(1) "Authority" means the South Carolina Rural Infrastructure Authority.

(2) "Board" means the board of directors of the authority.

(3) "Eligible cost" means as applied to a qualified project to be financed from the Rural Infrastructure Fund, the costs that are permitted under applicable laws, requirements, procedures, and guidelines in regard to establishing, operating, and providing assistance from the authority.

(4) "Eligible project" means rural infrastructure as defined in item (13).

(5) "Eligible entity" means a municipality, county, special purpose or public service district, and public works commission. The term "eligible project" also includes a not-for-profit water company.

(6) "Financing agreement" means any agreement entered into between the authority and an eligible entity pertaining to a loan or other financial assistance. This agreement may contain, in addition to financial terms, provisions relating to the regulation and supervision of a qualified project, or other provisions as the board may determine. The term "financing agreement" includes, without limitation, a loan agreement, trust indenture, security agreement, reimbursement agreement, guarantee agreement, bond or note, ordinance or resolution, or similar instrument.

(7) "Loan" means an obligation subject to repayment which is provided by the authority to a qualified borrower for all or a part of the eligible cost of a qualified project. A loan may be disbursed in anticipation of reimbursement for or direct payment of eligible costs of a qualified project.

(8) "Loan obligation" means a bond, note, or other evidence of an obligation issued by a qualified borrower.

(9) "Other financial assistance" means, but is not limited to, grants, contributions, credit enhancement, capital or debt reserves for bonds or debt instrument financing, interest rate subsidies, provision of letters of credit and credit instruments, provision of bond or other debt financing instrument security, and other lawful forms of financing and methods of leveraging funds that are approved by the board.

(10) "Qualified borrower" means any eligible entity which is authorized to construct, operate, or own a qualified project.

(11) "Qualified project" means an eligible project which has been selected by the authority to receive a loan or other financial assistance from the authority to defray an eligible cost.

(12) "Revenues" means, when used with respect to the authority, any receipts, fees, income, or other payments received or to be received by the authority including, without limitation, receipts and other payments deposited in the Rural Infrastructure Fund and investment earnings on the Rural Infrastructure Fund.

(13) "Rural infrastructure project" means the acquisition, construction, installation, modification, renovation, repair, extension, renewal, replacement, or rehabilitation of land, interest in land, buildings, structures, facilities, or other improvements and the acquisition, installation, modification, renovation, repair, extension, renewal, replacement, rehabilitation, or furnishing of fixtures, machinery, equipment, furniture, or other property of any nature whatsoever used on, in, or in connection with any such land, interest in land, building, structure, facility, or other improvement, for the essential public purpose of providing environmental facilities and services to meet public health and environmental standards and to aid the development of trade, commerce, industry, agriculture, aquaculture, and employment opportunities, all of which must be primarily located in a county designated as distressed or least developed pursuant to § 12-6-3360 for 2009 or located in a county with a project that otherwise meets the requirements of this item. A rural infrastructure project also includes water supply and aquaculture projects.