Biomass Energy and Alcohol Fuels Act

The Biomass Energy and Alcohol Fuels Act of 1980 is a statute that addresses general biomass energy development in its various forms, and the use of gasohol. It was one of six acts enacted by the U.S. Energy Security Act.

The purpose of the statute is to reduce the dependence of the United States on imported petroleum and natural gas. It is law that had been enacted by the U.S. Congress for the production and use of biomass energy. It also provided for the use of municipal waste biomass energy and rural, agricultural, and forestry biomass energy.

The Biomass Energy and Alcohol Fuels Act (BEAFA) consists of four subsections:


 * General Biomass Energy Development
 * Municipal Waste Biomass Energy
 * Rural, Agricultural, and Forestry Biomass Energy, and
 * Miscellaneous Biomass Provisions (The use of gasohol in Federal motor vehicles)

Roles of the Secretary of Agriculture and Secretary of Energy
For general biomass energy development, the Secretary of Agriculture and Secretary of Energy were required by the act to jointly prepare and transmit it to the President and the Congress, a plan for maximizing biomass energy production and use. The act required the plan to be designed to achieve a total level of alcohol production and use within the United States of at least 60,000 barrels per day of alcohol by December 31, 1982.

For municipal waste biomass energy, the Secretary of Energy was to prepare a report and transmit it to the President and Congress.

The Secretary of Agriculture was to prepare such a report for rural, agricultural, and forestry biomass energy.