---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 8817"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "8817"
heading: "General requirements regarding financial assistance"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/8817"
units:
  - "Chapter 96 — Biomass Energy and Alcohol Fuels"
  - "Subchapter I — General Biomass Energy Development"
---

# §8817. General requirements regarding financial assistance

- (a) **Priorities, terms, availability, etc.**
  - (1) Priority for [financial assistance](/usc/42/8802.md?p=11-A) under this subchapter, and the most favorable financial terms available, shall be provided to a [person](/usc/42/8802.md?p=17) for any [biomass energy project](/usc/42/8802.md?p=5) that—
    - (A) uses a primary fuel other than petroleum or natural gas in the production of [biomass fuel](/usc/42/8802.md?p=3), such as geothermal energy resources, solar energy resources, or waste heat; or
    - (B) applies new technologies which expand the possible feedstocks, produces new forms of [biomass energy](/usc/42/8802.md?p=4), or produces [biomass fuel](/usc/42/8802.md?p=3) using improved or new technologies.

    Nothing in this paragraph shall be construed to exclude [financial assistance](/usc/42/8802.md?p=11-A) for any [project](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2) which does not use such a fuel or apply such a technology.

  - (2)
    - (A) [Financial assistance](/usc/42/8802.md?p=11-A) under this subchapter shall be available for a [biomass energy project](/usc/42/8802.md?p=5) only if the [Secretary](/usc/42/242q–4.md?p=2) concerned finds that the [Btu](/usc/42/8802.md?p=6) content of the [motor fuels](/usc/42/8802.md?p=13) to be used in the facility involved to produce the [biomass fuel](/usc/42/8802.md?p=3) will not exceed the [Btu](/usc/42/8802.md?p=6) content of the [biomass fuel](/usc/42/8802.md?p=3) produced in the facility.
    - (B) In making the determination under [subparagraph (A)](#a-2-A), the [Secretary](/usc/42/242q–4.md?p=2) concerned shall take into account any displacement of [motor fuel](/usc/42/8802.md?p=13) or other petroleum products which the applicant has demonstrated to the satisfaction of the [Secretary](/usc/42/242q–4.md?p=2) would result from the use of the [biomass fuel](/usc/42/8802.md?p=3) produced in the facility involved.
  - (3) No [financial assistance](/usc/42/8802.md?p=11-A) may be provided under this subchapter to any [person](/usc/42/8802.md?p=17) for any [biomass energy project](/usc/42/8802.md?p=5) if the [Secretary](/usc/42/242q–4.md?p=2) concerned finds that the process to be used by the [project](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2) will not extract the protein content of the feedstock for utilization as food or feed for readily available markets in any case in which to do so would be technically and economically practicable.
  - (4) [Financial assistance](/usc/42/8802.md?p=11-A) may not be provided under this subchapter to any [person](/usc/42/8802.md?p=17) unless the [Secretary](/usc/42/242q–4.md?p=2) concerned—
    - (A) finds that necessary feedstocks are available and it is reasonable to expect they will continue to be available in the future, and, for [biomass energy projects](/usc/42/8802.md?p=5) using wood or wood wastes or residues from the National Forest System, there shall be taken into account current levels of use by then existing facilities;
    - (B) has obtained assurance that the [person](/usc/42/8802.md?p=17) receiving such [financial assistance](/usc/42/8802.md?p=11-A) will bear a reasonable degree of risk in the [construction](/usc/42/8802.md?p=9-A) and operation of the [project](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2); and
    - (C) has determined that the amount of [financial assistance](/usc/42/8802.md?p=11-A) provided for the [project](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2) is not greater than is necessary to achieve the purposes of this chapter.
  - (5) In providing [financial assistance](/usc/42/8802.md?p=11-A) under this subchapter, the [Secretary](/usc/42/242q–4.md?p=2) concerned shall give due consideration to promoting competition.
  - (6) In determining the amount of [financial assistance](/usc/42/8802.md?p=11-A) for any [biomass energy project](/usc/42/8802.md?p=5) which will yield byproducts in addition to [biomass energy](/usc/42/8802.md?p=4), the [Secretary](/usc/42/242q–4.md?p=2) shall consider the potential value of such byproducts and the costs attributable to their production.
- (b) **Terms, conditions, maturity, etc., for insured loans, and loan guarantees—** An insured loan may not be made, and a loan guarantee may not be issued, under this subchapter unless the [Secretary](/usc/42/242q–4.md?p=2) concerned determines that the terms, conditions, maturity, security, and schedule and amounts of repayments with respect to such loan are reasonable and meet such standards as the [Secretary](/usc/42/242q–4.md?p=2) determines are sufficient to protect the financial interests of the United States.
- (c) **Application requirements—**
  - (1) No [financial assistance](/usc/42/8802.md?p=11-A) may be provided to any [person](/usc/42/8802.md?p=17) under this subchapter unless an application therefor—
    - (A) has been submitted to the [Secretary](/usc/42/242q–4.md?p=2) concerned by that [person](/usc/42/8802.md?p=17) in such form and under such procedures as the [Secretary](/usc/42/242q–4.md?p=2) shall prescribe, consistent with the requirements of this subchapter, and
    - (B) has been approved by the [Secretary](/usc/42/242q–4.md?p=2) in accordance with such procedures.
  - (2) Each such application shall include information regarding the [construction](/usc/42/8802.md?p=9-A) costs of the [biomass energy project](/usc/42/8802.md?p=5) involved, and estimates of operating costs and income relating to that [project](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2) (including the sale of any byproducts from that [project](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2)). In addition, each applicant shall provide—
    - (A) access at reasonable times to such other information, and
    - (B) such assurances,

