(I) 20 percent in Ecuador; 
(J) 76 percent in El Salvador; 
(K) 85 percent in Grenada; 
(L) 72 percent in Guatemala; 
(M) 100 percent in Guyana; 
(N) 93 percent in Haiti; 
(O) 81 percent in Honduras; 
(P) 91 percent in Jamaica; 
(Q) 10 percent in Mexico; 
(R) 98 percent in Nicaragua; 
(S) 100 percent in Panama; 
(T) 46 percent in Paraguay; 
(U) 39 percent in Peru; 
(V) 34 percent in Suriname; 
(W) 45 percent in Trinidad and Tobago; 
(X) 79 percent in Uruguay; and 
(Y) 0 percent in Venezuela. 
(8) Private sector partnership and investment 
in all sources of energy is critical to providing en-
ergy security in the Western Hemisphere. Several 
countries in the Western Hemisphere have endan-
gered the investment climate. Other countries in the 
Western Hemisphere have been unable to make re-
forms necessary to create investment climates nec-
essary to increase the domestic production of energy. 
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(9) It is the policy of the United States to pro-
mote free trade in energy among countries in the 
Western Hemisphere, which would— 
(A) help support a growing energy indus-
try; 
(B) create jobs that benefit development 
and alleviate poverty; 
(C) increase energy security through sup-
ply diversification; 
(D) strengthen relations among countries 
in the Western Hemisphere through closer co-
operation and understanding; and 
(E) promote the production and use of 
clean forms of energy. 
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) APPROPRIATE
CONGRESSIONAL
COMMIT-
TEES.—The term ‘‘appropriate congressional com-
mittees’’ means the Committee on Foreign Affairs of 
the House of Representatives and the Committee on 
Foreign Relations of the Senate. 
(2) BIOFUEL.—The term ‘‘biofuel’’ means any 
liquid fuel that is derived from biomass. 
(3) BIOMASS.—The term ‘‘biomass’’ means any 
organic matter that is available on a renewable or 
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recurring basis, including agricultural crops, trees, 
wood, wood wastes and residues, plants (including 
aquatic plants), grasses, residues, fibers, animal 
wastes, municipal wastes, and other waste materials. 
(4) PARTNER
COUNTRY.—The term ‘‘partner 
country’’ means a country that, along with the 
United States and Brazil, joins the Western Hemi-
sphere Energy Cooperation Forum established pur-
suant to section 4 and has agreed to conduct a 
biofuels feasibility study under section 6. 
(5) REGIONAL
DEVELOPMENT
BANKS.—The 
term ‘‘regional development banks’’ means the Afri-
can Development Bank, the Inter-American Develop-
ment Bank, the Andean Development Corporation, 
the European Bank for Reconstruction and Develop-
ment, and the Asian Development Bank. 
SEC. 4. WESTERN HEMISPHERE ENERGY COOPERATION 
FORUM. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of State, in 
coordination with the Secretary of Energy, shall seek 
to establish a regional-based ministerial forum to be 
known as the Western Hemisphere Energy Coopera-
tion Forum (referred to in this section as the ‘‘En-
ergy Forum’’). The United States Government shall 
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initially provide the framework for the Energy 
Forum and shall seek to establish a rotating chair-
manship, in consultation with the Government of 
Brazil. 
(2) MEMBERSHIP.—The Secretary of State, in 
coordination with the Secretary of Energy, shall seek 
to include in the Energy Forum membership of 
other countries in the Western Hemisphere. 
(b) PURPOSES.—The Energy Forum should seek— 
(1) to strengthen relationships between the 
United States and other countries in the Western 
Hemisphere through cooperation on energy issues; 
(2) to enhance cooperation, including informa-
tion and technology sharing, between major energy 
producers and major energy consumers in the West-
ern Hemisphere, particularly among the Govern-
ments of Brazil, Canada, Mexico, and the United 
States; 
(3) to explore possibilities to work with coun-
tries in the Western Hemisphere to promote renew-
able energy production (particularly in biofuels) and 
to lessen dependence on oil imports without reducing 
food availability (particularly in Mexico and Central 
American countries); 
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(4) to ensure that energy contributes to the eco-
nomic, social, and environmental enhancement of the 
countries in the Western Hemisphere; 
(5) to provide an opportunity for open dialogue 
and joint commitments among Energy Forum coun-
tries and with private industry; and 
(6) to provide participating countries the flexi-
bility necessary to cooperatively address broad chal-
lenges posed to the energy supply of the Western 
Hemisphere to find solutions that are politically ac-
ceptable and practical in policy terms. 
