H. R. 2646—348
(3) a land-grant college or university (as defined in section
1404 of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and
Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3103)) or other institution
of higher education (as defined in section 101 of the Higher
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001));
(4) a rural electric cooperative or utility;
(5) a nonprofit organization; and
(6) any other entity, as determined by the Secretary.
(c) MERIT REVIEW.—
(1) MERIT REVIEW PROCESS.—The Secretary shall establish
a merit review process to review applications for grants under
subsection (a) that uses the expertise of other Federal agencies,
industry, and nongovernmental organizations.
(2) SELECTION
CRITERIA.—In reviewing applications of
eligible entities to receive grants under subsection (a), the
Secretary shall consider—
(A) the ability and expertise of the eligible entity in
providing professional energy audits and renewable energy
assessments;
(B) the geographic scope of the program proposed by
the eligible entity;
(C) the number of farmers, ranchers, and rural small
businesses to be assisted by the program;
(D) the potential for energy savings and environmental
and public health benefits resulting from the program;
and
(E) the plan of the eligible entity for educating farmers,
ranchers, and rural small businesses on the benefits of
energy efficiency and renewable energy development.
(d) USE OF GRANT FUNDS.—
(1) REQUIRED USES.—A recipient of a grant under sub-
section (a) shall use the grant funds to conduct and promote
energy audits for farmers, ranchers, and rural small businesses
to provide farmers, ranchers, and rural small businesses rec-
ommendations on how to improve energy efficiency and use
renewable energy technology and resources.
(2) PERMITTED USES.—In addition to the uses described
in paragraph (1), a recipient of a grant may use the grant
funds to make farmers, ranchers, and rural small businesses
aware of, and ensure that they have access to—
(A) financial assistance under section 9006; and
(B) other Federal, State, and local financial assistance
programs for which farmers, ranchers, and rural small
businesses may be eligible.
(e) COST SHARING.—A recipient of a grant under subsection
(a) that conducts an energy audit for a farmer, rancher, or rural
small business under subsection (d)(1) shall require that, as a
condition of the energy audit, the farmer, rancher, or rural small
business pay at least 25 percent of the cost of the audit.
(f) USE OF COST-SHARE FUNDS.—Funds collected by a recipient
of a grant under subsection (e) as a result of activities carried
out using the grant funds shall be used to conduct activities author-
ized under this section, as approved by the Secretary.
(g) CONSULTATION.—In carrying out this section, the Secretary
shall consult with the Secretary of Energy.
H. R. 2646—349
(h) REPORTS.—Not later than 4 years after the date of enact-
ment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report
on the implementation of this section.
(i) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There are authorized
to be appropriated such sums as are necessary to carry out this
section for each of fiscal years 2002 through 2007.
SEC. 9006. RENEWABLE ENERGY SYSTEMS AND ENERGY EFFICIENCY
IMPROVEMENTS.
(a) IN GENERAL.—In addition to exercising authority to make
loans and loan guarantees under other law, the Secretary shall
make loans, loan guarantees, and grants to farmers, ranchers,
and rural small businesses to—
(1) purchase renewable energy systems; and
(2) make energy efficiency improvements.
(b) ELIGIBILITY.—To be eligible to receive a grant under sub-
section (a), a farmer, rancher, or rural small business shall dem-
onstrate financial need as determined by the Secretary.
(c) COST SHARING.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—
(A) GRANTS.—The amount of a grant shall not exceed
25 percent of the cost of the activity funded under sub-
section (a).
(B) MAXIMUM
AMOUNT
OF
COMBINED
GRANT
AND
LOAN.—The combined amount of a grant and loan made
or guaranteed shall not exceed 50 percent of the cost of
the activity funded under subsection (a).
(2) FACTORS.—In determining the amount of a grant or
loan, the Secretary shall take into consideration, as applicable—
(A) the type of renewable energy system to be pur-
chased;
(B) the estimated quantity of energy to be generated
by the renewable energy system;
(C) the expected environmental benefits of the renew-
able energy system;
(D) the extent to which the renewable energy system
will be replicable;
(E) the amount of energy savings expected to be derived
from the activity, as demonstrated by an energy audit
comparable to an energy audit under section 9005;
(F) the estimated length of time it would take for
the energy savings generated by the activity to equal the
cost of the activity; and
(G) other factors as appropriate.
(d) INTEREST RATE.—
(1) IN
GENERAL.—A loan made by the Secretary under
subsection (a) shall bear interest at the rate equivalent to
the rate of interest charged on Treasury securities of com-
parable maturity on the date the loan is approved.
(2) DURATION.—The interest rate for each loan will remain
in effect for the term of the loan.
(e) CONSULTATION.—In carrying out this section, the Secretary
shall consult with the Secretary of Energy.
(f) FUNDING.—Of the funds of the Commodity Credit Corpora-
tion, the Secretary shall make available to carry out this section
$23,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2003 through 2007.
H. R. 2646—350
SEC. 9007. HYDROGEN AND FUEL CELL TECHNOLOGIES.
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary and the Secretary of Energy
shall enter into a memorandum of understanding under which
the Secretary and the Secretary of Energy shall cooperate in the
application of hydrogen and fuel cell technology programs for rural
communities and agricultural producers.
