Bipartisan senators on Wednesday introduced a bill that seeks to use trees to mitigate climate change, similar to a Republican-backed bill that was introduced in the House earlier this year.
The new legislation, introduced by Sens. Mike BraunMichael BraunOvernight Energy: Trump EPA finalizes air rule that critics say favors polluters | Zinke, in official and unofficial portraits, returns to Interior on horseback | Vilsack gets lukewarm response as Biden Agriculture pick from those seeking reformed USDA Bipartisan senators introduce tree conservation bill as climate solution GOP senator won’t rule out challenging Electoral College results in Congress MORE (R-Ind.) and Chris CoonsChris Andrew CoonsOvernight Energy: Trump EPA finalizes air rule that critics say favors polluters | Zinke, in official and unofficial portraits, returns to Interior on horseback | Vilsack gets lukewarm response as Biden Agriculture pick from those seeking reformed USDA Bipartisan senators introduce tree conservation bill as climate solution Defense pick faces big hurdle MORE (D-Del.) on Wednesday, looks to forests, wetlands and other ecosystems to absorb carbon dioxide that’s emitted into the atmosphere.
It authorizes $10 million for a program to shore up the country’s supply of seeds and saplings and also aims to facilitate the sale of credits that can be earned by landowners for sequestering carbon dioxide.
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Though it has bipartisan support in the Senate, the bill could face an uphill battle in Congress’s lower chamber.
During a February hearing, House Democrats criticized the GOP leadership-backed bill by Rep. Bruce WestermanBruce Eugene WestermanOVERNIGHT ENERGY: Westerman tapped as top Republican on House Natural Resources Committee | McMorris Rodgers wins race for top GOP spot on Energy and Commerce | EPA joins conservative social network Parler Bruce Westerman tapped as top Republican on House Natural Resources Committee OVERNIGHT ENERGY: Republicans in campaign mode for top spots on House environmental committees | Peterson loss prompts scramble for House Agriculture chair MORE (R-Ark.) that sought to plant more trees, saying that it didn’t go far enough to prevent climate change.
“We should plant trees, we should perfect cross-laminated timber … but we should not call these ‘climate solutions’ if we are using these strategies to continue deforestation and continue developing and burning fossil fuel at a completely unacceptable and unsustainable pace,” Rep. Jared HuffmanJared William HuffmanBipartisan senators introduce tree conservation bill as climate solution Biden picks leave Democrats with slimmest House majority in modern history OVERNIGHT ENERGY: EPA declines to tighten key air pollution standards | Despite risks to polar bears, Trump pushes ahead with oil exploration in Arctic | Biden to champion climate action in 2021 MORE (D-Calif.) said at the time.
And House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz.) said that bill wouldn’t be marked up “in the foreseeable future” following the hearing.
While the new bill isn’t identical to Westerman’s bill, it appears to have shared goals.
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Both reference “Trillion Trees” in their titles. President TrumpDonald TrumpTrump calls on Georgia AG not to have other Republicans oppose election lawsuit: report Pennsylvania GOP leader on breaking with Trump on election: ‘I’d get my house bombed tonight’ Lawmakers call for lowering health care costs to address disparities in pandemic MORE announced earlier this year that he wanted the U.S. to join a global initiative to plant, conserve or restore that many trees globally.
However, scientists have said that while planting trees could help store carbon, it’s not likely a sufficient solution on its own.
In a statement on his bill, Coons characterized it as just one step that would be taken to reduce the impacts of climate change.
“Removing carbon from the atmosphere is one of the many critical steps we should take to mitigate climate risks,” he said. “I’m glad to work with this bipartisan group of senators to invest in a solution that will benefit the health of people and ecosystems around the world.”