SACRAMENTO, CA, December 14, 2012 – The California Air Resources Board (ARB) has approved the American Carbon Registry (ACR), a nonprofit enterprise of Winrock International, as an Offset Project Registry (OPR) for the California Cap-and-Trade Program. As an OPR, ACR will work with ARB to oversee the registration and issuance of California-eligible Registry Offset Credits developed using ARB’s compliance or early action offset protocols. Registry Offset Credits are eligible to be transitioned into ARB compliance offset credits that may be used in the Cap-andTrade Program.  As an approved OPR, ACR will work closely with ARB to ensure offset project operators and verifiers have accurate information to ensure the highest quality of offsets.

ARB’s approval of ACR as an OPR signals that ACR has met stringent regulatory requirements including technical expertise in carbon offset protocols; extensive experience in the oversight of offset project listing, registration, independent verification and issuance; operational know-how in offset registry management; and a solid understanding of the regulation underpinning the compliance offset program.

“American Carbon Registry is proud to have the opportunity to work with ARB to implement the California offset program. As a Rockefeller family institution, our focus is on sound science, and we share ARB’s commitment to ensuring the integrity of offsets. We were founded 15 years ago to build carbon market experience in the U.S. and to demonstrate that transparent, well-designed markets can be the most efficient mechanism to improve the environment,” said John Kadyszewski, director of ACR. “ARB’s leadership inspires us to help make the California cap-andtrade program a successful model for launching a low-carbon economy.”

ARB’s approval of OPRs and verification bodies is a critical step in kicking off activity in the California offset program since to be eligible for compliance, all offset projects are required to be developed using an ARB approved protocol, registered on an approved OPR and verified by accredited verifiers.

“As the leading U.S. forest carbon offset project developer, we are excited by the news that ARB has approved Offset Project Registries and Verifiers for the compliance offset program,” stated Sean Carney, president and CEO of Finite Carbon. “We expect the pace of offset project registrations and issuances to increase significantly over the next year, and we look forward to working with ACR to make sure the system works efficiently, cost-effectively and safeguards offset quality.”

California is the first U.S. state to approve an economy-wide cap-and-trade program, which has created the second largest carbon market in the world behind the European Union. Cap-and-trade is the cornerstone of Assembly Bill 32 (AB32), California’s historic climate change law that mandates a reduction in carbon emissions to 1990 levels by 2020. Beginning in 2013, the state’s largest sources of GHG emissions will be required to reduce greenhouse gas emissions or purchase allowances or offsets if they cannot. The projection for the use of offsets in the three compliance periods 2013- 2020 is 200 million tons at an estimated value over $5 billion.

“ARB’s approval of Offset Project Registries and Verifiers, including the American Carbon Registry, represents a significant step towards full implementation of California’s carbon market,” said Lenny Hochschild, managing director for Evolution Markets. “We applaud ARB’s decision to utilize the expertise of existing qualified entities to help administer the offset program and expect this model to increase efficiency of the program while maintaining offset integrity.” 

“The International Emissions Trading Association (IETA) is pleased to see the recent steps that ARB is taking as it prepares for its upcoming cap-and-trade program launch in January 2013,” stated Dirk Forrister, president and CEO of IETA and a member of ACR’s Advisory Council. “Key infrastructure developments, such as Offset Project Registry implementation decisions and verifier accreditation & approval, will help to set in motion what we hope will be a strong compliance offset program; a necessary ingredient towards enabling a liquid, robust carbon market.”

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About American Carbon Registry

The nonprofit American Carbon Registry (ACR), an enterprise of Winrock International, is a leading carbon offset program recognized for its strong standards for environmental integrity. Founded in 1996, ACR has over fifteen years of experience in development of rigorous, science-based carbon offset standards and methodologies as well as operational experience in high quality carbon offset project registration, offset issuance, serialization and transparent on-line transaction and retirement reporting. As the first private GHG registry in the world, ACR has set the bar in the global voluntary carbon market for offset quality and operational transparency that is the market standard today and continues to lead carbon market innovation.

About Winrock International

Winrock International is a nonprofit organization that works with people in the United States and around the world to empower the disadvantaged, increase economic opportunity, and sustain natural resources. For over 15 years, Winrock has been a global leader in designing and implementing science-based methods to measure, monitor and report GHG emissions reductions in the agriculture, land use and forestry sectors for clients including the United Nations, the World Bank and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Winrock is headquartered in Little Rock, Ark.

ARLINGTON, Va. (July 18, 2012) – The American Carbon Registry (ACR), a nonprofit enterprise of Winrock International, announced today the approval of a carbon offset Methodology for Quantifying Nitrous Oxide (N2O) Emissions Reductions from Reduced Use of Nitrogen Fertilizer on Agricultural Crops. 

The methodology, developed jointly by Michigan State University (MSU) and the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), makes it possible for farmers to participate in carbon markets by creating greenhouse gas (GHG) offsets by reducing the amount of nitrogen used to fertilize crops. These offsets can be sold to other carbon market participants to meet GHG emission reduction targets or requirements.

