Sec. 9006. Rural Energy for America Program
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Section 9007 of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 ( 7 U.S.C. 8107 ) is amended— in subsection (b)— in the subsection heading, by striking and inserting Energy audits and renewable energy ; Project in paragraph (1)— by redesignating subparagraphs
(A)and
(B)as clauses
(i)and (ii), respectively, and indenting appropriately; in the matter preceding clause
(i)(as so redesignated), by striking provide assistance and inserting the following: provide— assistance ; in subparagraph (A)(ii) (as so redesignated), by striking the period at the end and inserting ; and ; and by adding at the end the following: technical assistance to agricultural producers and rural small businesses to apply for financial assistance under subsection (c). ; in paragraph (2)— in subparagraph (D), by striking and at the end; by redesignating subparagraph
(E)as subparagraph (F); and by inserting after subparagraph
(D)the following: an agricultural producer cooperative; and ; in paragraph (3)— in subparagraph (A), by striking audits and and inserting audits, relevant technical assistance, and ; by redesignating subparagraphs
(A)through
(F)as clauses
(i)through (vi), respectively, and indenting appropriately; and by striking the paragraph designation and heading and all that follows through In reviewing applications in the matter preceding clause
(i)(as so redesignated) and inserting the following: The Secretary shall use a single application for grants under this subsection for 1 or more of the activities described in paragraph (4). In reviewing applications ; and in paragraph (4)— in subparagraph (B), by redesignating clauses
(i)and
(ii)as subclauses
(I)and (II), respectively, and indenting appropriately; by redesignating subparagraphs
(A)and
(B)as clauses
(i)and (ii), respectively, and indenting appropriately; in the matter preceding clause
(i)(as so redesignated), by striking funds to assist and inserting the following: funds— to assist ; in subparagraph (A)(ii) (as so redesignated)— in subclause
(I)(as so redesignated), by striking and at the end; in subclause
(II)(as so redesignated), by striking the period at the end and inserting ; and ; and by adding at the end the following: to apply for assistance under subsection (c); and ; and by adding at the end the following: to provide training for individuals to perform the activities described in subparagraph (A). ; in subsection (c)— in paragraph (1)(A)(i)(II), by inserting that result in a significant reduction in lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions after improvements ; in paragraph (3)— in subparagraph (A), by striking 25 and inserting 50 ; in subparagraph (B), by striking $25,000,000 and inserting $50,000,000 ; and in subparagraph (D), by striking subsection
(f)and inserting subsection
(g); and by striking paragraph
(4)and inserting the following: For projects carried out using assistance under this subsection, the Secretary shall establish an application, evaluation, and oversight process that is— the most simplified for projects for which the cost of the activity funded under this subsection is less than $50,000; and more comprehensive for projects for which the cost of the activity funded under this subsection is more than $50,000. The Secretary shall use a single application for assistance under this subsection for agricultural producers seeking assistance under clauses
(i)and
(ii)of paragraph (1)(A). ; by redesignating subsections (d), (e), and
(f)as subsections (e), (f), and (g), respectively; by inserting after subsection
(c)the following: The Secretary shall carry out regional demonstration projects that incentivize agricultural producers to reduce their carbon footprint or overall carbon equivalent emissions to the maximum extent practicable through the use of energy efficiency improvements and renewable energy systems. The Secretary shall conduct, and make publicly available on the website of the Department of Agriculture a report describing the results of, a study on the results of the regional demonstration projects carried out under paragraph (1). ; in subsection
(e)(as so redesignated)— by striking conducted at the and inserting the following: conducted— at the ; in paragraph
(1)(as so designated), by striking the period at the end and inserting ; and ; and by adding at the end the following: toward limited resource producers. ; in subsection
(f)(as so redesignated)— in paragraph (1)— by striking 20 and inserting 25 ; and by striking subsection
(f)to provide grants of $20,000 and inserting subsection
(g)to provide grants of $50,000 ; in paragraph (2), by striking subsection
(f)and inserting subsection
(g); and by adding at the end the following: In this paragraph: The term covered rebate means a rebate provided by the Secretary to an eligible entity for the purchase of certain energy efficient equipment described in subsection (c)(1)(A), to be determined by the Secretary, that was made by an eligible entity— as part of a project completed not more than 12 months before the provision of the rebate; and to meet the immediate needs of the eligible entity, which were not anticipated while the application period for assistance under subsection
(c)was open but would otherwise meet the requirements for projects eligible for assistance under that subsection. The term eligible entity means any entity eligible to receive financial assistance under subsection (c). The term pilot project means the pilot project established under subparagraph (B). Using not more than 2 percent of the funds made available to carry out subsection
(c)for each of fiscal years 2025 and 2026, the Secretary shall carry out a pilot project under which the Secretary shall— award covered rebates to eligible entities; and test and evaluate a simplified application process for eligible entities to apply for those covered rebates. Not later than 30 days before the commencement of the pilot project, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate and the Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives a notification containing — the commencement date of the pilot project; a detailed description of the pilot project; a copy of the simplified application to be used under the pilot project; and a list of the equipment for which covered rebates will be provided under the pilot project. Not later than June 30, 2027, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate and the Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives, and make publicly available, a report on the pilot project, which shall include— the total number of each type of equipment for which an application for a covered rebate was submitted, and the total number of each type of equipment for which a covered rebate was provided; and the extent to which applications for covered rebates exceeded the availability of funding, if applicable. The administration of this paragraph shall be— made without regard to chapter 35 of title 44, United States Code; and carried out by the Secretary using the authority provided under section 808 of title 5, United States Code. ; and in subsection
(g)(as so redesignated)— in paragraph (1)— in subparagraph (D), by striking and at the end; in subparagraph (E), by striking fiscal year 2014 and each fiscal year thereafter. and inserting each of fiscal years 2014 through 2024; and ; and by adding at the end the following: $130,000,000 for fiscal year 2025 and each fiscal year thereafter. ; in paragraph (2)(A), by striking paragraph (1), 4 percent and inserting this subsection, 5 percent ; in paragraph (3), by striking 2019 through 2023 and inserting 2025 through 2029 ; and by adding at the end the following: Of the funds made available to carry out this section for a fiscal year, the Secretary may reserve— not more than 10 percent for awarding grants under subsection
(c)that support the adoption of underutilized but proven commercial technologies; not more than 5 percent to carry out subsection (d); and not more than 5 percent for administrative costs. . The amounts made available by section 22002 of Public Law 117–169 (136 Stat. 2019) that are unobligated or unawarded as of the date of enactment of this Act are rescinded.