As used in this part:

    (a) “Assistance” means 1 or more of the following activities to the extent authorized by the federal water pollution control act:

    (i) Provision of loans to municipalities for construction of sewage treatment works projects, stormwater management projects, or nonpoint source projects.

    (ii) Project refinancing assistance.

    (iii) The guarantee or purchase of insurance for local obligations, if the guarantee or purchase action would improve credit market access or reduce interest rates.

    (iv) Use of the proceeds of the fund as a source of revenue or security for the payment of principal and interest on revenue or general obligation bonds issued by this state, if the proceeds of the sale of the bonds will be deposited into the fund.

    (v) Provision of loan guarantees for similar revolving funds established by municipalities.

    (vi) The use of deposited funds to earn interest on fund accounts.

    (vii) Provision for reasonable costs of administering and conducting activities under title VI of the federal water pollution control act, 33 USC 1381 to 1389.

    (b) “Authority” means the Michigan municipal bond authority created in the shared credit rating act, 1985 PA 227, MCL 141.1051 to 141.1076.

    (c) “Capitalization grant” means the federal grant made to this state by the United States Environmental Protection Agency for the purpose of establishing a state water pollution control revolving fund, as provided in title VI of the federal water pollution control act, 33 USC 1381 to 1389.

    (d) “Construction activities” means an action undertaken to plan, design, or build sewage treatment works projects, stormwater management projects, or nonpoint source projects. Construction activities include, but are not limited to, all of the following:

    (i) Project planning services.

    (ii) Engineering services.

    (iii) Legal services.

    (iv) Financial services.

    (v) Design of plans and specifications.

    (vi) Acquisition of land or structural components, or both.

    (vii) Building, erection, alteration, remodeling, or extension of any of the following:

    (A) A sewage treatment works.

    (B) Projects designed to control nonpoint source pollution, consistent with section 319 of the federal water pollution control act, 33 USC 1329.

    (C) A stormwater management project.

    (viii) Reasonable expenses of supervision of the project activities described in subparagraphs (i) to (vii).

    (e) “Federal water pollution control act” means 33 USC 1251 to 1389.

    (f) “Fund” means the state water pollution control revolving fund established under section 16a of the shared credit rating act, 1985 PA 227, MCL 141.1066a.

    (g) “Fundable range” means those projects, taken in descending order on the priority lists, for which sufficient funds are estimated by the department to exist to provide assistance at the beginning of each annual funding cycle.

    (h) “Municipality” means a city, village, county, township, authority, or other public body, including either of the following:

    (i) An intermunicipal agency of 2 or more municipalities, authorized or created under state law.

    (ii) An Indian tribe that has jurisdiction over construction and operation of sewage treatment works or other projects qualifying under section 319 of the federal water pollution control act, 33 USC 1329.

    (i) “Nonpoint source project” means construction activities designed to reduce nonpoint source pollution consistent with the state nonpoint source management plan under section 319 of the federal water pollution control act, 33 USC 1329.

    (j) “Priority list” means the annual ranked listing of projects developed by the department in section 5303.

    (k) “Project” means a sewage treatment works project, stormwater management project, or nonpoint source project, or a combination of these and may include utilization of more efficient energy and resources as described in any of the following:

    (i) The cost-effective governmental energy use act, 2012 PA 625, MCL 18.1711 to 18.1725.

    (ii) Section 11c of 1851 PA 156, MCL 46.11c.

    (iii) Section 75b of 1846 RS 16, MCL 41.75b.

    (iv) Section 5f of the home rule city act, 1909 PA 279, MCL 117.5f.

    (v) Section 24b of the home rule village act, 1909 PA 278, MCL 78.24b.

    (vi) Section 36 of the general law village act, 1895 PA 3, MCL 68.36.

    (l) “Project refinancing assistance” means buying or refinancing the debt obligations of municipalities within this state if construction activities commenced after March 7, 1985 and the debt obligation was incurred after March 7, 1985.

    (m) “Sewage treatment works project” means construction activities on any device or system for the treatment, storage, collection, conveyance, recycling, or reclamation of the sewage of a municipality, including combined sewer overflow correction and major rehabilitation of sewers.

    (n) “Stormwater management project” means construction activities of a municipality on any device or system for the treatment, storage, recycling, or reclamation of storm water that is conveyed by a storm sewer that is separate from a sanitary sewer.