Nitrogen fertilizers represent one of the largest sources of GHG emissions from global agricultural production, resulting in significant emissions of nitrous oxide (N2O), a GHG with approximately 300 times the global warming potential of carbon dioxide (CO2). In 2010, N2O emissions from agricultural soil management in the U.S. were approximately 208 million metric tons of CO2 – equivalent according to the Environmental Protection Agency’s 2012 National Greenhouse Gas Inventory.

Corn is among the most intensive uses of fertilizer, both per acre and in total use, and represents a significant opportunity for nitrogen use efficiencies that could reduce emissions as well as farmers’ input costs while maintaining yields. A large proportion of agricultural-related N2O emissions in the U.S. are from corn crops grown in the 12-state North Central Region (NCR), which is made up of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin. The estimated technical potential of emission reductions using the MSU-EPRI methodology to reduce fertilizer rate in eligible NCR corn crops is six million metric tons of CO2e per year.

Carbon offsets can be sold in the voluntary market to corporations and organizations purchasing offsets to meet internal sustainability goals. Agriculture offsets are also being considered by California regulators for eligibility in the state’s new regulated market, where GHG emitters like power plants and oil refineries are mandated to reduce or offset their emissions starting in 2013. Regulatory approval of a fertilizer management offset methodology would enable GHG emission offsets created by farmers to be sold to regulated entities with mandatory emission reduction obligations under the cap-and-trade program.

“The MSU-EPRI methodology allows farmers to be paid to reduce their use of nitrogen fertilizer, while assisting other carbon market participants to reduce emissions more cost effectively than otherwise would be possible,” said Adam Diamant, technical executive at EPRI and a co-author of the new ACR methodology. “This innovative approach is a way to achieve a win for farmers, for industrial organizations that may be required to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions, for the atmosphere, and for improved surface water quality from reduced nitrate runoff in the Upper Midwest all the way to the Gulf of Mexico.”

“Farmers already manage fertilizer to avoid large nitrogen losses, but they are often reluctant to further reduce fertilizer use because they fear doing so will decrease valuable crop production,” said Phil Robertson, principal investigator and Michigan State University professor of plant, soil and microbial sciences. “The MSU-EPRI methodology uses an innovative approach to pay farmers to apply less nitrogen fertilizer, but more precisely so that crop yields aren’t jeopardized.” The science that underlies the methodology is a result of three years of research by MSU scientists. The research was performed at the National Science Foundation (NSF)’s Kellogg Biological Station (KBS) Long-term Ecological Research site, which Robertson directs, and on commercial farm fields in Michigan.

“A major value of the approach is that it is straightforward to understand and implement,” said MSU scientist Neville Millar, who co-led development of the methodology. “Another major benefit is reducing nitrogen lost from farm fields in forms other than nitrous oxide. The same strategies that farmers can use to minimize nitrous oxide loss will act to reduce the loss of nitrate to groundwater and other forms of nitrogen to the atmosphere.”

The MSU-EPRI methodology is unique in several important ways. It incorporates a performance standard approach and credits reductions in both synthetic and organic fertilizer use. In addition, it includes a mechanism to expand eligible crops and regions based on acceptable submission of peer-reviewed scientific data to justify the adoption of conservative emission factors in the U.S. and internationally.

In contrast with ACR’s 2010 methodology for N2O Emissions Reductions from Changes in Fertilizer Management, which incorporates site specific data into a peer-reviewed, tested and highly parameterized computer model to calculate N2O emission reductions resulting from changes in how fertilizer is applied and used, the MSU-EPRI methodology is based on empirical equations and NCR data to set conservative estimates for emission reductions. The ACRapproved model-based methodology is broader than the MSU-EPRI approach in terms of fertilizer practice changes and eligible crops, but requires a significant amount of input data.

“The MSU-EPRI methodology is technically sound and we believe important to spur additional early action N2O emission reductions because it is relatively simple to implement,” explained Nicholas Martin, ACR chief technical officer. “While limited currently to fertilizer rate reduction on corn in the NCR states, this represents a significant emission reduction potential – considering that corn is the leading user of fertilizer, and over 80 percent of corn for grain is grown in the 12state region. Moreover the methodology’s structure allows its scope to expand as additional peer-reviewed data is collected on other crops and regions.”

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Contact:

Christopher Mahoney, Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) Tel: (704) 595-2653 Email: Cmahoney@epri.com

Phil Robertson, Michigan State University (MSU) Tel: (269) 671-2267 Email: Robertson@kbs.msu.edu

Mary Grady, American Carbon Registry (ACR) Tel: (805) 884-1961 Email: MGrady@winrock.org

About the Electric Power Research Institute The Electric Power Research Institute, Inc. (EPRI, www.epri.com) conducts research and development relating to the generation, delivery and use of electricity for the benefit of the public. An independent, nonprofit organization, EPRI brings together its scientists and engineers as well as experts from academia and industry to help address challenges in electricity, including reliability, efficiency, health, safety and the environment. EPRI’s members represent more than 90 percent of the electricity generated and delivered in the United States, and international participation extends to 40 countries. EPRI’s principal offices and laboratories are located in Palo Alto, Calif.; Charlotte, N.C.; Knoxville, Tenn.; and Lenox, Mass.