    as the [Secretary](/usc/42/242q–4.md?p=2) concerned may require.

- (d) **Reports and recordkeeping—**
  - (1) Every recipient of [financial assistance](/usc/42/8802.md?p=11-A) under this subchapter shall, as a condition precedent thereto, consent to such examinations and reports regarding the [biomass energy project](/usc/42/8802.md?p=5) involved as the [Secretary](/usc/42/242q–4.md?p=2) concerned may require.
  - (2) With respect to each [biomass energy project](/usc/42/8802.md?p=5) for which [financial assistance](/usc/42/8802.md?p=11-A) is provided under this subchapter, the [Secretary](/usc/42/242q–4.md?p=2) shall—
    - (A) require from the recipient of [financial assistance](/usc/42/8802.md?p=11-A) such reports and records relating to that [project](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2) as the [Secretary](/usc/42/242q–4.md?p=2) deems necessary;
    - (B) prescribe the manner in which such recipient shall keep such records; and
    - (C) have access to such records at reasonable times for the purpose of ensuring compliance with the terms and conditions upon which [financial assistance](/usc/42/8802.md?p=11-A) is provided.
- (e) **Contracts and instruments of Secretary concerned backed by full faith and credit of United States—** All contracts and instruments of the [Secretary](/usc/42/242q–4.md?p=2) concerned to provide, or providing, for [financial assistance](/usc/42/8802.md?p=11-A) shall be general obligations of the United States backed by its full faith and credit.
- (f) **Contestability of contracts—** Subject to the conditions of any contract for [financial assistance](/usc/42/8802.md?p=11-A), such contract shall be incontestable in the hands of the holder, except as to fraud or material misrepresentation on the part of the holder.
- (g) **Fees for loan guarantees, etc.**
  - (1) A fee or fees may be charged and collected by the [Secretary](/usc/42/242q–4.md?p=2) concerned for any loan guarantee, price guarantee, or purchase agreement provided under this subchapter.
  - (2) The amount of such fee shall be based on the estimated administrative costs and risk of loss, except that such fee may not exceed 1 per centum of the amount of the [financial assistance](/usc/42/8802.md?p=11-A) provided.
- (h) **Deposit of amounts received by Secretary concerned—** All amounts received by the [Secretary](/usc/42/242q–4.md?p=2) of Agriculture or the [Secretary](/usc/42/242q–4.md?p=2) of Energy as fees, interest, repayment of principal, and any other moneys received by either [Secretary](/usc/42/242q–4.md?p=2) from activities under this subchapter shall be deposited in the Treasury of the United States as miscellaneous receipts. The preceding sentence shall not apply to insured loans made under [section 8813 of this title](/usc/42/8813.md).

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 96–294, title II, § 217, June 30, 1980, 94 Stat. 693.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### References in Text

This chapter, referred to in subsec. (a)(4)(C), 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.