§ 8837. Commercialization demonstration program pursuant to Federal nonnuclear energy research and development
(a)
Establishment and conduct pursuant to other Federal statutory authorities; required undertakings subsequent to consultations
(1)
The Secretary of Energy shall establish and conduct, pursuant to the authorities contained in the Federal Nonnuclear Energy Research and Development Act of 1974 [42 U.S.C. 5901 et seq.], an accelerated research, development, and demonstration program for promoting the commercial viability of processes for the recovery of energy from municipal wastes.
(2)
The provisions of subsections (d), (m), and (x)(2) of section
19 of such Act [1] shall not apply with respect to the program established under this section.
(3)
As part of the program established under this section, the Secretary, after consulting with the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency and the Secretary of Commerce, shall undertake—
(A)
the research, development, and demonstration of technologies to recover energy from municipal wastes;
(C)
the assessment, evaluation, demonstration, and improvement of the performance of existing municipal waste-to-energy recovery technologies with respect to capital costs, operating and maintenance costs, total project financing, recovery efficiency, and the quality of recovered energy and energy intensive materials;
(b)
Financial assistance
Under such program, the Secretary of Energy may provide financial assistance consisting of price supports, loans, and loan guarantees, for the cost of planning, designing, constructing, operating, and maintaining demonstration facilities, and, in the case of existing facilities, modifications of such facilities solely for demonstration purposes, for the conversion of municipal wastes into energy or the recovery of materials.
(c)
Priority for funding
Priority for funding of activities under subsection (a) of this section and financial assistance under subsection (b) of this section shall be provided for any activity or project for the demonstration of technologies for the production of liquid fuels or biomass energy which substitute for petroleum or natural gas.
(e)
Deposit of moneys received
All amounts received by the Secretary of Energy as fees, interest, repayment of principal, and any other moneys received by the Secretary from operations under this section shall be deposited in the general fund of the Treasury of the United States as miscellaneous receipts.
[1] See References in Text note below.