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§6881 Energy Resource and Renewable-resource Obligation Guarantee Program

Title 42 › CHAPTER 81 — ENERGY CONSERVATION AND RESOURCE RENEWAL › SUBCHAPTER III — ENERGY CONSERVATION AND RENEWABLE-RESOURCE ASSISTANCE FOR EXISTING BUILDINGS › Part B — Energy Conservation and Renewable-Resource Obligation Guarantees › § 6881

Last updated Sep 22, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Secretary of Energy can guarantee or promise to guarantee loans, bonds, or notes that pay for energy-saving or renewable-energy work in buildings or industrial plants. Guarantees can be made for loans by people, states, local governments, or their agencies. Guarantees are not allowed for a state's general obligation debt or for work in homes with two or fewer units. The work must be shown to save energy by an energy audit or be on a list the Secretary publishes. The Secretary must limit guarantees to borrowers who cannot get reasonable financing elsewhere. A guarantee can run up to 25 years, and one borrower cannot have more than $5,000,000 guaranteed at once. The government will guarantee no more than 90% of the project cost, and that promised amount cannot be more than 25% of the building’s fair market value. All guarantees together cannot exceed $2,000,000,000, and no new guarantees could be issued after September 30, 1979. Money was authorized to pay defaults up to $60,000,000, and some funds were set for administration for fiscal years 1977 and 1978. Before issuing a guarantee, the Secretary may ask for information, records, and assurances to protect the United States and to let auditors review the project. Borrowers may be charged a fee to cover administrative costs, but the total fee may not be more than 1% of the guarantee or 0.5% of the commitment to guarantee, whichever is greater. If a borrower misses a principal payment for 30 days, the holder can demand payment from the Secretary within a time limit (no later than 90 days after the missed payment), and the Secretary must pay within 60 days unless the default is fixed or did not happen. After paying, the Secretary gets the lender’s rights to the loan and may take or sell property to recover money. Wages for workers on guaranteed projects must meet local prevailing rates. “Secretary” means the Secretary of Energy, and the “Comptroller General” is the Comptroller General of the United States; other key terms are defined in another law.

Title 42, §6881

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(a)Authorization; requirements for guarantees and commitments to guarantee; procedures

(1)The Secretary may, in accordance with this section and such rules as he shall prescribe after consultation with the Secretary of the Treasury, guarantee and issue commitments to guarantee the payment of the outstanding principal amount of any loan, note, bond, or other obligation evidencing indebtedness, if—

(A)such obligation is entered into or issued by any person or by any State, political subdivision of a State, or agency and instrumentality of either a State or political subdivision thereof; and

(B)the purpose of entering into or issuing such obligation is the financing of any energy conservation measure or renewable-resource energy measure which is to be installed or otherwise implemented in any building or industrial plant owned or operated by the person or State, political subdivision of a State, or agency or instrumentality of either a State or political subdivision thereof, (i) which enters into or issues such obligation, or (ii) to which such measure is leased.

(2)No guarantee or commitment to guarantee may be issued under this subsection with respect to any obligation—

(A)which is a general obligation of a State; or

(B)which is entered into or issued for the purpose of financing any energy conservation measure or renewable-resource energy measure which is to be installed or otherwise implemented in a residential building containing 2 or fewer dwelling units.

(3)Before prescribing rules pursuant to this subsection, the Secretary shall consult with the Administrator of the Small Business Administration in order to formulate procedures which would assist small business concerns in obtaining guarantees and commitments to guarantee under this section.

(b)Preconditions for issuance of guarantees and commitments to guarantee

No obligation may be guaranteed, and no commitment to guarantee an obligation may be issued, under subsection (a), unless the Secretary finds that the measure which is to be financed by such obligation—

(1)has been identified by an energy audit to be an energy conservation measure or a renewable-resource energy measure; or

(2)is included on a list of energy conservation measures and renewable-resource energy measures which the Secretary publishes under section 6325(e)(1) of this title.

Before issuing a guarantee under subsection (a), the Secretary may require that an energy audit be conducted with respect to an energy conservation measure or a renewable-resource energy measure which is on a list described in paragraph (2) and which is to be financed by the obligation to be guaranteed under this section. The amount of any obligation which may be guaranteed under subsection (a) may include the cost of an energy audit.

(c)Limitations on availability of guarantees; term of guarantees; aggregate outstanding principal amount of obligations of one borrower

(1)The Secretary shall limit the availability of a guarantee otherwise authorized by subsection (a) to obligations entered into by or issued by borrowers who can demonstrate that financing is not otherwise available on reasonable terms and conditions to allow the measure to be financed.

(2)No obligation may be guaranteed by the Secretary under subsection (a) unless the Secretary finds—

(A)there is a reasonable prospect for the repayment of such obligation; and

(B)in the case of an obligation issued by a person, such obligation constitutes a general obligation of such person for such guarantee.

