[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6342 Introduced in House (IH)]

111th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 6342

 To establish pilot projects for agriculture renewable energy systems.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 29, 2010

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

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To establish pilot projects for agriculture renewable energy systems.

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

SECTION 1. PILOT PROJECTS FOR AGRICULTURE RENEWABLE ENERGY SYSTEMS.

    (a) Establishment.--The Secretary shall establish, under such terms 
and conditions as the Secretary determines appropriate, pilot projects 
for renewable energy systems to provide financial and technical 
assistance through existing agriculture programs to eligible entities 
to implement renewable energy systems in participating States.
    (b) Establishment Criteria.--In establishing pilot projects under 
this section, the Secretary shall--
            (1) ensure, to the maximum extent practicable, that such 
        projects--
                    (A) are located in geographically diverse regions 
                of the United States;
                    (B) consist of a diverse group of herd sizes and 
                technologies; and
                    (C) are located in States that have established net 
                metering programs; and
            (2) take into consideration any other criteria that the 
        Secretary determines to be appropriate.
    (c) Financial Assistance.--
            (1) In general.--Financial assistance provided under this 
        section shall consist of cost-shares, grants, loans, or loan 
        guarantees, or any combination thereof.
            (2) Operation.--In providing financial assistance to carry 
        out this section, the Secretary shall rely on the authorities 
        granted to the Secretary under--
                    (A) the Environmental Quality Incentives Program;
                    (B) the Rural Energy for America Program;
                    (C) the Biomass Crop Assistance Program;
                    (D) the Rural Utilities Service; or
                    (E) any other program that the Secretary determines 
                to be appropriate to carry out the purposes this 
                section.
    (d) Consultation.--In carrying out this section, the Secretary 
shall consult with State and Federal agencies, and any other entity 
that the Secretary determines has relevant experience.
    (e) Report.--Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment 
of this section, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on 
Agriculture of the House of Representatives and the Committee on 
Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate a report describing 
the implementation of the program authorized under this section.
    (f) Study.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary shall conduct a study to 
        evaluate rural electrification issues. Such study shall 
        include--
                    (A) an analysis of rural infrastructure; and
                    (B) rural electric transmission and generation.
            (2) Report.--As soon as practicable after conducting the 
        study under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall submit to 
        Congress a report containing the results of the study.
    (g) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Eligible entity.--The term ``eligible entity'' means a 
        producer or group of producers implementing a renewable energy 
        system on a farm.
            (2) Eligible electric utility.--The term ``eligible 
        electric utility'' means--
                    (A) any public or cooperative electric utility that 
                is eligible to borrow from the Rural Utility Service 
                electrification programs authorized under the Rural 
                Electrification Act of 1936 (7 U.S.C. 901 et seq.) that 
                serves a rural area defined by that Act;
                    (B) any current borrower from the Rural Utilities 
                Service electrification program authorized under that 
                Act; or
                    (C) any entity primarily owned or controlled by an 
                entity described in subparagraph (A) or (B).
            (3) Net metering.--The term ``net metering'' means 
        measuring the difference between electricity supplied by an 
        electric utility and the electricity generated by a net 
        metering customer and fed back to the electric utility over the 
        applicable billing period.
            (4) Renewable energy systems.--The term ``renewable energy 
        systems'' means a system where renewable energy is derived from 
        animal waste and used for improving energy conservation on a 
        farm.
            (5) Participating state.--The term ``participating state'' 
        means a State that has established a net metering program.
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