---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 8815"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "8815"
heading: "Price guarantees"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/8815"
units:
  - "Chapter 96 — Biomass Energy and Alcohol Fuels"
  - "Subchapter I — General Biomass Energy Development"
---

# §8815. Price guarantees

- (a) **Authority of Secretary concerned; minimum sales price—** Subject to sections [8812](/usc/42/8812.md) and [8817](/usc/42/8817.md) of this title, the [Secretary](/usc/42/242q–4.md?p=2) concerned may commit to guarantee, and guarantee, that the price that the [owner](/usc/42/13641.md?p=4) or operator of any [biomass energy](/usc/42/8802.md?p=4) proj­ect will receive for all or part of the production from that [project](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2) shall not be less than a specified sales price determined as of the date of execution of the price guarantee or commitment to guarantee.
- (b) **Cost-plus arrangements as basis—**
  - (1) No price guarantee under this section may be based upon a cost-plus arrangement, or variant thereof, which guarantees a profit to the [owner](/usc/42/13641.md?p=4) or operator involved.
  - (2) The use of a cost-of-service pricing mechanism by a [person](/usc/42/8802.md?p=17) pursuant to law, or by a regulatory body establishing rates for a regulated [person](/usc/42/8802.md?p=17), shall not be deemed to be a cost-plus arrangement, or variant thereof, for purposes of [paragraph (1)](#b-1).
- (c) **Maximum dollar amount of liability of United States—** Each price guarantee, or commitment to guarantee, which is made under this section shall specify the maximum dollar amount of liability of the United States under that guarantee.
- (d) **Renegotiation of sales price and maximum liability—** If the [Secretary](/usc/42/242q–4.md?p=2) determines, in the discretion of the [Secretary](/usc/42/242q–4.md?p=2), that—
  - (1) a [biomass energy project](/usc/42/8802.md?p=5) would not otherwise be satisfactorily completed or continued, and
  - (2) completion or continuation of such [project](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2) would be necessary to achieve the purposes of this chapter,

  the sales price set forth in the price guarantee, and maximum liability under such guarantee, may be renegotiated.


## Source credit

(Pub. L. 96–294, title II, § 215, June 30, 1980, 94 Stat. 692.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### References in Text

This chapter, referred to in subsec. (d)(2), was in the original “this title”, meaning title II of Pub. L. 96–294, June 30, 1980, 94 Stat. 683, known as the Biomass Energy and Alcohol Fuels Act of 1980, which is classified principally to this chapter. For complete classification of title II to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 8801 of this title and Tables.