(3)The term of any guarantee issued under subsection (a) may not exceed 25 years.

(4)The aggregate outstanding principal amount which may be guaranteed under subsection (a) at any one time with respect to obligations entered into or issued by any borrower may not exceed $5,000,000.

(d)Limitations on original principal amount guaranteed; revocation of guarantees and commitments to guarantee; conclusiveness of guarantee

The original principal amount guaranteed under subsection (a) may not exceed 90 percent of the cost of the energy conservation measure or the renewable-resource energy measure financed by the obligation guaranteed under such subsection; except that such amount may not exceed 25 percent of the fair market value of the building or industrial plant being modified by such energy conservation measure or renewable-resource energy measure. No guarantee issued, and no commitment to guarantee, which is issued under subsection (a) shall be terminated, canceled, or otherwise revoked except in accordance with reasonable terms and conditions prescribed by the Secretary, after consultation with the Secretary of the Treasury, and contained in the written guarantee or commitment to guarantee. The full faith and credit of the United States is pledged to the payment of all guarantees made under subsection (a). Any such guarantee made by the Secretary shall be conclusive evidence of the eligibility of the obligation involved for such guarantee, and the validity of any guarantee so made shall be incontestable in the hands of a holder of the guaranteed obligation except for fraud or material misrepresentation on the part of such holder.

(e)Information and assurances required prior to guarantees and commitments to guarantee; maintenance and availability of records; fees to borrowers; exceptions

(1)No guarantee and no commitment to guarantee may be issued under subsection (a) unless the Secretary obtains any information reasonably requested and such assurances as are in his judgment (after consultation with the Secretary of the Treasury) reasonable to protect the interests of the United States and to assure that such guarantee or commitment to guarantee is consistent with and will further the purpose of this subchapter. The Secretary shall require that records be kept and made available to the Secretary or the Comptroller General, or any of their duly authorized representatives, in such detail and form as are determined necessary to facilitate (A) an effective financial audit of the energy conservation measure or renewable-resource energy measure investment involved, and (B) an adequate evaluation of the effectiveness of this section. The Secretary and the Comptroller General, or any of their duly authorized representatives, shall have access to pertinent books, documents, papers, and records of any recipient of Federal assistance under this section.

(2)The Secretary may collect a fee from any borrower with respect to whose obligation a guarantee or commitment to guarantee is issued under subsection (a); except that the Secretary may waive any such fee with respect to any such borrower or class of borrowers. Fees shall be designed to recover the estimated administrative expenses incurred under this part; except that the total of the fees charged any such borrower may not exceed (A) one percent of the amount of the guarantee, or (B) one-half percent of the amount of the commitment to guarantee, whichever is greater. Any amount collected under this paragraph shall be deposited in the miscellaneous receipts of the Treasury.

(f)Default in payment of principal due under guaranteed obligation; procedures applicable

(1)If there is a default by the obligor in any payment of principal due under an obligation guaranteed under subsection (a), and if such default continues for 30 days, the holder of such obligation or his agent has the right to demand payment by the Secretary of the unpaid principal of such obligation, consistent with the terms of the guarantee of such obligation. Such payment may be demanded within such period as may be specified in the guarantee or related agreements, which period shall expire not later than 90 days from the date of such default. If demand occurs within such specified period, then not later than 60 days from the date of such demand, the Secretary shall pay to such holder the unpaid principal of such obligation, consistent with the terms of the guarantee of such obligation; except that (A) the Secretary shall not be required to make any such payment if he finds, prior to the expiration of the 60-day period beginning on the date on which the demand is made, that there was no default by the obligor in the payment of principal or that such default has been remedied, and (B) no such holder shall receive payment or be entitled to retain payment in a total amount which together with any other recovery (including any recovery based upon any security interest) exceeds the actual loss of principal by such holder.

(2)If the Secretary makes payment to a holder under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall thereupon—

(A)have all of the rights granted to him by law or agreement with the obligor; and

(B)be subrogated to all of the rights which were granted such holder, by law, assignment, or security agreement applicable to the guaranteed obligation.

(3)The Secretary may, in his discretion, take possession of, complete, recondition, reconstruct, renovate, repair, maintain, operate, remove, charter, rent, sell, or otherwise dispose of any property or other interests obtained by him pursuant to this subsection. The terms of any such sale or other disposition shall be as approved by the Secretary.

