7 U.S.C. § 8101 | Definitions

Except as otherwise provided, in this chapter:

(1)

Administrator

The term “Administrator” means the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.

(2)

Advisory Committee

section 8108(d)(1) of this titleThe term “Advisory Committee” means the Biomass Research and Development Technical Advisory Committee established by .

(3)

Advanced biofuel

(A)

In general

The term “advanced biofuel” means fuel derived from renewable biomass other than corn kernel starch.

(B)

Inclusions

Subject to subparagraph (A), the term “advanced biofuel” includes—

(i)

biofuel derived from cellulose, hemicellulose, or lignin;

(ii)

biofuel derived from sugar and starch (other than ethanol derived from corn kernel starch);

(iii)

biofuel derived from waste material, including crop residue, other vegetative waste material, animal waste, food waste, and yard waste;

(iv)

diesel-equivalent fuel derived from renewable biomass, including vegetable oil and animal fat;

(v)

biogas (including landfill gas and sewage waste treatment gas) produced through the conversion of organic matter from renewable biomass;

(vi)

butanol or other alcohols produced through the conversion of organic matter from renewable biomass; and

(vii)

other fuel derived from cellulosic biomass.

(4)

Biobased product

The term “biobased product” means a product determined by the Secretary to be a commercial or industrial product (other than food or feed) that is—

(A)

composed, in whole or in significant part, of biological products, including renewable domestic agricultural materials, renewable chemicals, and forestry materials; or

(B)

an intermediate ingredient or feedstock.

(5)

Biofuel

The term “biofuel” means a fuel derived from renewable biomass.

(6)

Biomass conversion facility

The term “biomass conversion facility” means a facility that converts or proposes to convert renewable biomass into—

(A)

heat;

(B)

power;

(C)

biobased products; or

(D)

advanced biofuels.

(7)

Biorefinery

The term “biorefinery” means a facility (including equipment and processes) that—

(A)

converts renewable biomass or an intermediate ingredient or feedstock of renewable biomass into any 1 or more, or a combination, of—

(i)

biofuels;

(ii)

renewable chemicals; or

(iii)

biobased products; and

(B)

may produce electricity.

(8)

Board

section 8108(c) of this titleThe term “Board” means the Biomass Research and Development Board established by .

(9)

Forest product

(A)

In general

The term “forest product” means a product made from materials derived from the practice of forestry or the management of growing timber.

(B)

Inclusions

The term “forest product” includes—

(i)

pulp, paper, paperboard, pellets, lumber, and other wood products; and

(ii)

any recycled products derived from forest materials.

(10)

Indian tribe

section 5304 of title 25The term “Indian tribe” has the meaning given the term in .

(11)

Institution of higher education

section 1002(a) of title 20The term “institution of higher education” has the meaning given the term in .

(12)

Intermediate ingredient or feedstock

The term “intermediate ingredient or feedstock” means a material or compound made in whole or in significant part from biological products, including renewable agricultural materials (including plant, animal, and marine materials) or forestry materials, that are subsequently used to make a more complex compound or product.

(13)

Renewable biomass

The term “renewable biomass” means—

(A)

section 1702 of title 43 materials, pre-commercial thinnings, or invasive species from National Forest System land and public lands (as defined in ) that—

(i)

are byproducts of preventive treatments that are removed—

(I)

to reduce hazardous fuels;

(II)

to reduce or contain disease or insect infestation; or

(III)

to restore ecosystem health;

(ii)

would not otherwise be used for higher-value products; and

(iii)

are harvested in accordance with—

(I)

applicable law and land management plans; and

(II)

the requirements for—

(aa)

section 6512 of title 16 old-growth maintenance, restoration, and management direction of paragraphs (2), (3), and (4) of subsection (e) of ; and

(bb)

large-tree retention of subsection (f) of that section; or

(B)

any organic matter that is available on a renewable or recurring basis from non-Federal land or land belonging to an Indian or Indian tribe that is held in trust by the United States or subject to a restriction against alienation imposed by the United States, including—

(i)

renewable plant material, including—

(I)

feed grains;

(II)

other agricultural commodities;

(III)

other plants and trees; and

(IV)

algae; and

(ii)

waste material, including—

(I)

crop residue;

(II)

other vegetative waste material (including wood waste and wood residues);

(III)

animal waste and byproducts (including fats, oils, greases, and manure); and

(IV)

food waste and yard waste.

