The definitions set forth in this section are applicable for all purposes of program administration under this subpart.

Advanced biofuel. A fuel that is derived from renewable biomass, other than corn kernel starch, to include:

(1) Biofuel derived from cellulose, hemicellulose, or lignin;

(2) Biofuel derived from sugar and starch (other than ethanol derived from corn kernel starch);

(3) Biofuel derived from waste material, including crop residue, other vegetative waste material, animal waste, food waste, and yard waste;

(4) Diesel-equivalent fuel derived from renewable biomass, including vegetable oil and animal fat;

(5) Biogas (including landfill gas and sewage waste treatment gas) produced through the conversion of organic matter from renewable biomass;

(6) Butanol or other alcohols produced through the conversion of organic matter from renewable biomass; or

(7) Other fuel derived from cellulosic biomass.

Advanced biofuel producer. An individual, corporation, company, foundation, governmental entity, school or other educational facility, association, labor organization, firm, partnership, society, joint stock company, group of organizations, or non-profit entity that produces advanced biofuel. An entity that blends or otherwise combines advanced biofuels into a blended biofuel is not considered an advanced biofuel producer under this subpart. An entity that produces biofuel exclusively under a toll/bailment arrangement/third part production contract is not considered an advanced biofuel producer under this subpart.

Agency. The USDA Rural Development, Rural Business-Cooperative Service or its successor organization.

Alcohol. Anhydrous ethyl alcohol manufactured in the United States and its territories and sold either:

(1) For fuel use, rendered unfit for beverage use, produced at a biofuel facility and in a manner approved by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives for the production of alcohol for fuel; or

(2) As denatured alcohol used by blenders and refiners and rendered unfit for beverage use.

Alcohol producer. An advanced biofuel producer authorized by ATF to produce alcohol.

ATF. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives of the United States Department of Justice.

Bailment. The temporary placement of control over, or possession of property by an individual or entity, the bailor, into the hands of another, the bailee, for a designated purpose upon which the parties have agreed. For purposes of this Program any advanced biofuel produced by a toll producer of any form, or under any form of third-party production agreement, is regarded/considered as produced under bailment and is ineligible for payment; to either bailor or bailee.

Biodiesel. A mono alkyl ester, manufactured in the United States and its territories, that meets the requirements of the appropriate ASTM International standard.

Biofuel. Fuel derived from renewable biomass.

Biorefinery. The term “biorefinery” means a facility (including equipment and processes) that—

(1) Converts renewable biomass or an intermediate ingredient or feedstock of renewable biomass into any 1 or more, or a combination, of—

(i) Biofuels;

(ii) Renewable chemicals; or

(iii) Biobased products; and

(2) May produce electricity.

Blender. A blender is a processor of fuels who combines two or more fuels, one of which must be an advanced biofuel, for distribution and sale. Producers who blend one or more of their own fuels are not blenders under this definition.

Certificate of analysis. A document approved by the Agency that certifies the quality and purity of the advanced biofuel being produced. The document must be from a qualified, independent third party.

Commodity. Renewable biomass, other than corn kernel starch, used primarily for the purposes of this Program, by advanced biofuel producers as feedstock from which to produce/derive advanced biofuel. Eligible renewable biomass is organized into the following commodity categories:

(1) Title I grains and oilseeds including: Wheat, corn, grain sorghum, barley, oats, and rice; sugars, and starches (other than corn kernel starch); Soybeans, sunflower seed, rapeseed, canola, safflower, flaxseed, mustard, crambe, sesame, and peanuts; as identified under Title I, Public Law 115-334, and as determined by the Secretary;

(2) Other oilseeds and nuts including cottonseed, palm, camelina, coconut, and olive; and algae;

(3) A cellulosic commodity grown for energy purposes, such as, hybrid poplar and other energy trees, switch grass and other energy grasses; cellulose, hemicellulose, or lignin;

(4) Waste material, including crop residue/Stover, other vegetative waste material/orchard waste, animal waste/manure, food waste/food processing waste, and yard waste/biodegradable solid waste/organic matter;

(5) Fats, oils, and greases, derived from an agricultural product, including: Recycled fats, oils, and greases, such as used cooking oil and reclaimed-industrial grade-distillers' corn/sorghum oil; tallow, white grease, yellow grease, and other livestock renderings; and

(6) Any animal byproduct (in addition to oils, fats, and greases) that may be used to produce bioenergy, as determined by the Secretary.

Contract. Form RD 4288-2, “Advanced Biofuel Payment Program Contract,” signed by the eligible advanced biofuel producer and the Agency, that defines the terms and conditions for participating in and receiving payment under this Program.

Derived. A process that creates a physical, and/or chemical, and/or biological change in renewable biomass/feedstock.

Eligible advanced biofuel producer. A producer of advanced biofuels that meets all requirements of §4288.110 of this subpart.

Eligible renewable biomass. Renewable biomass, as defined in this section, excluding corn kernel starch. See also commodity.