(4)If there is a default by the obligor in any payment due under an obligation guaranteed under subsection (a), the Secretary shall take such action against such obligor or any other person as is, in his discretion, necessary or appropriate to protect the interests of the United States. Such an action may be brought in the name of the United States or in the name of the holder of such obligation. Such holder shall make available to the Secretary all records and evidence necessary to prosecute any such suit. The Secretary may, in his discretion, accept a conveyance of property in full or partial satisfaction of any sums owed to him. If the Secretary receives, through the sale of property, an amount greater than his cost and the amount paid to the holder under paragraph (1), he shall pay such excess to the obligor.

(g)Limitation on aggregate outstanding principal amount of obligations guaranteed; time limitation on guarantees and commitments to guarantee; authorization of appropriations

(1)The aggregate outstanding principal amount of obligations which may be guaranteed under this section may not at any one time exceed $2,000,000,000. No guarantee or commitment to guarantee may be issued under subsection (a) after September 30, 1979.

(2)There is authorized to be appropriated for the payment of amounts to be paid under subsection (f), not to exceed $60,000,000. Any amount appropriated pursuant to this paragraph shall remain available until expended.

(3)There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out the provisions of this part, including administrative costs, but not for the payment of amounts to be paid under subsection (f)—

(A)for the fiscal year ending September 30, 1977, not to exceed $1,836,000; and

(B)for the fiscal year ending September 30, 1978, not to exceed $4,950,000.

(h)Wages paid laborers and mechanics; labor standards

All laborers and mechanics employed in construction, alteration, or repair which is financed by an obligation guaranteed under subsection (a) shall be paid wages at rates not less than those prevailing on similar construction in the locality, as determined by the Secretary of Labor in accordance with section 3141–3144, 3146, and 3147 of title 40. The Secretary shall not guarantee any obligations under subsection (a) without first obtaining adequate assurance that these labor standards will be maintained during such construction, alteration, or repair. The Secretary of Labor shall, with respect to the labor standards in this subsection, have the authority and functions set forth in Reorganization Plan Numbered 14 of 1950 and section 3145 of title 40.

(i)Definitions

As used in this part:

(1)The term “Secretary” means the Secretary of Energy.

(2)The term “Comptroller General” means the Comptroller General of the United States.

(3)The terms “energy audit”, “energy conservation measure”, “renewable-resource energy measure”, “building”, and “industrial plant” have the meanings given the terms in section 6321(c) of this title.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

This subchapter, referred to in subsec. (e)(1), was in the original “this title”, meaning title IV of Pub. L. 94–385, known as the Energy Conservation in Existing Buildings Act of 1976, which enacted this subchapter, section 6327 of this title, and section 1701z–8 of Title 12, Banks and Banking, amended section 6323, 6325, and 6326 of this title, and enacted provisions set out as a note under section 6801 of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see

Short Title

note set out under section 6801 of this title and Tables. Reorganization Plan Numbered 14 of 1950, referred to in subsec. (h), is set out in the Appendix to Title 5, Government Organization and Employees. Codification In subsec. (h), “section 3141–3144, 3146, and 3147 of title 40” substituted for “the Davis-Bacon Act” and “section 3145 of title 40” substituted for “section 276c of title 40, United States Code”, on authority of Pub. L. 107–217, § 5(c), Aug. 21, 2002, 116 Stat. 1303, the first section of which enacted Title 40, Public Buildings, Property, and Works. In subsec. (i)(1), “The term ‘Secretary’ means the Secretary of Energy” substituted for “The term ‘Administrator’ means the Administrator of the Federal Energy Administration; except that after such Administration ceases to exist, such term means any officer of the United States designated by the President for purposes of this part” in view of termination of Federal Energy Administration and transfer of its functions and functions of Administrator thereof (with certain exceptions) to Secretary of Energy pursuant to section 301(a), 703, and 707 of Pub. L. 95–91, which are classified to section 7151(a), 7293, and 7297 of this title.

Amendments

2021—Subsec. (i)(3). Pub. L. 117–58 substituted “given the terms in section 6321(c) of this title” for “prescribed for such terms in section 6326 of this title”. 1996—Subsecs. (d), (e)(1). Pub. L. 104–316 struck out “and the Comptroller General” after “Secretary of the Treasury”. 1977—Subsec. (g)(3). Pub. L. 95–70 added par. (3).

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Transfer of Functions

“Secretary”, meaning Secretary of Energy, substituted for “Administrator”, meaning Administrator of Federal Energy Administration, in subsecs. (a) to (f) and (h) pursuant to section 301(a), 703, and 707 of Pub. L. 95–91, which are classified to section 7151(a), 7293, and 7297 of this title and which terminated Federal Energy Administration and transferred its functions and functions of Administrator thereof (with certain exceptions) to Secretary of Energy. Wage Rate RequirementsFor provisions relating to rates of wages to be paid to laborers and mechanics on projects for

Construction

, alteration, or repair work funded under div. D or an amendment by div. D of Pub. L. 117–58, including authority of Secretary of Labor, see section 18851 of this title.