[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 3 (Thursday, January 5, 1995)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 1758-1759]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-246]



 ========================================================================
 Proposed Rules
                                                 Federal Register
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains notices to the public of 
 the proposed issuance of rules and regulations. The purpose of these 
 notices is to give interested persons an opportunity to participate in 
 the rule making prior to the adoption of the final rules.
 
 ========================================================================
 

  Federal Register / Vol. 60, No. 3 / Thursday, January 5, 1995 / 
Proposed Rules  
[[Page 1758]]

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Rural Utilities Service

7 CFR Part 1755

RIN 0572-AA66


Telephone Program Regulations

AGENCY: Rural Utilities Service, USDA.

ACTION: Proposed rule.

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SUMMARY: The Rural Utilities Service (RUS) proposes to amend its 
regulations on Telecommunications Standards and Specifications for 
Materials, Equipment and Construction, by rescinding a number of 
outdated bulletins. These bulletins are incorporated by reference in 
RUS telecommunications regulations and thus are regulatory in nature. 
Therefore, RUS is requesting public comments on this proposed 
rescission.

DATES: Comments concerning this proposed rule must be received by RUS, 
or postmarked no later than February 6, 1995.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be mailed to Director, Telecommunications 
Standards Division, Rural Utilities Service, room 2835, South Building, 
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, DC 20250-1500. RUS requests 
an original and three copies of all comments (7 CFR part 1700). All 
comments received will be made available for public inspection at room 
2835, South Building, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, DC 
20250-1500 between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. (7 CFR 1.27(b)).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Richard J. Peterson, Assistant 
Director, Telecommunications Standards Division, Rural Utilities 
Service, room 2835, South Building, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 
Washington, DC 20250-1500, telephone number (202) 720-8663. Copies of 
individual bulletins are available from the Publications Branch, Rural 
Utilities Service, room 0180, South Building, U.S. Department of 
Agriculture, Washington, DC 20250-1500, telephone number (202) 720-
8674.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Executive Order 12866

    This proposed rule has been determined to be not significant and 
therefore has not been reviewed by the Office of Management and Budget.

Executive Order 12778

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

Regulatory Flexibility Act Certification

    The Administrator of RUS has determined that this proposed 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 proposed rule streamlines and updates RUS 
requirements for telephone borrowers by rescinding obsolete standards 
and specifications. Borrowers unable to use products meeting only the 
specifications being eliminated may experience increased short-term 
costs. However, RUS believes that borrowers will benefit from reduced 
overall costs due to the greater durability and lower maintenance costs 
over time. These bulletins no longer meet industry standards.

Information Collection and Recordkeeping Requirements

    This proposed rule contains no information collection or 
recordkeeping requirements under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1980 
(Pub. L. 96-511).

National Environmental Policy Act Certification

    The Administrator has determined that this proposed 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.

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance

    The program described by this proposed rule is listed in the 
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Programs under number 10.851, 
Rural Telephone Loans and Loan Guarantees, and 10.582, Rural Telephone 
Bank Loans. This catalog is available on a subscription basis from the 
Superintendent of Documents, the United States Government Printing 
Office, Washington, DC 20402.

Executive Order 12372

    This proposed 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 
entitled 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 terms ``RUS bulletin'' and ``RUS standards and specifications'' 
have the same meaning as the term ``REA bulletin'' and ``REA standards 
and specifications'', unless otherwise indicated. RUS issues 
publications titled ``bulletins'' which serve to guide borrowers 
regarding already codified policy, procedures, and requirements needed 
to manage loans, loan guarantee programs, and the security instruments 
which provide for and secure RUS financing. RUS issues standards and 
specifications for the construction of telephone facilities financed 
with RUS loan funds. After review of RUS's bulletin and specification 
issuances, RUS has decided to propose to rescind the outdated RUS 
bulletins listed below. RUS felt rescission was the best option for 
these bulletins and welcomes public comment. These bulletins are 
incorporated by reference at 7 CFR 1755.97.

