Sec. 22.003. GRANT PROGRAM. (a) The department shall develop and administer an agricultural biomass and landfill diversion incentive program to make grants to farmers, loggers, diverters, and renewable biomass aggregators and bio-coal fuel producers who provide qualified agricultural biomass, forest wood waste, urban wood waste, co-firing biomass, or storm-generated biomass debris to facilities that use biomass to generate electric energy in order to provide an incentive for the construction of facilities for that purpose and to:
(1) promote economic development;
(2) encourage the use of renewable sources in the generation of electric energy;
(3) reduce air pollution caused by burning agricultural biomass, forest wood waste, urban wood waste, co-firing biomass, or storm-generated biomass debris in open fields; and
(4) divert waste from landfills.
(b) Subject to Section 22.005, a farmer, logger, diverter, or renewable biomass aggregator and bio-coal fuel producer is entitled to receive a grant in the amount of $20 for each bone-dry ton of qualified agricultural biomass, forest wood waste, urban wood waste, co-firing biomass, or storm-generated biomass debris provided by the farmer, logger, diverter, or renewable biomass aggregator and bio-coal fuel producer in a form suitable for generating electric energy to a facility that:
(1) is located in this state;
(2) was placed in service after August 31, 2009;
(3) generates electric energy sold to a third party by using qualified agricultural biomass, forest wood waste, urban wood waste, co-firing biomass, or storm-generated biomass debris;
(4) uses the best available emissions control technology, considering the technical practicability and economic reasonableness of reducing or eliminating the air contaminant emissions resulting from the facility;
(5) maintains its emissions control equipment in good working order; and
(6) is in compliance with its operating permit issued by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality under Chapter 382, Health and Safety Code.
(c) The commissioner by rule may authorize a grant to be made for providing each bone-dry ton of a type or source of qualified agricultural biomass, forest wood waste, urban wood waste, co-firing biomass, or storm-generated biomass debris in an amount that is greater than the amount provided by Subsection (b) if the commissioner determines that a grant in a greater amount is necessary to provide an adequate incentive to use that type or source of qualified agricultural biomass, forest wood waste, urban wood waste, co-firing biomass, or storm-generated biomass debris to generate electric energy.
(d) The Public Utility Commission of Texas and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality shall assist the department as necessary to enable the department to determine whether a facility meets the requirements of Subsection (b) for purposes of the eligibility of farmers, loggers, diverters, and renewable biomass aggregators and bio-coal fuel producers for grants under this chapter.
(e) To receive a grant under this chapter, a farmer, logger, diverter, or renewable biomass aggregator and bio-coal fuel producer must deliver qualified agricultural biomass, forest wood waste, urban wood waste, co-firing biomass, or storm-generated biomass debris to a facility described by Subsection (b). The operator of each facility described by that subsection shall:
(1) verify and document the amount of qualified agricultural biomass, forest wood waste, urban wood waste, co-firing biomass, or storm-generated biomass debris delivered to the facility for the generation of electric energy; and
(2) make a grant on behalf of the department in the appropriate amount to each farmer, logger, diverter, or renewable biomass aggregator and bio-coal fuel producer who delivers qualified agricultural biomass, forest wood waste, urban wood waste, co-firing biomass, or storm-generated biomass debris to the facility.
(f) The department quarterly shall reimburse each operator of a facility described by Subsection (b) for grants under this chapter made by the operator during the preceding quarter to eligible farmers, loggers, diverters, and renewable biomass aggregators and bio-coal fuel producers. To receive reimbursement for one or more grants, an operator of a facility described by that subsection must file an application with the department that verifies the amount of the grants made by the operator during the preceding quarter for which the operator seeks reimbursement.
(g) The department may contract with and provide for the compensation of private consultants, contractors, and other persons to assist the department in administering the agricultural biomass and landfill diversion incentive program.
(h) Notwithstanding Subsection (b)(2), a facility placed in service before August 31, 2009, is eligible for reimbursement under this chapter if another facility placed in operation after August 31, 2009, is located 25 miles or less from the existing facility.
Added by Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1013 (H.B. 1090), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2007.
Amended by:
Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 1196 (H.B. 4031), Sec. 2, eff. September 1, 2009.
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