[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2170 Introduced in House (IH)]

111th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2170

   To direct the Secretary of Agriculture to establish a program to 
provide covered institutions loans for conversion to use of biomass for 
                           energy generation.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 29, 2009

 Mr. Fortenberry introduced the following bill; which was referred to 
                      the Committee on Agriculture

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To direct the Secretary of Agriculture to establish a program to 
provide covered institutions loans for conversion to use of biomass for 
                           energy generation.

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

SECTION 1. LOAN PROGRAM FOR CONVERSION TO BIOMASS ENERGY GENERATION.

    (a) Establishment.--The Secretary of Agriculture shall establish a 
program to provide zero-interest loans to covered institutions for 
capital costs for converting to the use of biomass for energy 
generation.
    (b) Use of Loan Funds.--The Secretary shall ensure that a covered 
institution receiving a loan under the program established under 
subsection (a) will use woody biomass for not less than 75 percent of 
the energy generation resulting from the conversion to the use of 
biomass for such generation.
    (c) Revolving Fund.--
            (1) Establishment.--There is established in the Treasury a 
        revolving fund for the program established under subsection 
        (a).
            (2) Use of amounts in fund.--The Secretary shall use the 
        amounts in the revolving fund established under paragraph (1) 
        to carry out the program established under subsection (a).
            (3) Deposits.--The Secretary shall deposit amounts received 
        as payment on loans provided under the program established 
        under subsection (a) into the revolving fund established under 
        paragraph (1).
            (4) Initial deposit.--Of the funds of the Commodity Credit 
        Corporation, the Secretary shall make available $100,000,000 to 
        the revolving fund established under paragraph (1).
    (d) Definitions.--In this section--
            (1) Covered institution.--The term ``covered institution'' 
        means--
                    (A) an institution of higher education (as defined 
                in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
                U.S.C. 1001));
                    (B) a public or private elementary or secondary 
                school; or
                    (C) a hospital.
            (2) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Agriculture.
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