first proposed, the concept of a so-called ‘carbon bank’ has shifted many times. Today, it is unclear whether the term ‘carbon bank’ is a noun, a verb, or an adjective,” Boozman said.