The president of the Subcommittee on Western Hemisphere of the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the United States’ House of Representatives, democrat deputy Eliot L. Engel, praised Brazil’s effort on the search for energy self-sufficiency, during a joint meeting of the Committee on National Defense (CRE) and of the Subcommittee on Biofuels of the Senate, on Thursday (29).

- The United States is anxious to learn from Brazil. Brazil has made efforts to have independence on energy and the United States is quite behind in this path. We are anxious to know how you came through to this political decision, which are the problems you are facing and what the Brazil future needs in energy terms are - said Engel, at the end of the meeting.

CRA’s president, senator Neuto de Conto (PMDB-SC) explained to North American deputies that Brazil tripled ethanol production recently without deforestation and without reducing the production of bovine, pork and chicken meat, of which Brazil is one of the largest producers in the world.

- If we rise the production in 10% to 15% (of ethanol) we can supply 10% of world energy use - Neuto de Conto stressed. The parliamentarian said that Brazil has 20 million hectares of land which are being used simultaneously for raising cattle and sugar cane production.

Neuto de Conto pointed out that Brazil uses 6 million hectares of land for ethanol production, from which 3 million are for sugar cane planting and 3 million for alcohol production. According to the senator, the 90 million hectares now used for pasture can be used for sugar cane planting while cattle is raised under confinement.

The vice-president of the Permanent Subcommittee on Biofuels, senator Sibá Machado (PT-AC), explained that there are no perspectives to expand ethanol production in the Amazon, where there are, currently, five ethanol energy plants, due to negative climatic and logistics conditions.

CRE’s president, Heráclito Fortes (DEM-PI), highlighted that there is no danger of deforestation of the Amazon forest.

- There is no deforestation culture in Brazil. There is a large awareness of preserving the forest. The falling of trees has been done by criminal acts - the senator said.

At the end of the meeting, American deputy Eliot Engel said to be personally favorable to reduce Brazilian ethanol taxation in the American market. He said negotiations should be made to put an end to ethanol’s tariffs. However, he observed, there are some obstacles to be removed towards free trade between the two countries.