[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 214 (Monday, November 6, 1995)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 55991-55992]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-27394]



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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Rural Utilities Service

7 CFR Part 1755


Telecommunications Program Regulations

AGENCY: Rural Utilities Service, USDA.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: The Rural Utilities Service (RUS) amends 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Equipment and Construction, by rescinding a number of outdated 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.

EFFECTIVE DATE: December 6, 1995.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Richard J. Peterson, Deputy 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.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Executive Order 12866

    This final 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 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 proceedings 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 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 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 final 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 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.

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance

    The program described by this final 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 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 
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

    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 rescind the outdated 
RUS bulletins listed below. These bulletins are incorporated by 
reference at 7 CFR 1755.97.

                                      List of RUS Bulletins for Rescission                                      
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                          Title of standard or  
         RUS bulletin No.              Specification No.          Date last issued            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.................  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 

[[Page 55992]]
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 Bulletin 345-75, RUS Specification for Electronic Trunk 
Circuits, PE-65, is being rescinded 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.

Comments

    On January 5, 1995, RUS published a proposed rule (60 FR 1758) to 
rescind RUS Bulletin 345-13, RUS Specification for Aerial and 
Underground Telephone Cable, PE-22; RUS Bulletin 345-29, RUS 
Specification for Self-Supporting Cable, PE-38; RUS Bulletin 345-75, 
RUS Specification for Electronic Trunk Circuits, PE-65; and RUS 
Bulletin 345-168, RUS Specification for Equipment for Direct Distance 
Dialing, Form 538, because of obsolescence. Comments on this proposed 
rule were due by February 6, 1995. Comments and recommendations were 
received from four organizations by this due date. The comments, 
recommendations, and responses are summarized as follows:
    All four organizations commented that they agreed with RUS's 
decision to rescind all four of the outdated bulletins.
    Response: Since all four organizations agreed with RUS's decision 
to rescind the outdated bulletins, RUS will rescind the outdated 
bulletins.

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 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 (7 U.S.C. 6941 et seq.).


Sec. 1755.97  [Amended]

    2. Section 1755.97 is amended by removing from the table the 
entries for bulletins 345-13, 345-29, 345-75, and 345-168.

    Dated: October 30, 1995.
Jill Long Thompson,
Under Secretary, Rural Economic and Community Development.
[FR Doc. 95-27394 Filed 11-3-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-15-P