About Michigan State University Michigan State University has been working to advance the common good in uncommon ways for more than 150 years. One of the top research universities in the world, MSU focuses its vast resources on creating solutions to some of the world’s most pressing challenges, while providing life-changing opportunities to a diverse and inclusive academic community through more than 200 programs of study in 17 degree-granting colleges.

About the American Carbon Registry The nonprofit American Carbon Registry (ACR), an enterprise of Winrock International, is a leading carbon offset program recognized for its strong standards for environmental integrity. Founded in 1996 as the first private voluntary registry in the world, ACR has 15 years of experience in the development of rigorous, science-based carbon offset standards and methodologies as well as in carbon offset issuance, serialization and transparent online transaction and retirement reporting. ACR has set the bar for transparency and integrity that is the market standard today and continues to lead carbon market innovation.

April 10, 2012: Today the American Carbon Registry (ACR), a nonprofit enterprise of Winrock International, unveiled a suite of initiatives directed at bolstering its California operations in preparation for the first U.S. economy-wide cap-and-trade system, set to launch in January 2013. To gear up for the California carbon market, ACR announced the hire of a California director who will work out of ACR’s new Sacramento office, the launch of a new registry platform with APX, and the appointment of four state luminaries to its Advisory Council.

ACR California director and Sacramento office

ACR California Director Belinda Morris will take the helm on the first of May. Working from ACR’s new office in the state’s capital, Belinda will lead ACR’s engagement with key stakeholders, clients and partners including relevant California government agencies, compliance offset market participants, key business leaders, and environmental NGOs. ACR’s objective is to directly support the success of the compliance offset market as part of the cap-and-trade program.

“We are extremely fortunate to have Belinda join the ACR team,” said ACR director John Kadyszewski. “She is uniquely qualified to help us ensure the environmental integrity of offsets in California based on her intimate involvement in greenhouse gas markets in the state and her understanding of the market from the environmental, policy and agriculture producer perspectives.” 

“I am thrilled to be joining the ACR team at this pivotal time in California,” said Morris. “My experience developing agriculture carbon offset protocols and working with industry to find innovative, marketbased solutions is perfectly aligned with ACR’s mission and California objective. I look forward to reaching out immediately to stakeholders to build upon ACR’s successful programs.”

Registry services partnership with APX 

ACR also announced its partnership with leading carbon market registry infrastructure and services provider APX to launch ACR’s new offset project registry. ACR’s APX-powered system, which will launch May first, has been tailored to meet regulatory requirements for the California compliance offset market and will provide existing APX account holder access to ACR. More than 3,000 global firms trust APX registry technology to issue, track, manage and retire environmental commodities across all renewable energy markets in North America and carbon markets worldwide.

Joe Varnas, CEO of APX said, “We are very excited to partner with Winrock International to support the American Carbon Registry as they continue to play an integral role in the compliance and voluntary carbon markets.  We believe together our registry platform, extensive history and expertise in the carbon markets will bring great services for all of their Members.” ACR California Advisors

ACR appointed several distinguished Californians to its Advisory Council to provide strategic guidance to ACR in the California market. In addition to current ACR advisor Cynthia Cory of the California Farm Bureau Federation, new California advisors include Jim Boyd, former California Energy Commissioner; Anthony Eggert of the University of California, Davis; Adrienne Alvord of the Union of Concerned Scientists; and Derek Walker of Environmental Defense Fund.

Jim Boyd retired from the California Energy Commission (CEC) in January 2012 at the end of his second five-year term as appointed by former Governor Schwarzenegger. He was first appointed to the CEC in 2002, prior to which Commissioner Boyd was Deputy Secretary and Chief of Staff of the California Resources Agency. He created and chaired the state’s first Joint Agency Climate Change Team and the state’s Natural Gas Working Group. Commissioner Boyd served for fifteen years as the Chief Executive Officer of the California Air Resources Board (CARB), directing the nation’s largest state air pollution control program. During this period, CARB led the nation in establishing new pollution control programs for motor vehicles and fuels, toxic air contaminants, consumer products, and industrial and area sources. A California native, Commissioner Boyd received his Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from the University of California, Berkeley.

