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nantly of independent experts selected from out-
side the Departments of Agriculture and En-
ergy. 
‘‘(4) FUNDING.—Each agency represented on 
the Board is encouraged to provide funds for any 
purpose under this section. 
‘‘(5) MEETINGS.—The Board shall meet at 
least quarterly to enable the Board to carry out the 
duties of the Board under paragraph (3). 
‘‘(f) BIOMASS RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT TECH-
NICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE.— 
‘‘(1) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established 
the Biomass Research and Development Technical 
Advisory Committee, which shall supersede the Advi-
sory Committee on Biobased Products and Bio-
energy established by Executive Order No. 13134— 
‘‘(A) to advise the Secretary of Energy, the 
Secretary of Agriculture, and the points of con-
tact concerning— 
‘‘(i) the technical focus and direction 
of requests for proposals issued under the 
Initiative; and 
‘‘(ii) procedures for reviewing and 
evaluating the proposals; 
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‘‘(B) to facilitate consultations and part-
nerships among Federal and State agencies, ag-
ricultural producers, industry, consumers, the 
research community, and other interested 
groups to carry out program activities relating 
to the Initiative; and 
‘‘(C) to evaluate and perform strategic 
planning on program activities relating to the 
Initiative. 
‘‘(2) MEMBERSHIP.— 
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—The Advisory Com-
mittee shall consist of— 
‘‘(i) an individual affiliated with the 
biofuels industry; 
‘‘(ii) an individual affiliated with the 
biobased industrial and commercial prod-
ucts industry; 
‘‘(iii) an individual affiliated with an 
institution of higher education who has ex-
pertise in biobased fuels and biobased 
products; 
‘‘(iv) two prominent engineers or sci-
entists from government or academia who 
have expertise in biobased fuels and 
biobased products; 
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‘‘(v) an individual affiliated with a 
commodity trade association; 
‘‘(vi) 2 individuals affiliated with an 
environmental or conservation organiza-
tion; 
‘‘(vii) an individual associated with 
State government who has expertise in 
biobased fuels and biobased products; 
‘‘(viii) an individual with expertise in 
energy and environmental analysis; 
‘‘(ix) an individual with expertise in 
the economics of biobased fuels and 
biobased products; 
‘‘(x) an individual with expertise in 
agricultural economics; 
‘‘(xi) an individual with expertise in 
agronomy, crop science, or soil science; and 
‘‘(xii) at the option of the points of 
contact, other members. 
‘‘(B) APPOINTMENT.—The members of the 
Advisory Committee shall be appointed by the 
points of contact. 
‘‘(3) 
DUTIES.—The 
Advisory 
Committee 
shall— 
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‘‘(A) advise the points of contact with re-
spect to the Initiative; and 
‘‘(B) evaluate whether, and make rec-
ommendations in writing to the Board to en-
sure that— 
‘‘(i) funds authorized for the Initiative 
are distributed and used in a manner that 
is consistent with the objectives, purposes, 
and considerations of the Initiative; 
‘‘(ii) solicitations are open and com-
petitive with awards made annually and 
that objectives and evaluation criteria of 
the solicitations are clearly stated and 
minimally prescriptive, with no areas of 
special interest; 
‘‘(iii) the points of contact are funding 
proposals under this title that are selected 
on the basis of merit, as determined by an 
independent panel of scientific and tech-
nical peers predominantly from outside the 
Departments of Agriculture and Energy; 
and 
‘‘(iv) activities under this section are 
carried out in accordance with this section. 
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‘‘(4) COORDINATION.—To avoid duplication of 
effort, the Advisory Committee shall coordinate its 
activities with those of other Federal advisory com-
mittees working in related areas. 
‘‘(5) MEETINGS.—The Advisory Committee 
shall meet at least quarterly to enable the Advisory 
Committee to carry out the duties of the Advisory 
Committee. 
‘‘(6) TERMS.—Members of the Advisory Com-
mittee shall be appointed for a term of 3 years, ex-
cept that— 
‘‘(A) one-third of the members initially ap-
pointed shall be appointed for a term of 1 year; 
and 
‘‘(B) one-third of the members initially ap-
pointed shall be appointed for a term of 2 
years. 
‘‘(g) BIOMASS RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT INI-
TIATIVE.— 
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary of Agri-
culture and the Secretary of Energy, acting through 
their respective points of contact and in consultation 
with the Board, shall establish and carry out a Bio-
mass Research and Development Initiative under 
which competitively awarded grants, contracts, and 
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financial assistance are provided to, or entered into 
with, eligible entities to carry out research on, and 
development and demonstration of, biobased fuels 
and biobased products, and the methods, practices 
and technologies, for their production. 
‘‘(2) OBJECTIVES.—The objectives of the Initia-
tive are to develop— 
‘‘(A) technologies and processes necessary 
for abundant commercial production of biobased 
fuels at prices competitive with fossil fuels; 
‘‘(B) high-value biobased products— 
‘‘(i) to enhance the economic viability 
of biobased fuels and power; 
‘‘(ii) as substitutes for petroleum- 
based feedstocks and products; and 
‘‘(iii) to enhance the value of coprod-
ucts arise from such technologies and proc-
esses; and 
‘‘(C) a diversity of sustainable domestic 
sources of biomass for conversion to biobased 
fuels and biobased products. 
‘‘(3) PURPOSES.—The purposes of the Initiative 
are— 
‘‘(A) to increase the energy security of the 
United States; 
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