Biofuels bills go to Brazil senate committee vote

27 August 2007 23:14  [Source: ICIS news]

HOUSTON (ICIS news)--Brazil’s upper house of the legislature, the Senate, is scheduled to debate biofuels legislation this week with a key committee vote likely, officials said on Monday.

On Tuesday, the committee for infrastructure is scheduled to vote on two biodiesel-related bills proposed by Senator Cesar Borges of Bahia state in northeast Brazil.

Senate bill PLS 18/07 would modify Brazil’s umbrella biofuels law 11,097 of 2005, by adding specific language to finance the construction of biodiesel mills and for feedstock production using oilseeds.

Senate bill PLS 121/06, also scheduled for a committee vote, would amend the law concerning the mandatory mix of biodiesel in conventional diesel to accelerate the time frame for the minimum blend stipulated by law.

Approval of the bills by each of the committees with jurisdiction over them virtually ensures passage though the Senate.

Separately, the permanent Senate subcommittee for biofuels will meet on Wednesday to debate the impact of ethanol production on the environment. The public hearing will include representatives from the sugar growers association (Unica).

The impact of biofuels production on the environment is widely cited by some segments of society as a reason to halt incentive programmes, especially regarding sensitive ecosystems such as the Amazon rainforest.

Brazilian president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has said that expansion of Brazil’s biofuels industry will not harm the Amazon.

By: John Waggoner
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