(14)

Renewable chemical

The term “renewable chemical” means a monomer, polymer, plastic, formulated product, or chemical substance produced from renewable biomass.

(15)

Renewable energy

The term “renewable energy” means energy derived from—

(A)

a wind, solar, renewable biomass, ocean (including tidal, wave, current, and thermal), geothermal, or hydroelectric source; or

(B)

hydrogen derived from renewable biomass or water using an energy source described in subparagraph (A).

(16)

Renewable energy system

(A)

In general

Subject to subparagraph (C), the term “renewable energy system” means a system that produces usable energy from a renewable energy source.

(B)

Inclusions

The term “renewable energy system” includes—

(i)

distribution components necessary to move energy produced by a system described in subparagraph (A) to the initial point of sale; and

(ii)

other components and ancillary infrastructure of a system described in subparagraph (A), such as a storage system.

(C)

Limitation

A system described in subparagraph (A) may not include a mechanism for dispensing energy at retail.

(17)

Secretary

The term “Secretary” means the Secretary of Agriculture.

Pub. L. 107–171, title IX, § 9001 Pub. L. 110–234, title IX, § 9001(a)May 22, 2008122 Stat. 1303 Pub. L. 110–246, § 4(a)June 18, 2008122 Stat. 1664 Pub. L. 113–79, title IX, § 9001Feb. 7, 2014128 Stat. 926 Pub. L. 115–334, title IX, § 9001Dec. 20, 2018132 Stat. 4883(, as added , , , and , title IX, § 9001(a), , , 2064; amended , , ; , , .)

Editorial Notes

Codification

Pub. L. 110–234 Pub. L. 110–246 Pub. L. 110–234 section 4(a) of Pub. L. 110–246 and enacted identical sections. was repealed by .

Prior Provisions

Pub. L. 107–171, title IX, § 9001May 13, 2002116 Stat. 475 Pub. L. 109–58, title IX, § 943(a)(1)Aug. 8, 2005119 Stat. 880 Pub. L. 110–246A prior section 8101, , , ; , , , contained definitions for this chapter, prior to the general amendment of this chapter by .

Amendments

Pub. L. 115–334, § 9001(1)2018—Par. (4)(A). , substituted “agricultural materials, renewable chemicals,” for “agricultural materials”.

Pub. L. 115–334, § 9001(2)Par. (7)(A). , substituted “or an intermediate ingredient or feedstock of renewable biomass into any 1 or more, or a combination, of—” and cls. (i) to (iii) for “into biofuels and biobased products; and”.

Pub. L. 115–334, § 9001(3)(A)Par. (16)(A). , substituted “subparagraph (C), the term ‘renewable energy system’ means a system that produces usable energy from a renewable energy source.” for “subparagraph (B), the term ‘renewable energy system’ means a system that—

“(i) produces usable energy from a renewable energy source; and

“(ii) may include distribution components necessary to move energy produced by such system to the initial point of sale.”

Pub. L. 115–334, § 9001(3)(B)Par. (16)(B), (C). , (C), added subpar. (B) and redesignated former subpar. (B) as (C).

Pub. L. 113–79, § 9001(2)2014—Par. (9). , added par. (9). Former par. (9) redesignated (10).

Pub. L. 113–79, § 9001(1)Par. (10) to (13). , redesignated pars. (9) to (12) as (10) to (13), respectively. Former par. (13) redesignated (15).

Pub. L. 113–79, § 9001(3)Par. (14). , added par. (14)

Pub. L. 113–79, § 9001(1)Par. (15). , redesignated par. (13) as (15).

Pub. L. 113–79, § 9001(4)Par. (16). , added par. (16).

Pub. L. 113–79, § 9001(1)Par. (17). , redesignated par. (14) as (17).

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

Pub. L. 110–234 Pub. L. 110–246May 22, 2008Pub. L. 110–234 section 4 of Pub. L. 110–246 section 8701 of this titleEnactment of this section and repeal of by effective , the date of enactment of , see , set out as a note under .

Short Title of 2004 Amendment

Pub. L. 108–199, div. A, title VII, § 778(a)Jan. 23, 2004118 Stat. 41

section 8109 of this title“This section [enacting ] may be cited as the ‘Sun Grant Research Initiative Act of 2003’.”

