“ Current biobased product and bioenergy technology has the potential to make renewable farm and forestry resources major sources of affordable electricity, fuel, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and other materials. Technical advances in these areas can create an expanding array of exciting new business and employment opportunities for farmers, foresters, ranchers, and other businesses in rural America. These technologies can create new markets for farm and forest waste products, new economic opportunities for underused land, and new value-added business opportunities. ”

“ They also have the potential to reduce our Nation's dependence on foreign oil, improve air quality, water quality, and flood control, decrease erosion, and help minimize net production of greenhouse gases. It is the policy of this Administration, therefore, to develop a comprehensive national strategy, including research, development, and private sector incentives, to stimulate the creation and early adoption of technologies needed to make biobased products and bioenergy cost-competitive in large national and international markets. ”

“ The chair of each Department's working group shall be a senior official who reports directly to the agency head. If the Secretary of Agriculture or Energy serves on the Interagency Council on Biobased Products and Bioenergy through a designee, the designee should be the chair of the Department's working group. ”