Comment Log Display

April 22, 2013

Chairman Mary Nichols
California Air Resources Board
1001 "I" Street 
Sacramento, CA 95814

Dear Chairman Nichols,

Sustainable agricultural practices implemented in California can
play a significant role in helping the State meet its goals and GHG
targets under AB32.  While emissions reductions and mitigation is a
critical step in solving the climate change problem, emissions
reductions alone are not sufficient to reverse climate change. Even
if we reduce our emissions, we are still likely to be increasing
the atmospheric burden of these gases. We need to explore other
strategies that remove greenhouse gases from the atmosphere,
including soil carbon sequestration.  

When funded with cap-and-trade revenues, the RECOMMENDATIONS
OFFERED IN THE ATTACHED COMMENT LETTER can:
•	Fund on-the-ground projects in agriculture that can reduce GHG
emissions and sequester carbon;
•	Generate new jobs in some of our most economically depressed
rural communities, especially in the Central Valley; 
•	Provide additional environmental and health benefits such as
cleaner water, increased soil water holding capacity, wildlife
habitat, pollinator services and open space protection;
•	Produce transformative projects, making the benefits of AB 32
tangible to our rural and peri-urban communities;
•	Assure the on-going food production capacity of the state and
increase the resilience of our agricultural ecosystems and
economy.

Torri Estrada
Carbon Cycle Institute
622 Liberty Street
Petaluma, CA  94952
Phone:  (707) 992-5009
Email:  C6Institute@gmail.com