117-31. Power of Rural Electrification Authority to prosecute requested investigations.

In investigating the application filed with the Rural Electrification Authority under the provisions of G.S. 117-30 of this Article, the Rural Electrification Authority shall have the authority to employ such personnel as shall be necessary to conduct surveys; to contact the telephone companies serving the general area for the purpose of arranging for extension of telephone service by such companies to such community or communities; to make estimates of the cost of the extension of telephone service to such community or communities; to call upon the Utilities Commission of the State to fix such rates as will be applicable to such service; to secure for such community or communities any assistance which may be available from the federal government by gift or loan or in any other manner; to investigate all applications for the creation of telephone membership corporations and determine and pass upon the question of granting authority to form such corporation; to provide forms for making such applications, and to do all things necessary to a proper determination of the question of the establishment of such telephone membership corporations in keeping with the provisions of this Article; to act as agent for any such telephone membership corporation in securing loans or grants from any agency of the United States government; to prescribe rules and regulations and the necessary blanks for such membership corporations in making applications for grants or loans from any agency of the United States government; to do all other acts and things which may be necessary to aid the rural communities in North Carolina in securing telephone service.