(c) ACTIVITIES.—The United States Government 
shall seek to implement, in cooperation with Energy 
Forum countries— 
(1) an energy crisis initiative that will promote 
national and regional measures to respond to tem-
porary energy supply disruptions, including partici-
pating in a Western Hemisphere energy crisis re-
sponse mechanism in accordance with section 9(b); 
(2) an energy sustainability initiative to facili-
tate long-term supply security by fostering reliable 
supply sources of energy and improved energy effi-
ciency, including— 
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(A) developing, deploying, and commer-
cializing technologies for sustainable renewable 
fuels within the region; 
(B) promoting production and trade in 
sustainable energy, including energy from bio-
mass and other alternatives; 
(C) facilitating investment, trade, and 
technology cooperation in energy infrastructure, 
petroleum products, natural gas (including liq-
uefied natural gas), energy efficiency (including 
automotive efficiency), clean fossil energy, re-
newable energy, and carbon sequestration; 
(D) promoting regional infrastructure and 
market integration; 
(E) developing effective and stable regu-
latory frameworks; 
(F) developing policy instruments to en-
courage the use of renewable energy and im-
proved energy efficiency; 
(G) establishing educational training and 
exchange programs between Energy Forum 
countries; and 
(H) identifying and removing barriers to 
trade in technology, services, and commodities; 
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(3) an energy for development initiative to pro-
mote energy access for underdeveloped areas 
through energy policy and infrastructure develop-
ment, including— 
(A) increasing access to energy services for 
the poor; 
(B) improving energy sector market condi-
tions; 
(C) promoting rural development though 
biomass energy production and use; 
(D) increasing transparency of, and par-
ticipation in, energy infrastructure projects; 
(E) promoting development and deploy-
ment of technology for clean and sustainable 
energy development; and 
(F) facilitating the use of carbon seques-
tration methods in agriculture and forestry and 
linking greenhouse gas emissions reduction pro-
grams to international carbon markets; and 
(4) biofuels studies, with country studies pro-
vided by each partner country, in accordance with 
section 6. 
(d) IMPLEMENTATION.—It is the sense of Congress 
that the Energy Forum should— 
(1) meet at least once every 2 years; and 
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(2) meet on a subregional basis, as needed. 
(e) WESTERN
HEMISPHERE
ENERGY
INDUSTRY 
GROUP.— 
(1) AUTHORITY.—The Secretary of State, in 
coordination with the Secretary of Commerce and 
the Secretary of Energy, shall approach the govern-
ments of other countries in the Western Hemisphere 
to seek cooperation in establishing a Western Hemi-
sphere Energy Industry Group (referred to in this 
subsection as the ‘‘Energy Group’’) within the West-
ern Hemisphere Energy Cooperation Forum. The 
Energy Group should include representatives from 
industries and governments in the Western Hemi-
sphere. 
(2) PURPOSE.—The purpose of the Energy 
Group should be to— 
(A) increase public-private partnerships; 
(B) foster private investment; and 
(C) enable countries in the Western Hemi-
sphere to devise energy agendas compatible 
with industry capacity and cognizant of indus-
try goals. 
(3) DISCUSSION
TOPICS.—It is the sense of 
Congress that the Energy Group should discuss— 
(A) promoting a secure investment climate; 
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(B) developing and deploying biofuels and 
other alternative energy and clean electrical 
production facilities; 
(C) developing and deploying energy effi-
cient technologies and practices in the indus-
trial, residential, and transportation sectors; 
(D) oil and natural gas production and dis-
tribution; 
(E) maintaining transparency of energy 
production, trade, consumption, and reserves 
data; 
(F) promoting biofuels and alternative en-
ergy research; and 
(G) training and education exchange pro-
grams. 
(f) OIL AND NATURAL GAS WORKING GROUP.— 
(1) ESTABLISHMENT.—The United States Gov-
ernment shall seek cooperation in establishing an Oil 
and Natural Gas Working Group (referred to in this 
subsection as the ‘‘Working Group’’) within the 
Western Hemisphere Energy Cooperation Forum or 
the Western Hemisphere Energy Industry Group. 