Anthony Eggert is the executive director of the UC Davis Policy Institute for Energy, Environment and the Economy which is dedicated to informing better policy through research. From 2007 through 2012 Eggert served as an appointee of Governors Brown and Schwarzenegger in several senior policy positions including Science and Technology Policy Advisor to the Chair of the Air Resources Board, Commissioner for the California Energy Commission, and Deputy Secretary for Energy Policy of the California Environmental Protection Agency overseeing clean energy and environmental policy development for California. Anthony received a Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering at the University of Wisconsin Madison and Masters of Science Degree in Transportation Technology and Policy at the University of California Davis.

Adrienne Alvord is California and Western states director for the Union of Concerned Scientists. She is working to ensure a clean, de-carbonized energy and fuels economy that promotes equitable economic growth and improves public health in western states. Ms. Alvord is leading UCS’s effort to ensure robust implementation of AB 32, California’s landmark climate law and to ensure California’s renewable energy standard and clean vehicle standards are enforced. Prior to UCS, Ms. Alvord was the environmental policy director for California State Senator Fran Pavley and served as Pavley’s lead staff on AB 32. She led successful legislative efforts to establish clean energy programs and accompanying funding sources, clean vehicles and fuel technology standards, air and water quality rules, and natural resources protection programs. Prior to working in the California Legislature, Ms. Alvord was policy director for a California non-profit promoting sustainable agriculture.

Derek Walker is Director of Strategic Climate Initiatives at Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), where he is responsible for directing U.S. state and regional climate change programs, with a particular focus on California. Previously, as Director of EDF’s California Climate Initiative and Deputy Director of EDF’s States Climate Program, he managed EDF’s engagement in the implementation of AB32,  helped lead successful campaigns to pass statewide greenhouse gas policies in New Jersey and Connecticut and to strengthen the Western Climate Initiative (WCI) regional cap-and-trade program. Prior to joining EDF, Derek was Executive Director of the Maryland Democratic Party and worked with former Vice President Al Gore as a presenter on global warming science and solutions for The Climate Project. He received a B.A. in English from the College of William and Mary in Virginia and spent a year studying at University College, Oxford.

ARLINGTON, Va. and NEW ORLEANS, La., Jan. 18, 2012 – American Carbon Registry (ACR), a nonprofit enterprise of Winrock International, announces an open public comment period for a first-of-its-kind carbon offset methodology that will both quantify how wetland restoration work can combat climate change and provide a way to help pay for rebuilding the Gulf of Mexico’s disappearing coastal wetland. The methodology, Restoration of Degraded Deltaic Wetlands of the Mississippi Delta, was funded by Entergy Corporation and developed by Dr. Sarah K. Mack of New Orleans-based Tierra Resources LLC, with contributions from Dr. Robert R. Lane, Dr. John W. Day and Tiffany M. Potter.

The new wetland offset methodology is unique not only because it is the first carbon offset methodology to target deltaic wetland restoration, but also because it uses a modular format, which provides flexibility for numerous types of wetland restoration techniques and facilitates methodology expansion. Another key innovation of the methodology is the incorporation of hydrologic management of nutrient-rich waters as a restoration technique, including options for diversion of river water into wetland, introduction of nonpoint source runoff into wetlands and discharge of treated municipal effluent into wetlands. Avoided loss and afforestation are also included wetland restoration techniques.

The primary hurdle to implement Mississippi Delta restoration is the price tag, estimated between $10 billion for near-term restoration to $150 billion for broader restoration and protection measures. Louisiana’s Comprehensive Master Plan for a Sustainable Coast recently estimated that between $20 billion and $50 billion will realistically be available for funding over the next 50 years, but acknowledged a budget up to five times that size could be needed. Under the new methodology, carbon credits created by restoring wetlands can be registered and sold to help finance additional wetland restoration, Dr. Mack said.

“This methodology offers the first route-to-market for wetland restoration carbon offsets, providing critical funding for restoring coastal Louisiana, which suffers one of the fastest rates of wetland loss in the world,” said Mack. “Tierra Resources is dedicated to restoring coastal ecosystems and is thrilled to be blazing the trail in the blue carbon space by developing the methodology and wetland restoration projects that will follow.”

Entergy Corporation, based in New Orleans with operations in areas of Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas that have coastal wetlands, funded the methodology development.

“Entergy recognizes the value of coastal wetlands as a first line of defense against storm surge and flooding,” said Gary Serio, vice president, safety & environment for Entergy.  “Wetland restoration affects more than just our service area, but the rest of the country as well. There is obvious economic impact to infrastructure due to coastal erosion and flooding. In addition, loss of wetlands result in a reduction in the ability to absorb carbon emissions, which has both environmental and economic impact. Not only will wetland restoration reduce greenhouse gas emissions and preserve ecosystems, but there is positive economic impact from preserving infrastructure as well as by creating local jobs to rebuild and maintain the wetland projects.”