, , , provided that:

Biomass Research and Development

Pub. L. 106–224, title IIIJune 20, 2000114 Stat. 428 Pub. L. 107–171, title IX, § 9008May 13, 2002116 Stat. 483 Pub. L. 108–148, title II, § 201Dec. 3, 2003117 Stat. 1901 Pub. L. 109–58, title IX, § 941Aug. 8, 2005119 Stat. 873 Pub. L. 109–58 Pub. L. 106–224 Pub. L. 106–224 Pub. L. 110–246, title IX, § 9001(b)June 18, 2008122 Stat. 2095, , ; as amended by , , ; , , ; , , , known as the Biomass Research and Development Act of 2000, and formerly set out as a note under this section, provided temporary authority for the Secretaries of Agriculture and Energy to promote biomass research and development. As amended by , the program became permanent, and title III of was transferred to chapter 112 (§ 8601 et seq.) of this title. Subsequently, title III of was repealed by , , .

Executive Documents

Biofuels And Rural Economic Development

May 5, 2009Memorandum of President of the United States, , 74 F.R. 21531, provided:

Memorandum for the Secretary of Agriculture, the Secretary of Energy, [and] the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency

In the Nation’s ongoing efforts to achieve energy independence, biomass and biofuels promise to play a key role by providing the Nation with homegrown sustainable energy options and energizing our economy with new industries and jobs. While producing clean renewable fuels locally is a powerful engine of economic growth, they must be developed and used in a way that limits environmental impact. Today, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is issuing a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, as required by the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, to set new national renewable fuel standards and implement those standards. The public will have an opportunity to provide input on this proposal through a 60-day comment period, and the EPA is conducting peer reviews on key aspects of the environmental impact assessments within the proposal.

In order to shepherd our Nation’s development of this important industry and to coordinate interagency policy, I hereby establish a Biofuels Interagency Working Group (Working Group), to be co-chaired by the Secretaries of Agriculture and Energy and the Administrator of the EPA. This Working Group will coordinate with the National Science and Technology Council’s Biomass Research and Development Board in undertaking its work. The responsibilities of the Working Group shall include:

(a) Developing the Nation’s first comprehensive biofuel market development program, which shall use existing authorities and identify new policies to support the development of next-generation biofuels, increase flexible fuel vehicle use, and assist in retail marketing efforts;

(b) Coordinating infrastructure policies affecting the supply, secure transport, and distribution of biofuels; and

(c) Identifying new policy options to promote the environmental sustainability of biofuels feedstock production, taking into consideration land use, habitat conservation, crop management practices, water efficiency and water quality, as well as lifecycle assessments of greenhouse gas emissions.

Alongside the Working Group’s efforts, the Secretary of Agriculture may pursue other important biofuel development efforts. The Rural Development Act of 1972 and the Rural Development Policy Act of 1980 direct the Secretary of Agriculture to develop, in coordination with State and local governments, a nationwide rural development program to assure rural America’s health and prosperity. In keeping with that mandate, and recognizing the key role rural America will play in the development of biofuel technology and development, I request that the Secretary of Agriculture take the following steps, to the extent permitted by law:

(a) Immediately begin restructuring existing investments in renewable fuels as needed to preserve industry employment; and

(b) Develop a comprehensive approach to accelerating the investment in and production of American biofuels and reducing our dependence on fossil fuels by providing, within 30 days, under the authorities made available in the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008:

(i) Loan guarantees for the development, construction, and retrofitting of commercial-scale biorefineries and grants to help pay for the development and construction costs of demonstration-scale biorefineries;

(ii) Expedited funding to encourage biorefineries to replace the use of fossil fuels in plant operations by installing new biomass energy systems or producing new energy from renewable biomass;

(iii) Expedited funding to biofuels producers to encourage production of next-generation biofuels from cellulosic biomass and other feedstocks;

(iv) Expansion of the Renewable Energy Systems and Energy Efficiency Improvements Program, which has been renamed the Rural Energy for America Program, to include hydroelectric source technologies, energy audits, and higher loan guarantee limits; and

(v) Guidance and support for collection, harvest, storage, and transportation assistance for eligible materials for use in biomass conversion facilities.

This memorandum is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.

The Secretary of Agriculture is hereby authorized and directed to publish this memorandum in the Federal Register.

Barack Obama.