Hopefully we’ll get some FDIC banks to chime in, but until then I’ll give it a shot…
I think it certainly is a good possibility. The FRB of Philidelphia issued a publication a few years ago that gives an example of municiple bonds which were used to support local infrastructure part of which included local utilities. It’s available here on p. 18: https://www.philadelphiafed.org/-/media/egmp/images/publications/banks-community-reinvestment-act-opportunities/banks-community-reinvestment-act-opportunities.pdf.
And the Interagency Questions and Answers discusses qualified investments… you’ll find what I think is applicable content on p. 11: https://www.fdic.gov/resources/supervision-and-examinations/consumer-compliance-examination-manual/documents/11/xi-12-1.pdf. See below.
” __.12(t) – 2: Are mortgage-backed securities or
municipal bonds “qualified investments”?
A2. As a general rule, mortgage-backed securities
and municipal bonds are not qualified investments because
they do not have as their primary purpose community
development, as defined in the CRA regulations. Nonetheless,
mortgage-backed securities or municipal bonds designed
primarily to finance community development generally are
qualified investments. Municipal bonds or other securities
with a primary purpose of community development need not
be housing-related. For example, a bond to fund a community
facility or park or to provide sewage services as part of a plan
to redevelop a low-income neighborhood is a qualified
investment.“