Eligible renewable energy content. That portion of an advanced biofuel's energy content derived from eligible renewable biomass feedstock. The energy content from any portion of the biofuel, whether from, for example, blending with another fuel or a denaturant, that is derived from a non-eligible renewable biomass feedstock (e.g., corn kernel starch) is not eligible for payment under this Program.

Enrollment application. Form RD 4288-1, “Advanced Biofuel Payment Program Annual Application,” which is submitted by advanced biofuel producers for participation in this Program.

Ethanol. Anhydrous ethyl alcohol manufactured in the United States and its territories and sold either:

(1) For fuel use, and which has been rendered unfit for beverage use and produced at an advanced biofuel facility approved by the ATF for the production of ethanol for fuel, or

(2) As denatured ethanol used by blenders and energy refiners, which has been rendered unfit for beverage use.

Ethanol producer. An advanced biofuel producer authorized by ATF to produce ethanol.

Final Product. A product of a biorefinery that is ready for sale/distribution without further processing. For purposes of this Program, an advanced biofuel is a Final Product eligible for payment if it is ready for distribution and sale as a fuel.

Fiscal Year. A 12-month period beginning each October 1 and ending September 30 of the following calendar year.

Flared gas. The burning of unwanted gas through a pipe (also called a flare). Flaring is a means of disposal used when the operator cannot transport the gas to market or convert to electricity and cannot use the gas for any other purpose.

Incremental production. The quantity of eligible advanced biofuel produced at an advanced biofuel biorefinery in the fiscal year for which payment is sought that exceeds the quantity of advanced biofuel produced at the biorefinery over the prior fiscal year.

Large producer. (1) An advanced biofuel producer which in the prior fiscal year, produced more than:

(i) 150,000,000 gallons of liquid advanced biofuel per year; or

(ii) 15,900,000 Million British Thermal Units (MMBTU) of biogas and/or solid advanced biofuel per year.

(2) The amount of gallons and MMBTUs listed in paragraphs (1)(i) and (ii) of this definition include the advanced biofuel production at all facilities, in the United States, in which the producer and/or its parent company(ies) have a 50-percent or greater ownership.

Parent company. A company/corporation that has a controlling interest in another company/corporation, giving it control of its operations. The company is deemed a subsidiary of the parent company.

Payment application. Form RD 4288-3, “Advanced Biofuel Payment Program—Payment Request,” which is submitted by an eligible advance producer to the Agency in order to receive payment under this Program.

Quarter. The Federal fiscal time period for any fiscal year as follows:

(1) 1st Quarter: October 1 through December 31;

(2) 2nd Quarter: January 1 through March 31;

(3) 3rd Quarter: April 1 through June 30; and

(4) 4th Quarter: July 1 through September 30.

Renewable biomass.

(1) Materials, pre-commercial thinnings, or invasive species from National Forest System land and public lands (as defined in section 103 of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1702)) that:

(i) Are byproducts of preventive treatments that are removed to reduce hazardous fuels; to reduce or contain disease or insect infestation; or to restore ecosystem health;

(ii) Would not otherwise be used for higher-value products; and

(iii) Are harvested in accordance with applicable law and land management plans and the requirements for old-growth maintenance, restoration, and management direction of paragraphs (e)(2), (e)(3), and (e)(4) and large-tree retention of paragraph (f) of section 102 of the Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003 (16 U.S.C. 6512); or

(2) Any organic matter that is available on a renewable or recurring basis from non-Federal land or land belonging to an Indian or Indian Tribe that is held in trust by the United States or subject to a restriction against alienation imposed by the United States, including:

(i) Renewable plant material, including feed grains; other agricultural commodities; other plants and trees; and algae; and

(ii) Waste material, including crop residue; other vegetative waste material (including wood waste and wood residues); animal waste and byproducts (including fats, oils, greases, and manure); and food waste and yard waste.

Sale. A transaction between two or more parties, typically a buyer and a seller, in which goods or services are exchanged for money or other assets.

Sign-up period. The time period during which the Agency will accept enrollment applications.

State. Any of the 50 States of the United States, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Republic of Palau, the Federated States of Micronesia, and the Republic of the Marshall Islands.

Third party production. Third party production involves outsourcing production processes to a third-party company whereby the third-party company, hired to produce, is supplying the manufacturing process as well as sourcing the raw materials/commodity feedstock. The contract producer is responsible for manufacturing the product to specification and disposition/delivery requirements. For purposes of this Program, any advanced biofuel produced under a contractual third-party production agreement is ineligible for payment. A producer that is strictly a third-party contractor produces no eligible advanced biofuel.

Toll producer. See also bailment. Toll production/manufacturing is an arrangement, where a company with specialised equipment processes raw materials or unfinished goods for a different company. A toll producer of advanced biofuels produces advanced biofuels for another company. For purposes of this Program, any advanced biofuel produced by a toll producer of any form, or under any form of third-party production agreement, is regarded/considered as produced under bailment and is ineligible for payment.

USDA. The United States Department of Agriculture.

[76 FR 7967, Feb. 11, 2011, as amended at 84 FR 71301, Dec. 27, 2019]