[Terrapreta] Small biochar step forward politically

[Biopact]

Indeed, so they took biochar out of the IX Energy title, put it under VII Research and Related Matters, Sec. 7204. High-Priority Research and Extension Area instead, and left out any reference to the amount of funding.

Pretty disappointing. We went from several 100 million in the Salazar amendment, to 3 million per annum in the Conference framework amendment, to no mention of money in the finally adopted Conference text. 

In any case, biochar's in there so that's something. And it's under the title "high-priority research" - whatever that means.

I'll have to rewrite the press release... 

Lorenzo
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Ron Larson 
  To: 'Terra Preta' 
  Cc: Debbie Reed 
  Sent: Friday, May 16, 2008 4:05 AM
  Subject: [Terrapreta] Small biochar step forward politically


  Terrapreta list members cc Debbie Reed):

      I got caught up today watching C-Span and saw the last stages of the US Senate passing the conference report on the Farm Bill (not the right name).  I was able (surprisingly) to find the Conference Report itself (googling got me to the Senate Ag Committee site) and a search on "biochar" got me to this on page 353:

  (52) BIOCHAR RESEARCH.-Grants may be made under this
  section for research, extension, and integrated activities relating

  to the study of biochar production and use, including considerations

  of agronomic and economic impacts, synergies of coproduction

  with bioenergy, and the value of soil enhancements

  and soil carbon sequestration.''

      The number "52" was identified as the last (but presumably not least) of a series of priority research areas for the Department.  

      I checked with Debbie Reed of IBI, who I am sure was critical in this result. She said that this sentence above was the only remaining mention of biochar, and went on to say "...and yes, a small but elegant victory, and with total kudos to Ken Salazar and Steve Black for sheparding this through, and Eldon Boes in Harkin's office, who has also been very helpful."  [Black is Colorado Senator Ken Salazar's DC-based energy staff person.  This list should recall that Senator Salazar had a longish bill covering much more (and more funding) on biochar.]

      For non-US list members, this may not seem like much and you will find it hard to believe that we only hear about this ag topic every five years.  But President Bush has threatened to veto this.  I don't know if he will, but the vote was 81-15 and only 67 votes are needed for a veto-override.  It is fairly rare to get this many votes on a big bill like this.  Although no specific biochar funds were established in this bill, I think there has to now be a little available for biochar fairly soon.  Our US House of Representatives passed the same Conference Report the previous day.

      So all of you with a bent towards Federal dollars are now free to bug your local USDA offices.  Good luck.    

      Thanks to Debbie for helping keep this much in.  I don't think we would have seen this result a year ago - so we are making progress.

      Ron



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