Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 114 Part 4.djvu/832

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page needs to be proofread.

114 STAT. 2762A-132 PUBLIC LAW 106-553—APPENDIX B (vi) repayment of the loan can reasonably be expected. (e) CONSIDERATIONS.— (1) TYPE OF MARKET.— (A) PRIORITY CONSIDERATIONS.— To the maximum extent practicable, the Board shall give priority in the approval of loan guarantees under this Act in the following order: (i) First, to projects that will serve households in nonserved areas. In considering such projects, the Board shall balance projects that will serve the largest number of households with projects that will serve remote, isolated communities (including noncontiguous States) in areas that are unlikely to be served through market mechanisms. (ii) Second, to projects that will serve households in underserved areas. In considering such projects, the Board shall balance projects that will serve the largest number of households with projects that will serve remote, isolated communities (including noncontiguous States) in areas that are unlikely to be served through market mechanisms. Within each category, the Board shall consider the project's estimated cost per household and shall give priority to those projects that provide the highest quality service at the lowest cost per household. (B) ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATION. — The Board should give additional consideration to projects that also provide high-speed Internet service. (C) PROHIBITIONS.— The Board may not approve a loan guarantee under this Act for a project that— (i) is designed primarily to serve 1 or more of the top 40 designated market areas (as that term is defined in section 122(j) of title 17, United States Code); or (ii) would alter or remove National Weather Service warnings from local broadcast signals. (2) OTHER CONSIDERATIONS.— The Board shall consider other factors, which shall include projects that would— (A) offer a separate tier of local broadcast signals, but for applicable Federal, State, or local laws or regulations; (B) provide lower projected costs to consumers of such separate tier; and (C) enable the delivery of local broadcast signals consistent with the purpose of this Act by a means reasonably compatible with existing systems or devices predominantly in use. (3) FURTHER CONSIDERATION. —In implementing this Act, the Board shall support the use of loan guarantees for projects that would serve households not likely to be served in the absence of loan guarantees under this Act. (f) GUARANTEE LIMITS.— (1) LIMITATION ON AGGREGATE VALUE OF LOANS.— The aggregate value of all loans for which loan guarantees are issued under this Act (including the unguaranteed portion of such loans) may not exceed $1,250,000,000.