A landmark study recently published by Restore America’s Estuaries, “Jobs & Dollars: Big Returns from Coastal Habitat Restoration,” confirms that investments in coastal habitat restoration produce jobs at a higher rate than many other sectors — including oil & gas, road infrastructure and green building retrofit projects.  This study coincides with further efforts by Entergy to explore solutions to the environmental and economic impacts facing coastal wetland. In an open dialog to address mitigation of coastal stressors such as hurricanes, coastal erosion and rising sea levels, Entergy’s 2010 study “Building a Resilient Energy Gulf Coast,” produced in cooperation with America’s Energy Coast and America’s Wetland Foundation, presents a picture of what the Gulf coast will look like environmentally as well as economically by the year 2030 if no mitigation or remediation activity is undertaken.

Louisiana boasts 40 percent of the country’s coastal wetland – more than 4 million acres. Of total U.S. coastal wetland loss, 80 percent has occurred in the Mississippi Delta. An estimated 90 percent of current loss occurs in Louisiana — the equivalent of losing one football field of wetlands every hour. The loss of Louisiana’s coastal wetlands has major national environmental and economic implications. Not only is the Mississippi Delta one of the world’s most unique and diverse ecosystems, but its wetlands and waterways contribute tens of billions of dollars to the national economy every year and support millions of jobs. Much of the U.S. depends on sustaining the navigation, flood control, energy production, and seafood production functions of the Mississippi Delta and river system. Each of those functions is currently at severe risk due to coastal wetland loss.

As a first step toward achieving the massive global GHG mitigation potential from wetland restoration, the methodology is expected to be expanded in the future for wetland restoration in other regions and other wetland restoration practices. The ACR approval process for the methodology, which includes public comment and scientific peer review, is targeted to be complete this spring.

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About the American Carbon Registry

The nonprofit American Carbon Registry (ACR), an enterprise of Winrock International, is a leading carbon offset program recognized for its strong standards for environmental integrity. Founded in 1996 as the first private voluntary registry in the world, ACR has 15 years of experience in the development of rigorous, science-based carbon offset standards and methodologies as well as in carbon offset issuance, serialization and transparent online transaction and retirement reporting. ACR has set the bar for transparency and integrity that is the market standard today and continues to lead carbon market innovation.

About Entergy Corporation

Entergy Corporation is an integrated energy company engaged primarily in electric power production and retail distribution operations. Entergy owns and operates power plants with approximately 30,000 megawatts of electric generating capacity, and is the second-largest nuclear generator in the United States. Entergy delivers electricity to 2.7 million utility customers in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. Entergy has annual revenues of more than $11 billion and approximately 15,000 employees.

About Tierra Resources

Based in New Orleans, La., Tierra Resources was founded in 2007 with a mission to conserve, protect, and restore coastal wetland ecosystems by creating innovative solutions that support investment into blue carbon. Tierra Resources is nationally recognized innovator in the research, development, and monetization of blue carbon contained in coastal wetland ecosystems, such as estuaries, mangroves, and salt marshes. Tierra Resources’ services enable landowners, corporations, nonprofits, and government clients to understand the regulatory, financial, and scientific landscape to preserve and restore wetlands and monetize wetland offsets.

Contact:

Mary Grady, American Carbon Registry Tel: (805) 884-1961 Email: mgrady@winrock.org

Mike Burns, Entergy Corporation Tel: (504) 576-4238 Email: mburns@entergy.com

Sarah Mack, Tierra Resources Tel: (504) 339-4547 Email: sarahmack@tierraresourcesllc.com

Dear friends and colleagues,

For the first time in 60 years, we welcome in the Year of the Water Dragon, which brings the promise of creative ideas flowing like water, good fortune and momentous changes. New ideas and good fortune cannot come a moment too soon. We will need leadership from the resolute as the increasingly clear evidence of climate change challenges public and private institutions to respond.

We saw the first harbinger of change with the confirmation of California’s commitment to launch the first U.S. economy-wide cap and trade program in 2012. And in Durban, the unexpected was achieved as the world’s three largest emitters – China, the United States and India – joined the rest of the world and agreed for the first time to negotiate a legally binding commitment for emission reductions.

During 2011, we at the American Carbon Registry (ACR) remained steadfast in our commitment to demonstrate the value of market-based approaches to accelerate meaningful emission reduction actions.

For the California market, we continued our efforts to develop and test new, innovative carbon offset methodologies, several of which are being considered for adoption by the California Air Resources Board (ARB). Through collaborations that put the methodologies to work on the ground, we hope to demonstrate both rigor and usability. As one such example, ACR is collaborating with the California Farm Bureau Federation and the Environmental Defense Fund to pilot the ACR Fertilizer Management methodology with tomato producers in California.

Also in California, ARB announced its plans to tap the experience and innovation of the voluntary carbon market to help build and implement its offset program. We look forward to applying and anticipate being approved by the ARB in 2012 as an Offset Project Registry, helping to administer the California offset program through registration of projects developed using ARB-adopted compliance protocols.

On the methodology front, ACR approved its first REDD methodology as well as a methodology for Improved Forest Management (IFM) on Family Forestlands, which will be used to generate offsets for the Pinchot Institute’s Forest Health–Human Health Initiative.