(2) PURPOSES.—The Working Group should 
strengthen dialogue between international oil compa-
nies, national oil companies, and civil society groups 
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on issues related to international standards on 
transparency, social responsibility, and best practices 
in leasing and management of oil and natural gas 
projects. 
(g) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
are authorized to be appropriated $3,000,000 for fiscal 
year 2009 to carry out this section. 
SEC. 5. UNITED STATES-BRAZIL BIOFUELS PARTNERSHIP. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of State, in coordi-
nation with the Secretary of Energy, shall work with the 
Government of Brazil to— 
(1) coordinate efforts to promote the production 
and use of biofuels among countries, giving pref-
erence to those countries that are among the poorest 
(as determined by the Inter-American Development 
Bank) and most dependent on petroleum imports, 
including— 
(A) coordinating the biofuels feasibility 
studies described in section 6; 
(B) collaborating on policy and regulatory 
measures to— 
(i) promote domestic biofuels produc-
tion and use, including related agricultural 
and environmental measures; 
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(ii) reform automotive sectors to in-
corporate biofuels use, including increased 
efficiency, reduced emissions, and integra-
tion with high-efficiency advanced tech-
nologies; and 
(iii) reform fueling infrastructure to 
allow for use of biofuels and other alter-
native energy sources; 
(2) invite the European Union, China, India, 
South Africa, Japan, and other interested countries 
to join in and expand upon existing international ef-
forts to promote the development of a global strat-
egy to create global biofuels markets and promote 
biofuels production and use in developing countries; 
(3) assess the feasibility of working with the 
World Bank and relevant regional development 
banks regarding— 
(A) biofuels production capabilities; and 
(B) infrastructure, research, and training 
related to such capabilities; and 
(4) develop a joint and coordinated strategy re-
garding the construction and retrofitting of pipelines 
and terminals near major fuel distribution centers, 
coastal harbors, and railroads. 
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(b) INTERNATIONAL
AGRICULTURAL
EXTENSION 
PROGRAMS.—The Secretary of Agriculture shall work with 
the Government of Brazil to facilitate joint agricultural 
extension activities related to biofuels crop production, 
biofuels production, and environmental and greenhouse 
gas emissions reduction practices. 
(c) EDUCATIONAL GRANTS.—The Secretary of En-
ergy, in coordination with the Secretary of State, and in 
collaboration with the Government of Brazil, shall estab-
lish a grant program to finance advanced biofuels research 
and collaboration between academic and research institu-
tions in the United States and Brazil. 
(d) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
are authorized to be appropriated for fiscal year 2009— 
(1) $3,000,000 to carry out subsection (a); 
(2) $5,000,000 to carry out subsection (b); and 
(3) $7,000,000 to carry out subsection (c). 
SEC. 6. BIOFUELS FEASIBILITY STUDIES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of State, in con-
sultation with the Secretary of Energy, shall work with 
each partner country to conduct a study to determine the 
feasibility of increasing the production and use of biofuels 
in such country. 
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(b) ANALYSIS
OF
THE ENERGY POLICY FRAME-
WORK.—The study conducted under subsection (a) shall 
analyze— 
(1) the energy policy of the partner country, 
particularly the impact of such policy on the pro-
motion of biofuels; and 
(2) the status and impacts of any existing 
biofuel programs of the country. 
(c) ASSESSMENT OF DEMAND.—The study conducted 
under subsection (a) shall assess, with respect to the part-
ner country— 
(1) the quantitative and qualitative current and 
projected demand for energy by families, villages, in-
dustries, public transportation infrastructure, and 
other energy consumers; 
(2) the future consumption by the heat, elec-
tricity, and transportation sectors; 
(3) the demand for high-quality transportation 
fuel; 
(4) the local market prices for various energy 
sources; and 
(5) the employment, income generation, and 
rural development opportunities from biofuel indus-
try. 
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(d) ASSESSMENT OF RESOURCES.—The study con-
ducted under subsection (a) shall— 
(1) assess the present and future biomass re-
sources that are available in each geographic region 
of the participating country to meet the demand as-
sessed under subsection (c); 
(2) include a plan for increasing the availability 
of existing biomass resources in the country; and 
(3) include a plan for developing new, sustain-
able biomass resources in the country, including 
wood, manure, agricultural residues, sewage, and or-
ganic waste. 
