§ 13555. Consultative Commission on Western Hemisphere Energy and Environment
(a)
Findings
The Congress finds that—
(2)
energy and environmental issues are intrinsically linked and must be considered together when formulating policy on the broader issue of sustainable economic development for the Western Hemisphere as a whole;
(3)
when developing their respective energy infrastructures, countries in the Western Hemisphere must consider existing and emerging environmental constraints, and do so in a way that results in sustainable long-term economic growth;
(4)
the coordination of respective national energy and environmental policies of the governments of the Western Hemisphere could be substantially improved through regular consultation among these countries;
(5)
the development, production and consumption of energy can affect environmental quality, and the environmental consequences of energy-related activities are not confined within national boundaries, but are regional and global in scope;
(b)
“Commission” defined
For purposes of this section, the term “Commission” means the Consultative Commission on Western Hemisphere Energy and Environment.
(c)
Negotiations
The President is authorized to direct the United States representative to the Organization of American States to initiate negotiations with the Organization of American States for the establishment of a Consultative Commission on Western Hemisphere Energy and Environment under the auspices of the Organization of American States.
(d)
The Commission
In the course of the negotiations, the following shall be pursued:
(1)
Objectives
The objectives of the Commission shall be—
(A)
to evaluate from the viewpoint of the Western Hemisphere as a whole the energy and environmental situations, trends, and policies of the countries of the participating governments necessary to support sustainable economic development;
(B)
to recommend to the participating governments actions, policies, and institutional arrangements that will enhance cooperation and policy coordination among their respective countries in the future development and use of indigenous energy resources and technologies, and in the future development and implementation of measures to protect the environment of the Western Hemisphere; and
(2)
Composition of Commission
The Commission shall include representatives of—
(A)
the respective foreign energy and environmental ministries or departments of the participating governments;
(e)
Report
The President shall, within one year after October 24, 1992, report to the Committee on Energy and Commerce and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives, and to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources and the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate, on the progress toward the establishment of the Commission and achievement of the purposes of this section.