We initiated the approval process for six new methodologies, expected to be adopted in 2012, including REDD+ modules, emission reductions in rice production, truck stop electrification, fertilizer rate reduction and wetlands restoration in addition to requirements for REDD+ projects nested within a jurisdictional framework. Other methodologies in development for approval in 2012 include Improved Forest Management (IFM) on Tribal Lands and several innovative approaches to reducing emissions associated with the beef and dairy sectors.

Our special interest in emission reductions in the land use and forest sectors led to the registration of seven new high quality afforestation / reforestation (A/R) projects in the U.S., Brazil and Madagascar. These projects include a new phase of GreenTrees through an investment by Norfolk Southern and a National Forest Foundation project, which will retire tons for Chevrolet.

Despite overall market conditions in 2011, it was a good year for ACR. We reached the milestone of issuance of over 30 million tons and registration of trades and retirements of close to 12 million tons in projects spanning 40 U.S. states and three continents. Of the 2.9 million ACR tons sold, retired or contracted in 2011, the average price per ton was $5.51, with a price range from under $1 to $14/ton, based on project type, volume and vintage.

Environmental Finance honored us with the award of runner-up “Best Registry Provider” in their global 2010 Voluntary Carbon Market Survey, based on efficiency and speed of transactions, reliability, innovation, quality of service provided and influence on the market.

In addition, ACR was recognized by the International Carbon Reduction and Offset Alliance (ICROA) as an approved ICROA carbon offsetting standard. ICROA companies are required to use offsets developed under approved standards to ensure offset quality.

And we launched our ACR Advisory Council, the esteemed members of which are helping to guide ACR to achieving our mission of harnessing the power of markets to improve the environment.

As we enter the New Year, we remind ourselves why Winrock runs a carbon offset registry. Winrock believes that climate change will have real and profound impacts on the poorest populations and the most fragile ecosystems around the world, and that markets are the most effective path to mobilize actions to reduce emissions.

As a Winrock enterprise, ACR’s role is to enhance confidence in the scientific and environmental integrity of offsets and to find innovative ways to achieve development goals with fewer emissions. We are also developing approaches to quantify health benefits, improvements in water quality, reductions in poverty and protection of biodiversity.

We are optimistic. We are excited to continue to work with ACR members, partners and supporters. We are humbled by the magnitude of the undertaking.

We look forward to the flow of ideas, the good fortune and the spectacular successes that the Year of the Water Dragon will bring for carbon markets.

Regards,

John Kadyszewski

ARLINGTON, Va., October 5, 2011 – The American Carbon Registry (ACR), a nonprofit enterprise of Winrock International, announces approval of an Improved Forest Management (IFM) Methodology for Quantifying Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Removals and Emission Reductions through Increased Forest Carbon Sequestration on Non–Federal U.S. Forestlands. The methodology, developed by Columbia Carbon LLC, a subsidiary of CE2 Carbon Capital in partnership with L&C Carbon, targets non-federally owned forestlands in the United States. Eligible lands include 495 million acres – 66 percent of all U.S. forestlands.

The new methodology delivers enormous potential for family forest owners who manage 264 million acres, or 35 percent, of all U.S. forestland. No family forests are currently registered and verified under any of the leading registry standards in the U.S. The lack of family forest offset projects is due to the fact that existing published IFM methodologies are either not applicable or not practical for this significant category of private forest owners, who own more forest land than the federal government. The new methodology provides important access to the carbon market to help slow the conversion of private forests to other uses. The USDA Forest Service estimates that from 20002030, more than 57 million acres of private forestland could be affected by development. State and local forest lands are also eligible under the methodology as are tribal lands, except those managed or administered by the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA). The tribal lands eligibility will be expanded to U.S. tribal lands under BIA in a forthcoming ACR methodology.

“The Columbia Carbon IFM methodology offers a significant opportunity for families owning woodlands to be rewarded for growing trees and storing greater amounts of carbon on their property,” stated David Ford, president and CEO of L&C Carbon. “And access to carbon markets for non-federal public lands provides an incentive for these owners to finance emissions reduction projects. We found ACR’s team to be professional and efficient, and its process to be thorough and scientifically demanding. The end result is a methodology that addresses the economic realities of a wide range of land owners, while achieving high environmental standards.” 

“The opportunity to generate some annual income by storing more carbon on my land is very attractive,” said Ed Cummings, a small woodland owner near Eugene, Ore. “My family wants to be able to pass on our sustainably managed woodlands to the next generation and selling carbon from our lands will help us meet our goal.”

To qualify for registration, lands must be subject to commercial timber harvesting activities under a forest management plan, and landowners must make a long-term commitment to manage their properties to sequester carbon above and beyond what would normally occur under the owner’s baseline forest management practices. In addition, the methodology requires certification by American Tree Farm System® (ATFS), Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) or Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) for private, NGO and public lands. Alternatively, public lands can provide a government-sanctioned forest management plan, updated at a minimum of every 10 years.