(b) DISSEMINATION OF INFORMATION.—Under the memorandum
of understanding, the Secretary shall work with the Secretary of
Energy to disseminate information to rural communities and agri-
cultural producers on potential applications of hydrogen and fuel
cell technologies.
SEC. 9008. BIOMASS RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT.
(a) FUNDING.—The Biomass Research and Development Act
of 2000 (7 U.S.C. 7624 note; Public Law 106–224) is amended—
(1) in section 307, by striking subsection (f);
(2) by redesignating section 310 as section 311; and
(3) by inserting after section 309 the following:
‘‘SEC. 310. FUNDING.
‘‘(a) FUNDING.—Of funds of the Commodity Credit Corporation,
the Secretary shall make available to carry out this title—
‘‘(1) $5,000,000 for fiscal year 2002; and
‘‘(2) $14,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2003 through 2007;
to remain available until expended.
‘‘(b) AUTHORIZATION
OF
APPROPRIATIONS.—In addition to
amounts transferred under subsection (a), there are authorized
to be appropriated to carry out this title $49,000,000 for each
of fiscal years 2002 through 2007.’’.
(b) TERMINATION OF AUTHORITY.—Section 311 of the Biomass
Research and Development Act of 2000 (7 U.S.C. 7624 note; Public
Law 106–224) (as redesignated by subsection (a)) is amended by
striking ‘‘December 31, 2005’’ and inserting ‘‘September 30, 2007’’.
SEC. 9009. COOPERATIVE RESEARCH AND EXTENSION PROJECTS.
Section 221 of the Agricultural Risk Protection Act of 2000
(114 Stat. 407) is amended—
(1) by redesignating subsection (d) as subsection (f); and
(2) by inserting after subsection (c) the following:
‘‘(d) COOPERATIVE RESEARCH.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to the availability of appropria-
tions, the Secretary, in cooperation with departments and agen-
cies participating in the U.S. Global Change Research Program
(which may use any of their statutory authorities) and with
eligible entities, may carry out research to promote under-
standing of—
‘‘(A) the flux of carbon in soils and plants (including
trees); and
‘‘(B) the exchange of other greenhouse gases from agri-
culture.
‘‘(2) ELIGIBLE ENTITIES.—Research under this subsection
may be carried out through the competitive awarding of grants
and cooperative agreements to colleges and universities (as
defined in section 1404 of the National Agricultural Research,
Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 1303)).
‘‘(3) COOPERATIVE
RESEARCH
PURPOSES.—Research con-
ducted under this subsection shall encourage collaboration
among scientists with expertise in the areas of soil science,
H. R. 2646—351
agronomy, agricultural economics, forestry, and other agricul-
tural sciences to focus on—
‘‘(A) developing data addressing carbon losses and
gains in soils and plants (including trees) and the exchange
of methane and nitrous oxide from agriculture;
‘‘(B) understanding how agricultural and forestry prac-
tices affect the sequestration of carbon in soils and plants
(including trees) and the exchange of other greenhouse
gases, including the effects of new technologies such as
biotechnology and nanotechnology;
‘‘(C) developing cost-effective means of measuring and
monitoring changes in carbon pools in soils and plants
(including trees), including computer models;
‘‘(D) evaluating the linkage between federal conserva-
tion programs and carbon sequestration;
‘‘(E) developing methods, including remote sensing, to
measure the exchange of carbon and other greenhouse
gases sequestered, and to evaluate leakage, performance,
and permanence issues; and
‘‘(F) assessing the applicability of the results of
research conducted under this subsection for developing
methods to account for the impact of agricultural activities
(including forestry) on the exchange of greenhouse gases.
‘‘(4) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATION.—There are author-
ized to be appropriated such sums as are necessary to carry
out this subsection for each of fiscal years 2002 through 2007.
‘‘(e) EXTENSION PROJECTS.—
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary, in cooperation with
departments and agencies participating in the U.S. Global
Change Research Program (which may use any of their statu-
tory authorities), and local extension agents, experts from
institutions of higher education that offer a curriculum in agri-
cultural and biological sciences, and other local agricultural
or conservation organizations, may implement extension
projects (including on-farm projects with direct involvement
of agricultural producers) that combine measurement tools and
modeling techniques into integrated packages to monitor the
carbon sequestering benefits of conservation practices and the
exchange of greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture which
demonstrate the feasibility of methods of measuring and
monitoring—
‘‘(A) changes in carbon content and other carbon pools
in soils and plants (including trees); and
‘‘(B) the exchange of other greenhouse gases.
‘‘(2) EXTENSION
PROJECT
RESULTS.—The Secretary may
disseminate to farmers, ranchers, private forest landowners,
and appropriate State agencies in each State information
concerning—
‘‘(A) the results of projects under this subsection; and
‘‘(B) the manner in which the methods used in the
projects might be applicable to the operations of the
farmers, ranchers, private forest landowners, and State
agencies.
‘‘(3) 
AUTHORIZATION
OF
APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
are
authorized to be appropriated such sums as are necessary to
carry out this subsection for each of fiscal years 2002 through
2007.’’.