7 U.S.C. § 8113
Section 8113 · Community wood energy program
Current version, with additions and removals from the June 18, 2008 version.
In this section:
In this section:
The term “community wood energy plan” means an assessment of—
(A) available feedstocks necessary to supply a community wood energy system; and
(B) the long-term feasibility of supplying and operating a community wood energy system.
(2) Community wood energy system
(A) In general
(A) In general
The term “community wood energy system” means an energy system that—
The term "community wood energy system" means an energy system that—
(i) produces thermal energy or combined thermal energy and electricity where thermal is the primary energy output;
(ii) uses woody biomass as the primary fuel.
(iii) uses woody biomass, including residuals—
(I) that have not been adulterated with glue or other chemical treatments from wood processing facilities, as the primary fuel; and
(II) for which the use of that biomass for energy production does not cause conversion of forests to nonforest use.
(B) Inclusions
(B) Inclusions
(2) Innovative wood product facility
The term "innovative wood product facility" means a manufacturing or processing plant or mill that produces—
(A) building components or systems that use large panelized wood construction, including mass timber;
(B) wood products derived from nanotechnology or other new technology processes, as determined by the Secretary; or
(C) other innovative wood products that use low-value, low-quality wood, as determined by the Secretary.
(3) Mass timber
The term "mass timber" includes—
(A) cross-laminated timber;
(B) nail-laminated timber;
(C) glue-laminated timber;
(D) laminated strand lumber; and
(E) laminated veneer lumber.
(4) Program
The term "Program" means the Community Wood Energy and Wood Innovation Program established under subsection (b).
(1) In general
(A) grants of up to $50,000 to State and local governments (or designees) to develop community wood energy plans; and
(B) competitive grants to State and local governments to acquire or upgrade community wood energy systems.
(2) Considerations
(1) In general
Under the Program, the Secretary shall make grants to cover not more than 35 percent of the capital cost for installing a community wood energy system or building an innovative wood product facility.
(2) Special circumstances
The Secretary may establish special circumstances, such as in the case of a community wood energy system project or innovative wood product facility project involving a school or hospital in a low-income community, under which grants under the Program may cover up to 50 percent of the capital cost.
(3) Source of matching funds
Matching funds required pursuant to this subsection from a grant recipient shall be derived from non-Federal funds.
The total amount of grants under the Program for a community wood energy system project or innovative wood product facility project may not exceed—
(1) in the case of grants under the general authority provided under subsection (c)(1), $1,000,000; and
(2) in the case of grants for which the special circumstances apply under subsection (c)(2), $1,500,000.
(B) the cost effectiveness of the proposed system; and
(2) The cost effectiveness of the proposed community wood energy system or innovative wood product facility.
(3) The extent to which the proposed community wood energy system or innovative wood product facility represents the best available commercial technology.
(4) The extent to which the proposed community wood energy system uses the most stringent control technology that has been required or achieved in practice for a wood-fired boiler of similar size and type.
(5)(A) The extent to which the proposed community wood energy system will displace conventional fossil fuel generation.
(B) Whether the proposed community wood energy system minimizes emission increases to the greatest extent possible.
(6) The extent to which the proposed community wood energy system will increase delivered thermal efficiency of the systems replaced.
(7) The extent to which the applicant has demonstrated a high likelihood of project success by completing detailed engineering and design work in advance of the grant application.
(3) Use of plan
A State or local government applying to receive a competitive grant described in paragraph (1)(B) shall submit to the Secretary as part of the grant application the applicable community wood energy plan.
In selecting applicants for grants under the Program, the Secretary shall give priority to proposals that use the most stringent control technology that has been required or achieved in practice for a wood-fired boiler and—
(1) would be carried out in a location where markets are needed for the low-value, low-quality wood;
(2) would be carried out in a location with limited access to natural gas pipelines;
(3) would include the use or retrofitting (or both) of existing sawmill facilities located in a location where the average annual unemployment rate exceeded the national average unemployment rate by more than 1 percent during the previous calendar year; or
(4) would be carried out in a location where the project will aid with forest restoration.
(1) Capacity of community wood energy systems
(1) 50,000,000 Btu per hour for heating; and
(2) 2 megawatts for electric power production.
A State or local government that receives a grant under subsection (b) shall contribute an amount of non-Federal funds towards the development of the community wood energy plan, or acquisition of the community wood energy systems that is at least equal to the amount of grant funds received by the State or local government under that subsection.
(2) Funding for innovative wood product facilities
Not more than 25 percent of funds provided as grants under the Program for a fiscal year may go to applicants proposing innovative wood product facilities, unless the Secretary has received an insufficient number of qualified proposals for community wood energy systems.