“We are excited to announce approval of the Columbia Carbon IFM methodology,” said Nicholas Martin, ACR’s chief technical officer. “It fills an important gap, providing a foundation for a new class of forest carbon market participants. We expect the resulting offset projects to be very popular in the voluntary market, where buyers favor high quality carbon offsets with a compelling story, such as those that manage, protect and replant forests.”

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About the American Carbon Registry 

The nonprofit American Carbon Registry (ACR), an enterprise of Winrock International, is a leading carbon offset program recognized for its strong standards for environmental integrity.  Founded in 1996 as the first private voluntary registry in the world, ACR has 15 years of experience in the development of rigorous, science-based carbon offset standards and methodologies as well as in carbon offset issuance, serialization and transparent online transaction and retirement reporting.

About Columbia Carbon, LLC 

Columbia Carbon is a joint project between L&C Carbon LLC and CE2 Carbon Capital focused on developing forest carbon projects in the United States. The partners have an extensive background in carbon project development, marketing and carbon credit monetization.

About L&C Carbon LLC

L&C Carbon is a forest carbon project development company based in Salem, Ore.  Founded in 2010, its initial focus is on developing forest carbon projects within the United States. L&C Carbon works to connect landowners with a carbon program that is consistent with their values and forest management objectives. It strives to develop long-term partnerships with landowners and organizations rather than executing one-off carbon projects. L&C Carbon’s longer-term vision is to develop diverse income streams for landowners from a range of ecosystem services.

About CE2 Carbon Capital, LLC

Formed in 2008 by CE2 Capital Partners and Energy Capital Partners, CE2 Carbon Capital, LLC is a company dedicated to building a portfolio of carbon offsets and other assets focused on reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in North America.  

Contact:

Mary Grady, American Carbon Registry Tel:  (805) 884-1961 Email:  mgrady@winrock.org

David Ford, L&C Carbon LLC Tel: (503) 345-9777 Email: davidford27@gmail.com

LONDON and ARLINGTON, Va., July 21, 2011 – The International Carbon Reduction and Offset Alliance (ICROA) announces today its recognition of American Carbon Registry (ACR), a nonprofit enterprise of Winrock International, as an approved ICROA carbon offsetting standard.

The International Carbon Reduction and Offset Alliance (ICROA) has become synonymous with best practice in the voluntary carbon market and all members only use offsets verified under the most widely respected compliance and voluntary standards. ICROA companies follow a code of best practice that provides confidence that resulting offsets are real, verified, permanent, additional and unique and that sets guidelines for how such offsets are sold.

ICROA’s selection of approved offset standards includes the Clean Development Mechanism and Joint Implementation, Carbon Fix, the Climate Action Reserve, the Gold Standard, the Verified Carbon Standard, and now the American Carbon Registry.

“ICROA has approved ACR as a standard because the offset methodologies and practices for verification meet our strict criteria,” said ICROA Co-Chair Edward Hanrahan. “ACR’s innovative methodologies in sectors such as agriculture and forestry will diversify offset sourcing options for ICROA clients while continuing to provide essential confidence in offset quality.”   

“As the first voluntary carbon registry in the world, ACR has a 15-year history of working with carbon market pioneers such as ICROA member companies” says Mary Grady, ACR director of business development. “The ACR team is proud to be recognized by ICROA for the environmental integrity of our standard and the quality of ACR-registered offset projects. We look forward to working with ICROA to expand carbon market activity in the U.S. and internationally through innovative, large-scale emissions reduction offset projects as well as increased developing country market access and participation.”  

ICROA’s support of robust standards for the voluntary offset market is critical: Member firms currently provide carbon offset and management services to thousands of businesses and hundreds of thousands of individuals. This scope of influence is expected to broaden considerably after last month’s announcement of ICROA’s integration into the International Emissions Trading Association (IETA). The move will widen the number of businesses operating to best practice in the voluntary space as demonstrated by complying with the ICROA code.

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Press Contact Details: 

ICROA Spokesperson: Edward Hanrahan, ClimateCare  Tel: +44 (0) 7900 566 210 edward.hanrahan@jpmorganclimatecare.com

ICROA Programme Manager Sophy Greenhalgh Tel: +44 (0) 7967 428 247 sgreenhalgh@icroa.org

ACR Spokesperson: Mary Grady Tel: +1 805 884 1961 mgrady@winrock.org

Notes to Editors: 

About ICROA 

The International Carbon Reduction and Offset Alliance (ICROA) is a not-for-profit alliance of leading carbon reduction and offset providers that provides leadership and a unified voice advocating for rigorous industry standards for the voluntary carbon market. ICROA members support a reduce-and-offset approach to carbon management, and they all comply with the ICROA Code of Best Practice. The Code gives consumers confidence that companies are operating to robust procedures and that implemented carbon strategies are credible and emissions reductions are real, measureable, permanent, and independently verified – a step to the goal of reducing global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. ICROA members include Carbon Clear, ClimateCare, ClimaCount, Climate Friendly, Climate Neutral Group, co2balance, EcoAct, First Climate, targetneutral and The CarbonNeutral Company.

