Oklahoma is the first state in the U.S. to give a state agency statutory authority to verify and certify carbon offsets.
The Oklahoma Conservation Commission is authorized under Oklahoma Administrative Code Title 155 to implement 27A O.S. § 3-4-101 thru 3-4-105, which authorizes the Commission to establish and administer a carbon sequestration certification program. Permanent rules (doc) for the program went into effect July 1, 2009.
The rules are authorized by the Oklahoma Carbon Sequestration Enhancement Act.
The Oklahoma carbon program pairs natural resource protection with sectors that form the economic backbone of the state: agriculture, forestry, and oil and gas. With over 30 million acres dedicated to agriculture, 9 million forestland acres, more than a trillion cubic feet of natural gas, and more than 83,000 commercial oil wells, Oklahoma is a choice location for carbon sequestration.