                                                                        
[[Page 1759]]                                                           
                                                      List of RUS Bulletins Proposed for Rescission                                                     
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         RUS bulletin No.           Specification No.   Date last issued                         Title of standard or specification                     
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345-13...........................  PE-22.............  Jan. 1983.........  RUS Specification for Aerial and Underground Telephone Cable.                
345-29...........................  PE-38.............  Feb. 1982.........  RUS Specification for Self-Supporting Cable.                                 
345-75...........................  PE-65.............  Jan. 1977.........  RUS Specification for Electronic Trunk Circuits.                             
345-168..........................  Form 538..........  Oct. 1977.........  RUS Specification for Equipment for Direct Distance Dialing.                 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    RUS Bulletins 345-13, RUS Specification for Aerial and Underground 
Telephone Cable, PE-22 and 345-29, RUS Specification for Self-
Supporting Cable, PE-38 specify the technical requirements for air core 
cables that are primarily used in aerial plant installations. With the 
development of filled cables having 80 degree Centigrade filling 
compounds, filled cables, which are primarily used for direct buried 
and underground plant installations, can now be used for aerial plant 
installations. Since filled cables provide greater service reliability 
than air core cables, filled cables for aerial plant installations have 
increased on RUS borrower construction projects. This increasing use of 
filled cables for aerial installations has resulted in a decline of air 
core cables for aerial plant construction projects. Since the use of 
air core cables in aerial plant construction is declining on RUS 
borrower projects, RUS is rescinding both bulletins because of 
obsolescence. RUS borrowers may refer to 7 CFR 1755.390, RUS 
Specification for Filled Telephone Cables, and/or 7 CFR 1755.890, RUS 
Specification for Filled Telephone Cables With Expanded Insulation, for 
further information on filled cables.
    RUS Bulletin 345-75, RUS Specification for Electronic Trunk 
Circuits, PE-65, is proposed for rescission because RUS trunk circuits 
are now digitally derived making RUS Bulletin 345-75 obsolete.
    RUS Bulletin 345-168, RUS Specification for Equipment for Direct 
Distance Dialing, Form 538, specified the technical requirements for 
equipment use in direct distance dialing. Since the equipment 
requirements for direct distance dialing are now specified in RUS 7 CFR 
1755.522, RUS General Specification for Digital, Stored Program 
Controlled Central Office Equipment, RUS Bulletin 345-168 is no longer 
required therefore making the document obsolete.

List of Subjects in 7 CFR Part 1755

    Incorporation by reference, Loan programs--communications, Rural 
areas, Telephone.

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

PART 1755--TELECOMMUNICATIONS STANDARDS AND SPECIFICATIONS FOR 
MATERIAL, 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.


Sec. 1755.97  [Amended]

    2. Section 1755.97 is amended by removing the entries listed below 
from the table:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
         RUS bulletin No.           Specification No.   Date last issued                         Title of standard or specification                     
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                                                                        
                   *                  *                  *                  *                  *                  *                  *                  
345-13...........................  PE-22.............  Jan. 1983.........  RUS Specification for Aerial and Underground Telephone Cable.                
                                                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                                        
                   *                  *                  *                  *                  *                  *                  *                  
345-29...........................  PE-38.............  Feb. 1982.........  RUS Specification for Self-Supporting Cable.                                 
                                                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                                        
                   *                  *                  *                  *                  *                  *                  *                  
345-75...........................  PE-65.............  Jan. 1977.........  RUS Specification for Electronic Trunk Circuits.                             
                                                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                                        
                   *                  *                  *                  *                  *                  *                  *                  
345-168..........................  Form 538..........  Jan. 1977.........  RUS Specification for Equipment for Direct Distance Dialing.                 
                                                                                                                                                        
                   *                  *                  *                  *                  *                  *                  *                  
                                                                                                                                                        
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    Dated: 12-6-94.
Bob J. Nash,
Under Secretary, Rural Economic and Community Development.
[FR Doc. 95-246 Filed 1-4-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-15-P