NEW YORK (Standard&Poor's) Feb. 13, 2002—Standard&Poor's today lowered its ratings on three Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp.. LOC-backed municipal issues to triple-'B' from triple-'B'-plus (see list below). The ratings are also removed from CreditWatch Negative. The rating action follows the Feb. 5, 2002, downgrade of Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp.'s ratings to triple-'B'/'A-2' from triple-'B'-plus/'A-2' and its subsequent removal from CreditWatch Negative. Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp. Credit LOC-Backed Municipal Issues Issuer/Issue Amount($mil) Albuquerque, N.M. Street improvement, water, and sewer bonds subseries A-D 9.335 Broward County School Leasing Corp., Fla. Certificate of participation series 1989 18.425 Maine Health&Higher Educational Facilities Authority Taxable reserve fund resolution revenue bonds series 1993A 51.960