,,ii #aaeth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 #bgij ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,april #bf1 #bjah ,mrs4 ,shaheen 7for herself and ,ms4 ,collins7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,agriculture1 ,nutrition1 and ,forestry ,a ,,bill ,to amend the ,farm ,security and ,rural ,investment ,act of #bjjb1 to require the ,secretary of ,agriculture to establish a community wood energy and wood innovation program1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,community ,wood ,energy ,innovation ,act of #bjah4 #b4 ,community wood energy and wood innovation program ,section #ijac of the ,farm ,security and ,rural ,investment ,act of #bjjb 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #haac7 is amended to read as follows3 #ijac4 ,community wood energy and wood innovation program 7a7 ,definitions ,in this section3 7#a7 ,community wood energy system 7,a7 ,in general ,the term community wood energy system means an energy system that-- 7i7 produces useful-- 7,i7 thermal energy2 or 7,,ii7 combined thermal energy and electricity1 where thermal energy is the primary energy produced2 7ii7 services-- 7,i7 public facilities owned or operated by ,state or local governments1 including schools1 town halls1 libraries1 and other public buildings2 or 7,,ii7 private or nonprofit facilities1 including commercial and business facilities1 such as hospitals1 office buildings1 apartment buildings1 and manufacturing and industrial buildings2 and 7iii7 uses woody biomass1 including residuals from wood processing facilities1 as the primary fuel4 7,b7 ,inclusions ,the term community wood energy system includes-- 7i7 single facility central heating systems2 7ii7 district heating systems serving multiple buildings2 7iii7 combined heat and electric systems1 where thermal energy is the primary energy produced2 and 7iv7 other related biomass energy systems1 as determined by the ,secretary4 7#b7 ,eligible entity ,the term eligible entity means-- 7,a7 a ,state2 7,b7 a local government2 7,c7 a nonprofit entity2 or 7,d7 a private commercial entity4 7#c7 ,eligible project ,the term eligible project means a project described in subsection 7b77#b74 7#d7 ,innovative wood product facility ,the term innovative wood product facility means a manufacturing or processing plant or mill that produces-- 7,a7 building components or systems that use large panelized wood construction1 including mass timber2 7,b7 wood products derived from nanotechnology or other new technology processes1 as determined by the ,secretary2 or 7,c7 other innovative wood products that use wood that is low-value and low-quality1 as determined by the ,secretary 7referred to in this section as low-value1 low-quality wood74 7#e7 ,mass timber ,the term mass timber includes-- 7,a7 cross-laminated timber2 7,b7 nail laminated timber2 7,c7 glue laminated timber2 7,d7 laminated strand lumber2 and 7,e7 laminated veneer lumber4 7#f7 ,secretary ,the term ,secretary means the ,secretary1 acting through the ,chief of the ,forest ,service4 7b7 ,grant program 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary shall establish a program1 to be known as the ,community ,wood ,energy and ,wood ,innovation ,program1 to provide to eligible entities grants to carry out eligible projects described in paragraph 7#b74 7#b7 ,eligible projects 7,a7 ,in general ,an eligible entity that receives a grant under paragraph 7#a7 shall use the grant to install a community wood energy system or to build an innovative wood product facility in an area in which the market for low-value1 low-quality wood used by the community wood energy system or innovative wood product facility has declined4 7,b7 ,limitation ,an eligible entity that receives a grant under paragraph 7#a7 may only use the grant to install a community wood energy system that does not exceed a nameplate capacity of #aj megawatts of thermal energy or combined thermal and electric energy4 7#c7 ,selection of grant recipients 7,a7 ,applications ,an eligible entity desiring a grant under paragraph 7#a7 shall submit to the ,secretary an application at such time1 in such manner1 and containing such information as the ,secretary may require1 including a detailed plan that describes the engineering and design work to be carried out for the proposed eligible project4 7,b7 ,selection ,the ,secretary shall award grants under paragraph 7#a7 on a competitive basis1 taking into account-- 7i7 the energy efficiency of the proposed eligible project2 7ii7 the cost effectiveness of the proposed eligible project2 7iii7 whether the proposed eligible project represents best-in-class commercially available technology2 7iv7 whether the applicant has demonstrated a high likelihood of the eligible project succeeding1 as demonstrated in the plan required as part of the application under subparagraph 7,a72 and 7v7 other technical1 economic1 conservation1 and environmental criteria that the ,secretary considers appropriate4 7,c7 ,prioritization ,in selecting eligible entities for grants under subparagraph 7,b71 the ,secretary shall give priority to applicants proposing eligible projects that-- 7i7 are located in areas in which markets are needed for the low-value1 low-quality wood2 7ii7 are located in areas with limited access to natural gas pipelines2 7iii7 include the use or retrofitting of existing sawmill facilities located in counties in which the average annual unemployment rate exceeded the national average unemployment rate by greater than #a percent in the previous calendar year2 or 7iv7 are located in areas in which markets will aid with forest restoration4 7c7 ,funding requirements 7#a7 ,cap on capital costs 7,a7 ,in general ,except as provided in subparagraph 7,b71 the total installed capital cost of an eligible project that receives a grant under subsection 7b77#a7 shall not exceed #a1jjj1jjj4 7,b7 ,exception ,the ,secretary may award a grant to an eligible entity for an eligible project the total installed capital cost of which exceeds the cap described in subparagraph 7,a7 but does not exceed #a1ejj1jjj if1 as determined by the ,secretary1 special circumstances warrant such a grant1 such as the eligible project being carried out at a school or hospital located in a low-income community4 7#b7 ,cost-sharing requirements 7,a7 ,federal share 7i7 ,in general ,except as provided in clause 7ii71 the ,federal share of the installed capital cost of an eligible project carried out by an eligible entity that receives a grant under subsection 7b77#a7 shall be not greater than #ce percent4 7ii7 ,exception ,the ,federal share of the installed capital cost of an eligible project carried out by an eligible entity that receives a grant under subsection 7b77#a7 may be not greater than #ej percent if the ,secretary determines that special circumstances warrant such a ,federal share1 such as the eligible project being carried out at a school or hospital located in a low-income community4 7,b7 ,non-,federal share ,the non-,federal share of the installed capital cost of an eligible project carried out by an eligible entity that receives a grant under subsection 7b77#a7 shall be not less than the ,federal share provided under clause 7i7 or 7ii7 of subparagraph 7,a71 as applicable4 7d7 ,report to ,congress ,not later than ,december #ca1 #bjai1 and not less frequently than once every #b years thereafter1 the ,secretary shall submit to the ,committee on ,energy and ,natural ,resources of the ,senate1 the ,committee on ,agriculture1 ,nutrition1 and ,forestry of the ,senate1 the ,committee on ,natural ,resources of the ,house of ,representatives1 and the ,committee on ,agriculture of the ,house of ,representatives a report that-- 7#a7 analyzes the impact of the ,community ,wood ,energy and ,wood ,innovation ,program on supporting market investments in low-value1 low-quality wood2 and 7#b7 identifies specific opportunities and measures necessary to enhance support for low-value1 low-quality wood4 7e7 ,authorization of appropriations 7#a7 ,in general ,there is authorized to be appropriated to the ,secretary to carry out this section #be1jjj1jjj for each of fiscal years #bjai through #bjbc1 to remain available until expended4 7#b7 ,limitation ,the ,secretary may use not greater than #be percent of amounts made available under paragraph 7#a7 to make grants to eligible entities to build innovative wood product facilities1 unless the ,secretary has received no other appropriate applications for grants to install community wood energy systems4 4