§8802. Definitions

As used in this chapter-

(1) The term "alcohol" means alcohol (including methanol and ethanol) which is produced from biomass and which is suitable for use by itself or in combination with other substances as a fuel or as a substitute for petroleum or petrochemical feedstocks.

(2)(A) The term "biomass" means any organic matter which is available on a renewable basis, including agricultural crops and agricultural wastes and residues, wood and wood wastes and residues, animal wastes, municipal wastes, and aquatic plants.

(B) For purposes of subchapter I, such term does not include municipal wastes; and for purposes of subchapter III, such term does not include aquatic plants and municipal wastes.

(3) The term "biomass fuel" means any gaseous, liquid, or solid fuel produced by conversion of biomass.

(4) The term "biomass energy" means-

(A) biomass fuel; or

(B) energy or steam derived from the direct combustion of biomass for the generation of electricity, mechanical power, or industrial process heat.

(5) The term "biomass energy project" means any facility (or portion of a facility) located in the United States which is primarily for-

(A) the production of biomass fuel (and byproducts); or

(B) the combustion of biomass for the purpose of generating industrial process heat, mechanical power, or electricity (including cogeneration).

(6) The term "Btu" means British thermal unit.

(7) The term "cogeneration" means the combined generation by any facility of-

(A) electrical or mechanical power, and

(B) steam or forms of useful energy (such as heat) which are used for industrial, commercial, heating, or cooling purposes.

(8) The term "cooperative" means any agricultural association, as that term is defined in section 1141j(a) of title 12.

(9)(A) The term "construction" means-

(i) the construction or acquisition of any biomass energy project;

(ii) the conversion of any facility to a biomass energy project; or

(iii) the expansion or improvement of any biomass energy project which increases the capacity or efficiency of that facility to produce biomass energy.

(B) Such term includes-

(i) the acquisition of equipment and machinery for use in or at the site of a biomass energy project; and

(ii) the acquisition of land and improvements thereon for the construction, expansion, or improvement of such a project, or the conversion of a facility to such a project.

(C) Such term does not include the acquisition of any facility which was operated as a biomass energy project before the acquisition.

(10) The term "Federal agency" means any Executive agency, as defined in section 105 of title 5.

(11)(A) The term "financial assistance" means any of the following forms of financial assistance provided under this chapter, or any combination of such forms:

(i) loans,

(ii) loan guarantees,

(iii) price guarantees, and

(iv) purchase agreements.

(B) Such term includes any commitment to provide such assistance.

(12) The term "Indian tribe" means any Indian tribe, band, nation, or other organized group or community, including any Alaska Native village or regional or village corporation as defined in or established pursuant to the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act [43 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.] which is recognized as eligible for the special programs and services provided by the United States to Indians because of their status as Indians.

(13) The term "motor fuel" means gasoline, kerosene, and middle distillates (including diesel fuel).

(14)(A) The term "municipal waste" means any organic matter, including sewage, sewage sludge, and industrial or commercial waste, and mixtures of such matter and inorganic refuse-

(i) from any publicly or privately operated municipal waste collection or similar disposal system, or

(ii) from similar waste flows (other than such flows which constitute agricultural wastes or residues, or wood wastes or residues from wood harvesting activities or production of forest products).

(B) Such term does not include any hazardous waste, as determined by the Secretary of Energy for purposes of this chapter.

(15)(A) The term "municipal waste energy project" means any facility (or portion of a facility) located in the United States primarily for-

(i) the production of biomass fuel (and byproducts) from municipal waste; or

(ii) the combustion of municipal waste for the purpose of generating steam or forms of useful energy, including industrial process heat, mechanical power, or electricity (including cogeneration).

(B) Such term includes any necessary transportation, preparation, and disposal equipment and machinery for use in or at the site of the facility involved.

(16) The term "Office of Alcohol Fuels" means the Office of Alcohol Fuels established under section 8820 of this title.

(17) The term "person" means any individual, company, cooperative, partnership, corporation, association, consortium, unincorporated organization, trust, estate, or any entity organized for a common business purpose, any State or local government (including any special purpose district or similar governmental unit) or any agency or instrumentality thereof, or any Indian tribe or tribal organization.

(18) The term "State" means any of the fifty States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands of the United States, Guam, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands.

(19) The term "small scale biomass energy project" means a biomass energy project with an anticipated annual production capacity of not more than 1,000,000 gallons of ethanol per year, or its energy equivalent of other forms of biomass energy.

( Pub. L. 96–294, title II, §203, June 30, 1980, 94 Stat. 683 .)

Editorial Notes

References in Text

This chapter, referred to in introductory provisions and pars. (11)(A) and (14)(B), was in the original "this title", meaning title II of Pub. L. 96–294, June 30, 1980, 94 Stat. 683 , known as the Biomass Energy and Alcohol Fuels Act of 1980, which is classified principally to this chapter. For complete classification of title II to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 8801 of this title and Tables.

Subchapter III, referred to in par. (2)(B), was in the original "subtitle C", meaning subtitle C (§§251–262) of title II of Pub. L. 96–294, June 30, 1980, 94 Stat. 705 , which enacted subchapter III of this chapter and sections 1435 and 3129 of Title 7, Agriculture, and amended sections 341, 342, 3104, and 3154 of Title 7 and sections 590h and 1642 of Title 16, Conservation. For complete classification of subtitle C to the Code, see Tables.

The Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, referred to in par. (12), is Pub. L. 92–203, Dec. 18, 1971, 85 Stat. 688 , which is classified generally to chapter 33 (§1601 et seq.) of Title 43, Public Lands. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 1601 of Title 43 and Tables.

Executive Documents

Termination of Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands

For termination of Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, see note set out preceding section 1681 of Title 48, Territories and Insular Possessions.