(1) "Board" means the governing board of the Rural Infrastructure Authority.

(2) "County" means any county of this State.

(3) "Division of Regional Development" is a division of the board. This division is be the designated state program for coordination of comprehensive state and regional infrastructure planning.

(4) "Director" is the Director of the Division of Regional Development.

(5) "Executive director" means the executive director of the board.

(6) "Infrastructure" means the basic facilities, services, and installations needed for the functioning of government including, but not limited to, water, sewer, and public sector communications. Infrastructure as used in this chapter does not mean transportation, power delivery systems, health planning and delivery systems, or except for the purposes of public sector communications planning, commercial communication systems.

(7) "Infrastructure Development Plans" means any written proposal by the State, county, municipality, special purpose district or regional council of government that involves development of infrastructure as defined in this chapter. These plans include, but are not limited to, such matters as water and sewerage systems, and communications. The plans must be proposed and prepared pursuant to recommended standards and procedures for the preparation and implementation of infrastructure development plans established in accordance with this chapter by the Division of Regional Development and the Regional Councils of Government. Any plan developed for communications must consider available existing private sector communications facilities, systems, and services.

(8) "Municipality" as described in § 5-1-20 means any city or town which has been issued a certificate of incorporation or which has been created by act of the General Assembly.

(9) "Political subdivision" means any municipality, county, public service district, or special purpose district.

(10) "Regional Councils of Government" are as described in § 6-7-110.

(11) "South Carolina Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations" means the commission created pursuant to § 1-27-10 which, as part of the office of the executive director of the board, researches intergovernmental problems.

(12) "State Advisory Council for Regional Development" or "state council" means the Advisory Council for Regional Development created by this chapter.

(13) "Communications" means public sector communications.