§ 3575.24 - Eligible loan purposes.

§ 3575.24 Eligible loan purposes.

(a) Funds may be used to construct, enlarge, extend, or otherwise improve other essential community facilities providing essential service primarily to rural residents and rural businesses.

(1) Essential community facilities include, but are not limited to:

(i) Fire, rescue, and public safety,

(ii) Health services,

(iii) Community, social, or cultural services,

(iv) Transportation facilities such as streets, roads, and bridges,

(v) Telecommunication equipment,

(vi) Hydroelectric generating facilities and related connecting systems and appurtenances only when not eligible for financing under the authorities of the Rural Utilities Service. Funds may not be used to finance other types of electrical generating or transmitting facilities,

(vii) Supplemental and supporting structures for other rural electrification or telephone systems (including facilities such as headquarters and office buildings, storage facilities, and maintenance shops) only when not eligible for financing under the authorities of the Rural Utilities Service,

(viii) Natural gas distribution systems,

(ix) Industrial park sites (but only to the extent of land acquisition and necessary site preparation) including access ways and utility extensions to and throughout the site. Funds may not be used in connection with industrial parks to finance on-site utility systems or business and industrial buildings, and

(x) Community parks, community activity centers, and similar types of facilities that are an integral part of the orderly development of a community. Recreational components, such as, but not limited to, playground equipment of an otherwise non-recreational eligible community facility such as childcare, educational, or health care facilities are also eligible.

(2) Otherwise improve includes, but is not limited to, the following:

(i) The purchase of major equipment (such as telecommunication equipment and X-ray machines) which will in themselves provide an essential service to rural residents,

(ii) The purchase of existing facilities, when necessary, either to improve or to prevent a loss of service, and

(iii) Payment of tap fees and other utility connection charges as provided in utility purchase contracts.

(b) Funds also may be used:

(1) To construct or relocate public buildings, roads, bridges, fences, or utilities and to make other public improvements necessary to the successful operation or protection of facilities authorized by paragraph (a) of this section.

(2) To relocate private buildings, roads, bridges, fences, or utilities, and other private improvements necessary to the successful operation or protection of facilities authorized in paragraph (a) of this section.

(3) To pay the following expenses (but only when such expenses are a necessary part of a loan to finance facilities authorized in paragraph (a) of this section):

(i) Reasonable fees and costs such as origination fee, loan guarantee fee, legal, engineering, architectural, fiscal advisory, recording, environmental impact analyses, archaeological surveys, possible salvage or other mitigation measures, planning and establishing or acquiring rights.

(ii) Interest on loans until the facility is self-supporting, but not for more than 2 years unless a longer period is approved by the Agency; interest on loans secured by general obligation bonds until tax revenues are available for payment, but not for more than 2 years unless a longer period is approved by the Agency's National Office; and interest on interim financing.

(iii) Costs of acquiring interest in land; rights such as water rights, leases, permits, rights-of-way, and other evidence of land or water control necessary for development of the facility.

(iv) Purchasing or renting equipment necessary to install, maintain, extend, protect, operate, or utilize facilities.

(v) Initial operating expenses for a period ordinarily not exceeding 1 year when the borrower is unable to pay such expenses.

(vi) Refinancing debts incurred by, or on behalf of, a community when all of the following conditions exist:

(A) The debts being refinanced are less than 50 percent of the total loan,

(B) The debts were incurred for the facility or service being financed or any part thereof (such as interim financing, construction expenses, etc.), and

(C) Arrangements cannot be made with the creditors to extend or modify the terms of the debts so that a sound basis will exist for making a loan.

(4) To pay obligations for construction incurred prior to filing a preapplication and application with the Agency. Construction work must not be started (and obligations for such work or materials must not be incurred) before the Conditional Commitment for Guarantee is issued. If there are compelling reasons for proceeding with construction before the Conditional Commitment for Guarantee is issued, lenders may request Agency approval to pay such obligations and not jeopardize a guarantee from the Agency. Such request must comply with the following:

(i) Provide conclusive evidence that the contract was entered into without intent to circumvent the Agency regulations. However, the Agency is not required or obligated to pay a loss unless a written guarantee is issued,

(ii) Modify the outstanding contract to conform with the provisions of this subpart. Where this is not possible, modifications will be made to the extent practicable and, as a minimum, the contract must comply with all State and local laws and regulations as well as statutory requirements and executive orders related to the Agency financing. When construction is complete and it is impracticable to modify the contract, the borrower and lender must provide the certification required by paragraph (b)(4)(iii) of this section,

(iii) Provide a certification by an engineer or architect that any construction performed complies fully with the plans and specifications, and

(iv) The borrower and the contractor must have complied with all statutory and executive order requirements related to Agency financing for construction already performed even though the requirements may not have been included in the contract documents.

(5) A borrower is permitted to use up to 10 percent of the amount provided under this subpart to construct, improve, or acquire broadband infrastructure related to the project financed, subject to the requirements of 7 CFR part 1980, subpart M.

[64 FR 28337, May 26, 1999, as amended at 78 FR 26486, May 7, 2013; 85 FR 57084, Sept. 15, 2020]