FACACLASSIC

Note: An Annual Comprehensive Review, as required by §7 of the Federal Advisory Committee Act, is conducted each year on committee data entered for the previous fiscal year (referred to as the reporting year). The data for the reporting year is not considered verified until this review is complete and the data is moved to history for an agency/department. See the Data From Previous Years section at the bottom of this page for the committee’s historical, verified data.

Details on agency responses to committee recommendations can be found under the Performance Measures section for each committee in the fields “Agency Feedback” and “Agency Feedback Comment.”

USDA - 84728 - Greenhouse Gas Technical Assistance Provider and Third-Party Verifier Program Advisory Council - Statutory (Congress Created)

GENERAL INFORMATION

Committee Name	Greenhouse Gas Technical Assistance Provider and Third-Party Verifier Program Advisory Council	Agency Name	Department of Agriculture
Fiscal Year	2025	Committee Number	84728
Original Establishment Date	8/26/2024	Committee Status	Chartered
Actual Termination Date		Committee URL	https://www.ams.usda.gov/rules-regulations/GCSA...
Actual Merged Date		Presidential Appointments*	No
New Committee This FY	No	Max Number of Members*	unlimited
Terminated This FY		Designated Fed Officer Position Title*	Program Manager
Merged This FY		Designated Federal Officer Prefix
Current Charter Date	8/26/2024	Designated Federal Officer First Name*	Sasha
Date Of Renewal Charter	8/26/2026	Designated Federal Officer Middle Name
Projected Termination Date		Designated Federal Officer Last Name*	Strohm
Exempt From Renewal*	No	Designated Federal Officer Suffix
Specific Termination Authority		Designated Federal Officer Phone*	571-548-2419
Establishment Authority*	Statutory (Congress Created)	Designated Federal Officer Fax*
Specific Establishment Authority*	7 U.S.C. 6712	Designated Federal Officer Email*	sasha.strohm@usda.gov
Effective Date Of Authority*	12/29/2022
Exempt From EO 13875 Discretionary Cmte	Not Applicable
Committee Type*	Continuing
Presidential*	No
Committee Function*	Other Committee

RECOMMENDATION/JUSTIFICATIONS

Agency Recommendation*	Continue
Legislation to Terminate Required	Not Applicable
Legislation Status
How does cmte accomplish its purpose?*	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 list of 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 for which technical assistance providers and third-party verifiers may register to provide services under the Program that prevent, reduce, or mitigate greenhouse gas emissions.
How is membership balanced?*	In accordance with the GCSA, Up to four representatives from USDA, Environmental Protection Agency, and National Institute of Standards and Technology, including: o Not more than two from USDA, as determined by the Secretary; o Not more than one from the Environmental Protection Agency, as determined by the Administrator; and o Not more than one from the National Institute of Standards and Technology. 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: • Not fewer than 8 members shall serve for a term of 1 year; • Not fewer than 12 members shall serve for a term of 2 years; and • 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 not serve more than 4 additional 2-year terms. The Secretary has the authority to appoint any other individual deemed necessary to ensure the Council is composed of a diverse group of representatives of industry, academia, independent researchers, and public and private entities. Every effort will be made to ensure that the Council membership is balanced, nevertheless, USDA recognizes that Council membership is not static and may change depending on the Council’s work.
How frequent & relevant are cmte mtgs?*	Annually
Why advice can't be obtained elsewhere?*	The Growing Climate Solutions Act (GCSA), states the Council shall advise the Secretary regarding: • The current methods used by voluntary environmental credit markets to quantify and verify the prevention, reduction, or mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions (including the sequestration of carbon). • Means to reduce barriers to entry in the business of providing technical assistance or the verification of the processes described in protocols of voluntary environmental credit markets for covered entities, including by improving technical assistance provided by the Secretary. • Means to reduce compliance and verification costs for farmers, ranchers, and private forest landowners in entering voluntary environmental credit markets, including through mechanisms and processes to aggregate the value of activities across land ownership. • Issues relating to land and asset ownership in light of evolving voluntary environmental credit markets, and • Additional means to reduce barriers to entry in voluntary environmental credit markets for farmers, ranchers, and private forest landowners, particularly for beginning, socially disadvantaged, limited resource, and veteran farmers, ranchers, and private forest landowners.
Why close or partially close meetings?	N/A; All meetings are open to the public in accordance with the FACA (5 U.S.C. 10) and its implementing regulations and guidelines.
Recommendation Remarks	This was established on August 26, 2024. In FY24, the agency worked to solicit and plans to seat members for the Council in FY25.

PERFORMANCE MEASURES

Outcome Improvement To Health Or Safety*	No	Action Reorganize Priorities*	No
Outcome Trust In Government	Yes	Action Reallocate Resources	No
Outcome Major Policy Changes	No	Action Issued New Regulations	No
Outcome Advance In Scientific Research	No	Action Proposed Legislation	Yes
Outcome Effective Grant Making	No	Action Approved Grants Or Other Payments	No
Outcome Improved Service Delivery	No	Action Other	No
Outcome Increased Customer Satisfaction	Yes	Action Comment
Outcome Implement Laws/Reg Requirements	No	Grants Review*	No
Outcome Other	No	Number Of Grants Reviewed
Outcome Comment		Number Of Grants Recommended
Cost Savings*	None	Dollar Value Of Grants Recommended
Cost Savings Comment		Grants Review Comment
Number Of Recommendations*	0	Access Contact Designated Fed. Officer*	Yes
Number Of Recommendations Comment	0	Access Agency Website	Yes
% of Recs Fully Implemented*	0.00%	Access Committee Website	Yes
% of Recs Fully Implemented Comment		Access GSA FACA Website	Yes
% of Recs Partially Implemented*	0.00%	Access Publications	Yes
% of Recs Partially Implemented Comment		Access Other	No
Agency Feedback*	Not Applicable	Access Comment
Agency Feedback Comment*	The Council did not make any recommendations during FY25.	Narrative Description*	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. The Council will also submit an initial assessment to Congress about the Program, and it will consult with the Secretary regarding subsequent periodic assessments.

COSTS

1. Payments to Non-Federal Members*	$0.00	1. Est Paymnts to Non-Fed Membrs Nxt FY*	$0.00
2. Payments to Federal Members*	$0.25	2. Est. Payments to Fed Members Next FY*	$6,500.00
3. Payments to Federal Staff*	$36,809.50	3. Estimated Payments to Federal Staff*	$36,000.00
4. Payments to Consultants*	$0.00	4. Est. Payments to Consultants Next FY*	$0.00
5. Travel Reimb. For Non-Federal Membrs*	$0.00	5. Est Travel Reimb Non-Fed Membr nxtFY*	$64,000.00
6. Travel Reimb. For Federal Members*	$0.00	6. Est Travel Reimb For Fed Members*	$8,000.00
7. Travel Reimb. For Federal Staff*	$0.00	7. Est. Travel Reimb to Fed Staf Nxt FY*	$6,000.00
8. Travel Reimb. For Consultants*	$0.00	8. Est Travel Reimb to Consltnts Nxt FY*	$0.00
10. Other Costs	$0.00	10. Est. Other Costs Next FY*	$0.00
11. Total Costs	$37,564.75	11. Est. Total Next FY*	$158,500.00
Date Cost Last Modified	8/27/2025 11:35 AM	Est. Fed Staff Support Next FY*	1.00
Federal Staff Support (FTE)*	1.00	Est Cost Remarks
Cost Remarks

Interest Areas

Category Area Agriculture Forestry Agriculture Energy Natural Resources Environment Environmental Issues Land Conservation and Preservation

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