(e) ANALYSIS OF AVAILABLE TECHNOLOGIES AND 
SYSTEMS.—Building upon the results of the assessments 
described in subsections (c) and (d), the study shall— 
(1) analyze available technologies and systems 
for utilizing biofuels in the country, including— 
(A) technologies for the conversion of bio-
mass crops and agroforestry residues in pellets 
and briquettes; 
(B) low-pollution stoves; 
(C) biogas production; 
(D) charcoal and activated coal production; 
(E) biofuel production; 
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(F) combustion and co-combustion tech-
nologies; 
(G) the availability of biofuels technologies 
in various geographic regions; and 
(H) the economic viability of biomass tech-
nologies; and 
(2) compare such technologies and systems to 
conventional energy supplies with respect to cost-ef-
fectiveness, maintenance, social acceptability, and 
the impact on development. 
(f) ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT.—The study con-
ducted under subsection (a) shall assess— 
(1) the likely impacts of increased biomass har-
vesting and production, and biofuels production and 
use on environmental sustainability, including effects 
on carbon emissions; and 
(2) the availability of financing from global car-
bon credit trading mechanisms. 
(g) FOOD SECURITY ASSESSMENT.—The study pre-
pared by each partner country under subsection (a) shall 
assess the likely impacts on food stocks and prices in part-
ner countries. 
(h) DEVELOPMENT OF POLICY OPTIONS TO PRO-
MOTE BIOFUEL PRODUCTION AND USE.— 
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(1) IN GENERAL.—The study prepared by each 
partner country under subsection (a) shall identify 
and evaluate policy options to promote biofuel pro-
duction and use, after taking into account— 
(A) the existing energy policy of the coun-
try; and 
(B) the technologies available to convert 
local biomass resources into biofuels. 
(2) COORDINATION.—In conducting the evalua-
tion under paragraph (1), the partner country shall 
involve local, national, and international public and 
private institutions with responsibility or expertise in 
biofuel production and use. 
(3) PRINCIPAL
ISSUES.—The study shall ad-
dress— 
(A) potential biomass in the country and 
barriers for the production of biofuels from 
such biomass products; 
(B) strategies for creating a market for 
biomass products in the country; 
(C) the potential contribution of biofuels to 
reducing fossil fuel consumption in the country; 
(D) environmental sustainability issues and 
the mitigating effect on carbon emissions of in-
creased biofuel production; 
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(E) the potential contribution of biofuels to 
economic development, poverty reduction, and 
sustainability of energy resources; 
(F) programs for the use of biofuels in the 
transportation sector; 
(G) economic cooperation across inter-
national borders to increase biofuel production 
and use; 
(H) technology collaboration and joint ven-
tures and technological, cultural, and legal bar-
riers that may impede such technological co-
operation; and 
(I) the economic aspects of the promotion 
of biofuels, including job creation, financing and 
loan mechanisms, credit mobilization, invest-
ment capital, and market penetration. 
(i) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—There are authorized to be 
appropriated $20,000,000 for fiscal year 2009 to 
carry out this section. 
(2) SUPPLEMENTAL FUNDING SOURCES.—The 
Secretary of State shall work with the Government 
of Brazil, the governments of partner countries, re-
gional development banks, the Organization of 
American States, and other interested parties to 
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identify supplemental funding sources for the studies 
described in this section. 
SEC. 7. MULTILATERAL DEVELOPMENT BANKS. 
It is the sense of Congress that the Secretary of the 
Treasury should instruct the United States Executive Di-
rector at each international financial institution to which 
the United States is a member to use the voice, vote, and 
influence of the United States to ensure that assistance 
provided by the institution encourages development of re-
newable energy sources, including energy derived from bio-
mass. 
SEC. 8. CARBON CREDIT TRADING MECHANISMS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of State shall work 
with interested governments in the Western Hemisphere 
and other countries to organize regional and hemispheric 
carbon trading mechanisms under the United Nations 
Framework Convention on Climate Change and existing 
trade and financial agreements to— 
(1) establish special carbon credits for the pres-
ervation of tropical rain forests; 
(2) use greenhouse gas-reducing farming prac-
tices; 
(3) jointly fund greenhouse gas sequestration 
studies and experiments in various geological forma-
tions; and 
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(4) jointly fund climate mitigation studies in 
vulnerable areas in the Western Hemisphere. 
(b) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
are authorized to be appropriated $5,000,000 for fiscal 
year 2009 to carry out this section. 
SEC. 9. ENERGY CRISIS RESPONSE MECHANISM. 