About IETA

The International Emission Trading Association (IETA) has been the leading voice of the business community on the subject of carbon markets since 2000. IETA’s 160 member companies include some of the world’s leading corporations, including global leaders in oil, electricity, cement, aluminum, chemical, paper, and other industrial sectors; as well as leading firms in the data verification and certification, brokering and trading, legal, finance, and consulting industries.

About the American Carbon Registry

The nonprofit American Carbon Registry (ACR), an enterprise of Winrock International, is a leading carbon offset program recognized for its strong standards for environmental integrity.  Founded in 1996 as the GHG Registry by Environmental Resources Trust, ACR has 15 years of experience in the development of rigorous, science-based carbon offset standards and methodologies as well as in carbon offset issuance, serialization and transparent online transaction and retirement reporting. As the first private voluntary GHG registry in the world, ACR has worked to set the bar for offset quality and operational transparency and continues to lead voluntary carbon market innovation.

ARLINGTON, Va., June 13, 2011 – American Carbon Registry (ACR), a nonprofit enterprise of Winrock International, announces an open public comment period for Emission Reductions in Rice Management Systems, initiating the ACR approval process for the first-of-a-kind carbon offset methodology to quantify greenhouse gas reductions from rice production. The methodology was developed by Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) in partnership with the California Rice Commission (CRC), Applied Geosolutions, LLC, and Terra Global Capital LLC.

California’s cap-and-trade program is scheduled to launch in 2012, and the California Air Resources Board has expressed interest in adopting compliance offset protocols that will benefit the California agriculture sector. With this in mind, the EDF team developed the rice methodology with a specific focus on practice changes that reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) from rice production in California.

The ACR approval process for the methodology, which includes public comment and scientific peer review, is expected to be complete this summer. In parallel, through a recently announced USDA Conservation Innovation Grant, EDF intends to expand the methodology for additional practice changes applicable in Arkansas and other rice producing states in the Mid-South.

“The methodology is a first step towards achieving the global mitigation potential for rice,” said Belinda Morris, California regional director of EDF’s Center for Conservation Incentives. “In the future, expanding the methodology to include other practices and other geographies could provide incentives for substantial GHG emissions reductions from rice production.[1]”

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s national GHG inventory for 2010, the top two rice producing states, Arkansas and California, are responsible for over half of U.S. emissions from rice production. If measured, practice changes in water management, such as reduced flooding and altered drainage timing, provide a large mitigation opportunity to reduce methane emissions in rice production. However, calculating emission reductions from rice production is complex since different environmental factors such as soil type, temperature and water regime affect rice emissions.

Like the ACR Methodology for N2O Emission Reductions through Changes in Fertilizer Management, the rice methodology responds to this challenge by incorporating the use of the Denitrification-Decomposition (DNDC) model – a peer-reviewed, tested and highly parameterized model – to produce the rigorous, science-based results necessary to create compliance-quality GHG emissions offsets.

Applied Geosolutions, LLC calibrated and validated the DNDC model for rice using field measurements. The EDF team worked together to identify measurable management practices that reduce GHG emissions without affecting yields and to assess mitigation potential in California. Terra Global Capital led the methodology development.

“Consistent with our parent Winrock’s commitment to sustainable agriculture, ACR is focused on strengthening the scientific and market infrastructure for agricultural GHG mitigation,” said Nicholas Martin, ACR chief technical officer. “Following last year’s publication of an innovative ACR fertilizer management methodology, we are excited to initiate the ACR approval process for EDF’s rice sector methodology. Once approved, we think this will provide a critical tool for rice growers in California to enhance competitiveness by producing offsets for voluntary offset buyers and hopefully the California compliance market. We’re also excited by the possibility of expanding this methodology to the Mid-South including Arkansas, Winrock’s home state and the country’s leading rice producer.”  

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About the American Carbon Registry

The nonprofit American Carbon Registry (ACR), an enterprise of Winrock International, is a leading carbon offset program recognized for its strong standards for environmental integrity.  Founded in 1996 as the GHG Registry by Environmental Resources Trust, ACR has 15 years of experience in the development of rigorous, science-based carbon offset standards and methodologies as well as in carbon offset issuance, serialization and transparent online transaction and retirement reporting. As the first private voluntary GHG registry in the world, ACR has set the bar for offset quality and operational transparency and continues to lead carbon market innovation. www.americancarbonregistry.org

Contact:

Mary Grady American Carbon Registry 805 884 1961  mgrady@winrock.org

[1] Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) estimates global GHG emissions from rice production to be between 650 million metric tons and 2.4 billion metric tons CO2e per year. Studies estimate potential emissions reductions from practices changes to be up to 50 percent.