The Secretary is authorized to make loans to States and their political subdivisions in order to relieve social or economic impacts occasioned by the development of minerals leased in such States pursuant to the Act of February 25, 1920, as amended [30 U.S.C. 181 et seq.]. Such loans shall be confined to the uses specified for the 50 per centum of mineral leasing revenues to be received by such States and subdivisions pursuant to section 35 of such Act [30 U.S.C. 191].

(1) The Secretary is authorized to make loans to States and their political subdivisions in order to relieve social or economic impacts occasioned by the development of minerals leased in such States pursuant to the Act of February 25, 1920, as amended [30 U.S.C. 181 et seq.]. Such loans shall be confined to the uses specified for the 50 per centum of mineral leasing revenues to be received by such States and subdivisions pursuant to section 35 of such Act [30 U.S.C. 191].

(2) The total amount of loans outstanding pursuant to this section for any State and political subdivisions thereof in any year shall be not more than the anticipated mineral leasing revenues to be received by that State pursuant to section 35 of the Act of February 25, 1920, as amended [30 U.S.C. 191], for the ten years following.

(3) The Secretary, after consultation with the Governors of the affected States, shall allocate such loans among the States and their political subdivisions in a fair and equitable manner, giving priority to those States and subdivisions suffering the most severe impacts.

(4) Loans made pursuant to this section shall be subject to such terms and conditions as the Secretary determines necessary to assure the achievement of the purpose of this section. The Secretary shall promulgate such regulations as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this section no later than three months after August 20, 1978.

(5) Loans made pursuant to this section shall bear interest equivalent to the lowest interest rate paid on an issue of at least $1,000,000 of tax exempt bonds of such State or any agency thereof within the preceding calendar year.

(6) Any loan made pursuant to this section shall be secured only by a pledge of the revenues received by the State or the political subdivision thereof pursuant to section 35 of the Act of February 25, 1920, as amended [30 U.S.C. 191], and shall not constitute an obligation upon the general property or taxing authority of such unit of government.

(7) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, loans made pursuant to this section may be used for the non-Federal share of the aggregate cost of any project or program otherwise funded by the Federal Government which requires a non-Federal share for such project or program and which provides planning or public facilities otherwise eligible for assistance under this section.

(8) Nothing in this section shall be construed to preclude any forebearance [1] for the benefit of the borrower including loan restructuring, which may be determined by the Secretary as justified by the failure of anticipated mineral development or related revenues to materialize as expected when the loan was made pursuant to this section.

(9) Recipients of loans made pursuant to this section shall keep such records as the Secretary shall prescribe by regulation, including records which fully disclose the disposition of the proceeds of such assistance and such other records as the Secretary may require to facilitate an effective audit. The Secretary and the Comptroller General of the United States or their duly authorized representatives shall have access, for the purpose of audit, to such records.

(10) No person in the United States shall, on the grounds of race, color, religion, national origin, or sex be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under, any program or activity funded in whole or part with funds made available under this section.

(11) All amounts collected in connection with loans made pursuant to this section, including interest payments or repayments of principal on loans, fees, and other moneys, derived in connection with this section, shall be deposited in the Treasury as miscellaneous receipts.

(Pub. L. 94–579, title III, § 317(c), Oct. 21, 1976, 90 Stat. 2771; Pub. L. 95–352, § 1(f), Aug. 20, 1978, 92 Stat. 515.)