[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1656 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







110th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1656

 To authorize loans for renewable energy systems and energy efficiency 
     projects under the Express Loan Program of the Small Business 
                            Administration.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             June 19, 2007

 Ms. Snowe (for herself and Mr. Kerry) introduced the following bill; 
 which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Small Business 
                          and Entrepreneurship

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To authorize loans for renewable energy systems and energy efficiency 
     projects under the Express Loan Program of the Small Business 
                            Administration.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. EXPRESS LOANS FOR RENEWABLE ENERGY AND ENERGY EFFICIENCY.

    Section 7(a)(31) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 636(a)(31)) 
is amended by adding at the end the following:
                    ``(F) Express loans for renewable energy and energy 
                efficiency.--
                            ``(i) Definitions.--In this subparagraph--
                                    ``(I) the term `biomass'--
                                            ``(aa) means any organic 
                                        material that is available on a 
                                        renewable or recurring basis, 
                                        including--

                                                    ``(AA) agricultural 
                                                crops;

                                                    ``(BB) trees grown 
                                                for energy production;

                                                    ``(CC) wood waste 
                                                and wood residues;

                                                    ``(DD) plants 
                                                (including aquatic 
                                                plants and grasses);

                                                    ``(EE) residues;

                                                    ``(FF) fibers;

                                                    ``(GG) animal 
                                                wastes and other waste 
                                                materials; and

                                                    ``(HH) fats, oils, 
                                                and greases (including 
                                                recycled fats, oils, 
                                                and greases); and

                                            ``(bb) does not include--

                                                    ``(AA) paper that 
                                                is commonly recycled; 
                                                or

                                                    ``(BB) unsegregated 
                                                solid waste;

                                    ``(II) the term `energy efficiency 
                                project' means the installation or 
                                upgrading of equipment that results in 
                                a significant reduction in energy 
                                usage; and
                                    ``(III) the term `renewable energy 
                                system' means a system of energy 
                                derived from--
                                            ``(aa) a wind, solar, 
                                        biomass (including biodiesel), 
                                        or geothermal source; or
                                            ``(bb) hydrogen derived 
                                        from biomass or water using an 
                                        energy source described in item 
                                        (aa).
                            ``(ii) Loans.--Loans may be made under the 
                        `Express Loan Program' for the purpose of--
                                    ``(I) purchasing a renewable energy 
                                system; or
                                    ``(II) an energy efficiency project 
                                for an existing business.''.
                                 <all>