§3154. Grants for research on production and marketing of alcohols and industrial hydrocarbons from agricultural commodities and forest products
(a) Authority of Secretary
The Secretary may award grants under this section to colleges, universities, and Federal laboratories for the purpose of conducting research related to-
(1) alcohol fuels, including ethanol and methanol or their ethers;
(2) industrial oilseed crops for diesel fuel and petrochemical substitutes;
(3) other forms of biomass fuels, including gaseous and solid fuels;
(4) other industrial hydrocarbons made from agricultural commodities and forest products; and
(5) the development of the most economical and commercially feasible means of producing, collecting, and transporting agricultural crops, wastes, residues, and byproducts for use as feedstocks for the production of alcohol and other forms of biomass energy and the development of new markets for byproducts.
(b) Set aside of funds for certain grant projects
Of the amounts appropriated in any fiscal year pursuant to the authorization contained in subsection (d) of this section, not less than 50 percent of those amounts shall be made available for grants for research relating to the development of technologies for increasing the energy efficiency and commercial feasibility of alcohol production, including-
(1) processes of cellulose conversion and membrane technology,
(2) research to improve the quality and value of byproducts to increase digestibility and performance of livestock, poultry, and fish, and
(3) development of new markets for byproducts.
(c) Minority groups
The Secretary may set aside a portion of funds appropriated for the award of grants under this section and make such amounts available only for grants to eligible colleges and universities that the Secretary determines have unique capabilities for achieving the objective of full participation of minority groups in research on the production and marketing of alcohols and industrial hydrocarbons from agricultural commodities and forest products.
(d) Authorization of appropriations
There are authorized to be appropriated for the purposes of carrying out this section $20,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 1991 through 1995.
(Pub. L. 95 113, title XIV, §1419, Sept. 29, 1977,
Amendments
1991-Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 102 237 substituted "subsection (d)" for "subsection (c)".
1990-Pub. L. 101 624 amended section generally, substituting present provisions for provisions which authorized grants to conduct research related to production and marketing of coal tar and other coal derivatives, alcohol and other forms of biomass energy, and other industrial hydrocarbons made from agricultural commodities and forest products, authorized appropriations for such activities, and defined terms "biomass", "biomass energy", and "municipal wastes".
1981-Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 97 98 inserted reference to Federal laboratories in two places, extended authorization of appropriations through fiscal years ending September 30, 1985, in first proviso, substituted "$40,000,000 during the eight-year period beginning October 1, 1977, and shall not exceed such sums as may be authorized by law for any fiscal year subsequent to such period" for "$24,000,000 during the five-year period beginning October 1, 1977, and ending September 30, 1982, and not in excess of such sums as may after September 29, 1977, be authorized by law for any subsequent fiscal year", and in second proviso, increased maximum amount awardable from $3,000,000 to $5,000,000.
1980-Pub. L. 96 294 designated existing provisions as subsec. (a), inserted provisions relating to grants to Government corporations for conducting research in production and marketing of agricultural chemicals, etc., and provisions relating to authority to conduct research under paragraph (2) and authorizations of appropriations for grants to conduct such research, substituted "subsection" for "section" wherever appearing, substituted "and other forms of biomass energy as substitutes for petroleum or natural gas" for "made from agricultural commodities and forest products as a substitute for alcohol made from petroleum products", in par. (2), and added subsec. (b).
Effective Date of 1981 Amendment
Amendment by Pub. L. 97 98 effective Dec. 22, 1981, see section 1801 of Pub. L. 97 98, set out as an Effective Date note under section 4301 of this title.
Section Referred to in Other Sections
This section is referred to in section 3311 of this title; title 42 section 8852.