Biochar Research Network Act of 2022
Bill: H.R.8596 | Sponsor: Rep. Miller-Meeks, Mariannette (R-IA)
Policy area: Agriculture and Food

Summary:
Biochar Research Network Act of 2022
This bill directs the Department of Agriculture to establish a biochar research network of not more than 20 research stations or facilities to test the impact of biochar across various soil types, application methods, and climates to learn more about its potential to benefit farmers and the environment.

To amend the Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education Reform Act 
of 1998 to direct the Secretary of Agriculture to establish a national 
           biochar research network, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Biochar Research Network Act of 
2022''.

SEC. 2. NATIONAL BIOCHAR RESEARCH NETWORK.

    Title IV of the Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education 
Reform Act of 1998 is amended by inserting before section 404 (7 U.S.C. 
7624) the following new section:

``SEC. 403. NATIONAL BIOCHAR RESEARCH NETWORK.

    ``(a) Establishment.--The Secretary shall establish a national 
biochar research network of not more than 20 research sites to test the 
full range of biochar types across soil types, soil conditions, 
application methods, and climatic and agronomic regions to--
            ``(1) assess the soil carbon sequestration potential of 
        biochar;
            ``(2) understand how to use biochar productively to 
        contribute to climate mitigation, crop production, resilience 
        to extreme weather events, ecosystem health, and natural 
        resource conservation; and
            ``(3) deliver science-based, region-specific, cost-
        effective, and practical information to farmers, ranchers, 
        foresters, land reclamation managers, urban land managers and 
        other land and natural resource managers and businesses on 
        sustainable biochar production and application.
    ``(b) Scope.--The national biochar research network established 
under subsection (a) shall encompass agriculture, horticulture, 
rangeland, forestry, and other biochar uses and a broad range of 
feedstocks, production processes, and application treatments. The 
research conducted shall include--
            ``(1) cross-site and mechanistic experiments to--
                    ``(A) fill critical knowledge gaps and gain a more 
                complete understanding of the impact of various types 
                of biochar in varying site conditions on soil 
                properties, plant growth, greenhouse gas emissions, and 
                carbon sequestration in different soils, climates, and 
                other natural and agronomic conditions;
                    ``(B) provide mechanistic and techno-economic 
                insights on thermochemical conversion processes in 
                biochar production and the co-production of biochar and 
                bioenergy, including interactions of feedstock 
                properties with reactor conditions and processes on the 
                relative proportions and properties of biochar, bio-
                fuels, and value-added co-products, as well as process 
                efficiency;
                    ``(C) generate data to develop, calibrate, and 
                validate robust mechanistic models to predict the full 
                life cycle of greenhouse gas, crop response, and 
                related agronomic and environmental implications of 
                particular applications of biochar;
                    ``(D) generate data to help guide the design of 
                new, more-efficient biochar and bioenergy production 
                reactors and biorefineries; and
                    ``(E) generate data to develop, calibrate, and 
                validate testing methodologies for biochar to identify 
                potential contaminants or other factors that may cause 
                unintended consequences;
            ``(2) site-specific farm and forestry systems assessments 
        and pilot-scale biochar production and application systems to--
                    ``(A) refine the most promising soil-based uses, 
                sources, and methods of producing and applying biochar 
                in particular regions to enhance productivity, increase 
                profitability, scalability, and portability, reduce 
                greenhouse gas emissions, improve ecosystem health, and 
                strengthen resilience to extreme weather events, and 
                explore soil, crop, climate, management, and biochar 
                interactions;
                    ``(B) develop new knowledge to support decisions on 
                sustainable production and use of biochar;
                    ``(C) collect relevant data needed for full life 
                cycle greenhouse gas and economic analyses and complete 
                such analysis;
                    ``(D) predict plant-response, soil health, soil 
                carbon sequestration, ecosystem health, water quality, 
                greenhouse gas, and economic outcomes for specific 
                implementations of biochar technology;
                    ``(E) provide data to evaluate local biomass 
                feedstocks, support selection of sustainable biochar 
                production methods, and address biochar production 
                issues; and
                    ``(F) share research results to inform farmers, 
                horticulturalists, ranchers, foresters, urban biochar 
                users, extension agents and specialists, and technical 
                assistance providers on the most advantageous ways to 
                use biochar to increase profitability, raise 
                productivity, lower costs, improve soil and plant 
                health, and enhance resilience to extreme weather 
                events while contributing to carbon sequestration and 
                greenhouse gas reductions.
    ``(c) Eligibility.--An entity is eligible to be selected to conduct 
research funded under this section if such entity is--
            ``(1) a State agricultural experiment station or a State 
        forestry experiment station;
            ``(2) a research facility of the Agricultural Research 
        Service, the Forest Service, or any other agency of the 
        Department of Agriculture that the Secretary determines is 
        appropriate; or
            ``(3) a research facility of the Department of Energy, the 
        Department of Commerce, or the Department of the Interior.
    ``(d) Administration.--
            ``(1) In general.--The research network established under 
        subsection (a) shall be administered by the Administrator of 
        the Agricultural Research Service, in partnership with Chief of 
        the Forest Service, the Director of the National Institute of 
        Food and Agriculture, the Secretary of Energy, the Secretary of 
        Commerce, the Secretary of the Interior, and, as determined by 
        the Secretary of Agriculture, other agencies of the Department 
        of Agriculture.
            ``(2) Conservation.--The Secretary, acting through the 
        Natural Resources Conservation Service--
                    ``(A) may develop a practice standard informed by 
                the research; and
                    ``(B) shall coordinate the activities of the 
                research network established under subsection (a) 
                with--
                            ``(i) the development and refinement of a 
                        biochar conservation practice standard; and
                            ``(ii) improvements and expansion of 
                        conservation program technical and financial 
                        support for biochar production and application.
    ``(e) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section $50,000,000 for each fiscal 
years 2023 through 2028.''.
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