Can this bird habitat really offset carbon emissions?

Can wetlands -- often rich in birdlife and valued by birders -- play a role in allowing businesses to purchase pollution credits? From Houston Chronicle, "Companies eye wetlands to offset carbon emissions":

For the past few years, people have planted trees in the effort to stop global warming. But now some scientists think they've found another solution: restoring wetlands.

These marshy areas absorb carbon dioxide, the principal heat-trapping gas blamed for warming the planet. Their storage capacity may be greater per acre than forests, scientists said.

That little-known function of wetlands could lead to a major role in federal efforts to combat climate change and an environmental boon for the Texas coast.

Climate change legislation that has passed the U.S. House and is similar to measures under consideration in the Senate would allow industries to use offsets worth up to 2 billion tons of carbon dioxide a year.

Do you agree with the article's comments that the legislation amounts to a hoax or scam?

Photo courtesy of The Green Technocrat