[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 3 (Thursday, January 5, 1995)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 1711-1712]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-244]



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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
7 CFR Part 1755


Telephone Standards and Specifications

AGENCY: Rural Utilities Service, USDA.

ACTION: Final rule; technical amendment.

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SUMMARY: The Rural Utilities Service (RUS) is amending its list of 
codified regulations on telecommunications standards and specifications 
for materials, equipment and construction to add new entries in order 
to bring it up to date.

EFFECTIVE DATE: January 5, 1995.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: F. Lamont Heppe, Jr., Deputy Director, 
Program Support Staff, Rural Utilities Service, room 2234, South 
Building, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, DC 20250-1500, 
telephone number (202) 720-0380.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Executive Order 12866

    This final rule has been determined to be not significant for the 
purposes of Executive Order 12866 and therefore has not been reviewed 
by the Office of Management and Budget.

Executive Order 12778

    This final rule has been reviewed under Executive Order 12778, 
Civil Justice Reform. If adopted, this final rule will not: (1) Preempt 
any State or local laws, regulations, or policies; (2) have any 
retroactive effect; and (3) require administrative proceeding before 
parties may file suit challenging the provisions of this rule.

Regulatory Flexibility Act Certification

    The Administrator of RUS has determined that this final rule will 
not have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small 
entities, as defined by the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601 et 
seq.). This final rule simply involves telephone standards and 
specifications already codified and determined not to have a 
significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities.

Information Collection and Recordkeeping Requirements

    In compliance with the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 
regulations (5 CFR part 1320) which implements the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1980 (Pub. L. 96-511) and section 3504 of that Act, there are no 
information collection and recordkeeping requirements contained in this 
final rule.

National Environmental Policy Act Certification

    The Administrator of RUS has determined that this final rule will 
not significantly affect the quality of the human environment as 
defined by the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 
4321 et seq.). Therefore, this action does not require an environmental 
impact statement or assessment.

Executive Order 12372

    This final rule is excluded from the scope of Executive Order 
12372, Intergovernmental Consultation, that requires intergovernmental 
consultation with state and local officials. A Notice of Final rule 
titled Department Programs and Activities Excluded from Executive Order 
12372 (50 FR 47034) exempts RUS and RTB loans and loan guarantees, and 
RTB bank loans, to governmental and nongovernmental entities from 
coverage under this Order.

Background

    Pursuant to the Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 
1994 (Pub. L. 103-354, 108 Stat. 3178), the United States Secretary of 
Agriculture simultaneously abolished the Rural Electrification 
Administration (REA) and established the Rural Utilities Service (RUS). 
The term ``RUS standards and specifications'', has the same meaning as 
the term ``REA standards and specifications'', unless otherwise 
indicated. RUS issues standards and specifications for construction of 
telephone facilities financed with RUS loan funds. In this document, 
RUS is setting out for the public for informational purposes the 
currently completed list of codified specifications. Due to the nature 
of this document and the Administrative Procedure Act, this action is 
being published as a final rule and is effective date of publication.

List of Subjects in 7 CFR Part 1755

    Loan programs--communications, Rural areas, Telephone.

    For reasons set out in the preamble, RUS amends Chapter XVII of 
title 7 of the Code of Federal Regulations as follows:

PART 1755--TELECOMMUNICATIONS STANDARDS AND SPECIFICATIONS FOR 
MATERIALS, EQUIPMENT AND CONSTRUCTION

    1. The authority citation for part 1755 continues to read as 
follows:

    Authority: 7 U.S.C. 901 et seq.; 1921 et seq.; Pub. L. 103-354, 
108 Stat. 3178.

    [[Page 1712]] 2. Section 1755.98 is amended by adding in numerical 
order new entries to the table to read as follows:


Sec. 1755.98  List of telephone standards and specifications included 
in other 7 CFR parts.

* * * * *

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                 Issue                                                  
   Section        date                         Title                    
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                        
                  *        *        *        *        *                 
1755.390.....    6-21-93  RUS Specification for Filled Telephone Cables.
                                                                        
                                                                        
                  *        *        *        *        *                 
1755.522.....    6-28-93  RUS General Specification for Digital, Stored 
                           Program Controlled Central Office Equipment. 
1755.525.....    7-18-94  RUS Form 525, Central Office Equipment        
                           Contract (Including Installation).           
1755.860.....   12-20-93  RUS Specification for Filled Buried Wires.    
1755.870.....    7-14-94  RUS Specification for Terminating Cables.     
1755.890.....    6-21-93  RUS Specification for Filled Telephone Cables 
                           with Expanded Insulation.                    
1755.900.....     8-4-94  RUS Specification for Filled Fiber Optic      
                           Cables.                                      
                                                                        
                                                                        
                  *        *        *        *        *                 
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    Dated: December 6, 1994.
Bob J. Nash,
Under Secretary, Rural Economic and Community Development.
[FR Doc. 95-244 Filed 1-4-95; 8:45 am]
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