Michigan Conservation and Climate Initiative
The Michigan Conservation and Climate Initiative (MCCI) is a joint project
between the Michigan Association of Conservation Districts, the Delta Institute, and the State of Michigan. The project allows farmers and landowners to earn greenhouse gas emissions credits when they use conservation tillage, plant grasses or trees, or capture methane with manure digesters. Conservation practices store carbon in the soil and plants that
would otherwise form carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Manure digesters
produce energy and preevnt methane from being released to the atmosphere. Both carbon dioxide and methane are greenhouse gases that contribute to global climate change.
The Chicago Climate Exchange, a voluntary member-based market quantifies, credits, and sells carbon credits from certain conservation practices. The credits generated through conservation practices are pooled together from many different producers and landowners and are sold to CCX members (large companies, municipalities, and institutions) that have made
commitments to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. Chicago Climate Exchange members must reduce their greenhouse gas emissions to meet legally binding targets or mitigate a portion of their emissions through the purchase of offset credits generated by eligible practices. The Delta Institute, a 501©(3) non-profit organization, aggregates and sells these credits on the Chicago Climate Exchange on behalf of the landowner. The revenue from the sale, minus aggregation and trading fees, is returned to the landowner. The Michigan Association of Conservation Districts, and individuals Conservation Districts throughout the State, serve as approved verifiers to ensure enrolled land meets eligibility requirements, and may assist landowners in during the application process.
MCCI provides a financial incentive for farmers and landowners to use
conservation practices. While the primary purpose of these conservation
practices is to sequester carbon dioxide, the conservation practices have
secondary benefits, such as wildlife habitat and limiting soil and nutrient run-
off to streams and lakes.
Eligible Practices
Tillage:
No-till or strip-till
Grass Plantings:
Plantings initiated on or after January 1, 1999
Includes wildlife shrub plantings
Tree Plantings:
Plantings initiated on or after January 1, 1999 on non-forested or degraded forestlands
Enrollment Process
Complete enrollment package, including either the forest carbon
sequestration or soil carbon sequestration application, contract, obtain
FSA maps and crop certification for (FSA-578). The Allegan
Conservation District can assist in the application process.
If applicable, provide conservation practices documentation (CCC-509
or AD-1026), CRP/CREP contracts, tree planting documentation and
conservation easement or letter of intent. Submit enrollment package
to the Allegan Conservation District office or the Delta Institute.
Delta institute will review the enrollment package to ensure
completeness and countersigns the contract.
Depending on the size and type of the project, the Allegan
Conservation District may field verify the land. Verification will occur in
either the spring or fall, depending upon when the landowner submits
the application. The Conservation District will verify at least 10% of
enrolled lands.
The Allegan Conservation District will send verification reports to the
CCX for review. The CCX will review the reports over a three to four
week period and notify the Delta Institute when the credits can be sold.
Delta sells the credits on the CCX and returns the landowner’s portion
of the sale, minus fees. Payment occurs within a month of the sale.
Sales occur once per year.
Please contact the ACD if you would like to enroll in the MCCI Program.
Michigan Conservation and Climate Initiative Downloads
| Name | Description | Size | Downloads |
|---|---|---|---|
| ELIGIBLE_PRACTICES.pdf | Practices eligible for MCCI program. | 28KB | 319 |