§ 917. Prohibition on restricting water and waste facility services to electric customers
(a)
Prohibition
Assistance under any rural development program administered by the Secretary or any agency of the Department of Agriculture shall not be conditioned on any requirement that the recipient of the assistance accept or receive electric service from any particular utility, supplier, or cooperative.
(b)
Ensuring compliance
The Secretary shall establish, by regulation, adequate safeguards to ensure that assistance under any rural development program is not subject to such a condition. The safeguards shall include periodic certifications and audits, and appropriate measures and sanctions against any person violating, or attempting to violate subsection (a) of this section.
(c)
“Rural development programs” defined
In this section, the term “rural development program” means the following:
(1)
Sections
304
(b),
306,
306A,
306C,
306D,
310B, and
375 [1] and subtitle E [7 U.S.C. 2009 et seq.] of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1924
(b), 1926, 1926a, 1926c, 1926d, and 1932).
(2)
Subtitle G [1] of title XVI and sections
2281 [42 U.S.C. 5177a], 2333, and 2381 [7 U.S.C. 950aaa–2, 3125b] of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990.
(3)
Subtitle C of title IX of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act Amendments of 1991 (Public Law 102–237; 7 U.S.C. 5930 note ).
(d)
Regulations
Not later than 60 days after April 4, 1996, the Secretary shall issue final regulations to ensure compliance with subsection (a) of this section.
[1] See References in Text note below.