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress makes the following find-
ings: 
(1) Cooperation between the United States Gov-
ernment and governments of other countries during 
energy crises promotes the national security of the 
United States and of the cooperating countries. 
(2) Credible contingency plans to respond to en-
ergy shortages may serve as deterrents to the ma-
nipulation of energy supplies by export and transit 
countries. 
(3) The vulnerability of most countries in the 
Western Hemisphere to supply disruptions from po-
litical, natural, or terrorism causes may introduce 
instability in the Western Hemisphere and can be a 
source of conflict, despite the existence of major en-
ergy resources in the Western Hemisphere. The 
United States and Canada are the only members of 
the International Energy Program in the Western 
Hemisphere. 
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(4) Integrating countries in the Western Hemi-
sphere into regional and international agreements 
for the management of energy emergencies will ben-
efit market stability and encourage development in 
participating countries. 
(b) ESTABLISHMENT
OF
AN ENERGY CRISIS RE-
SPONSE
MECHANISM
FOR
THE
WESTERN
HEMI-
SPHERE.— 
(1) AUTHORITY.—The Secretary of State, in 
coordination with the Secretary of Energy, shall im-
mediately seek to establish a Western Hemisphere 
energy crisis response mechanism. 
(2) SCOPE.—The mechanism established under 
paragraph (1) should include, as appropriate— 
(A) a real-time information sharing and 
coordinating mechanism to respond to energy 
supply emergencies; 
(B) technical assistance in the development 
and management of national and regional stra-
tegic reserves within the Western Hemisphere; 
(C) the promotion of increased energy in-
frastructure integration between countries; 
(D) emergency demand restraint measures; 
(E) energy switching preparedness and al-
ternative energy production capacity; 
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(F) enhanced demand intensity reduction 
programs; and 
(G) measures to strengthen sea lane and 
infrastructure security. 
(3) MEMBERSHIP.—The Secretary shall seek to 
include in the Western Hemisphere energy crisis re-
sponse mechanism membership of each major energy 
producer and major energy consumer in the Western 
Hemisphere and other members of the Western 
Hemisphere Energy Cooperation Forum established 
pursuant to section 4(a). 
(4) STUDY.—The Secretary of Energy shall— 
(A) 
conduct 
a 
study 
of 
supply 
vulnerabilities for natural gas in the Western 
Hemisphere; and 
(B) submit a report to the appropriate 
congressional committees that includes rec-
ommendations for infrastructure and regulatory 
needs for reducing supply disruption vulner-
ability and international coordination. 
(c) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 
authorized to be appropriated $5,000,000 for fiscal year 
2009 to carry out this section. 
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SEC. 10. ENERGY FOREIGN ASSISTANCE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator of the United 
States Agency for International Development (referred to 
in this section as the ‘‘Administrator’’) shall seek to in-
crease United States foreign assistance programming in 
renewable energy, including in activities to reduce energy 
import dependence through the use of biofuels. 
(b) DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY REVIEW.—The Ad-
ministrator shall— 
(1) review country assistance strategies to in-
crease assistance for renewable energy activities; and 
(2) submit the results of this review to the ap-
propriate congressional committees not later than 
180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act. 
(c) EXPEDITED SUSTAINABLE ENERGY GRANTS.— 
(1) AUTHORIZATION.—The Administrator is 
authorized to award grants to nongovernmental or-
ganizations for sustainable energy and job creation 
projects in at-risk nations, such as Haiti. Grant 
funds shall be provided to grantees on an expedited 
basis upon approval of the eligible project. 
(2) AUTHORIZATION
OF
APPROPRIATIONS.— 
There are authorized to be appropriated $5,000,000 
for fiscal year 2009 to carry out this subsection. 
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SEC. 11. ENERGY PUBLIC DIPLOMACY. 
(a) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 
authorized to be appropriated $5,000,000 to the Depart-
ment of State for public diplomacy activities on renewable 
energy in the Western Hemisphere. 
(b) LIMITATION.—Not less than 50 percent of any 
amount appropriated pursuant to the authorizations of ap-
propriations under paragraph (1) shall be used for edu-
cation activities implemented through civil society organi-
zations. 
SEC. 12. REPORT. 
The Secretary of State, in consultation with the Sec-
retary of Energy, shall submit an annual report to the 
appropriate congressional committees on the activities car-
ried out to implement this Act. 
Æ 
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