70-625.01. Rural areas; legislative findings and declarations.

The Legislature finds and declares that:

(1) There are rural areas in the state which are experiencing declines in economic activity and the outmigration of rural residents which is eroding the tax base of those rural areas and undermining the ability of the state and local governments to provide essential public services;

(2) Rural economic development efforts can increase the productivity of economic resources, create and enhance employment opportunities, increase the level of income and quality of life for rural residents, assist in slowing or reversing the outmigration of rural residents, and help maintain essential public services to the advantage not only of those rural areas but also of the state as a whole and the electric utilities serving those rural areas;

(3) Funds may be available from the United States Department of Agriculture or other federal agencies to suppliers of electricity in rural areas to promote economic development and job creation projects;

(4) It is the policy of this state to promote economic development and job creation projects in rural areas through the use of federal funds and other funds which may be available as authorized in subsection (3) of section 70-625;

(5) Public power districts operating in rural areas of this state are uniquely situated through their boards of directors to know and understand the need to promote economic development and job creation projects in their service areas; and

(6) Involvement by publicly owned electric utilities operating in rural areas in such economic development activities serves a public purpose and it is the public policy of this state to allow public power districts to promote economic development and job creation projects in rural areas as provided in subsection (3) of section 70-625.

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