[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 46 (Tuesday, March 10, 1998)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 11589-11591]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-5942]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Rural Utilities Service

7 CFR Part 1728


Electric Transmission Specifications and Drawings (34.5 kV to 69 
kV and 115 kV to 230 kV) for Use on RUS Financed Electric Systems

AGENCY: Rural Utilities Service, USDA.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: The Rural Utilities Service (RUS) is amending its regulations 
by revising RUS Bulletin 50-2, Transmission Specifications and Drawings 
34.5 kV to 69 kV and Bulletin 50-1, Electric Transmission 
Specifications and Drawings 115 kV to 230 kV. These bulletins have been 
renumbered to Bulletin 1728F-810 and Bulletin 1728F-811 respectively. 
These specifications and drawings are incorporated by reference in the 
CFR. RUS made changes to improve and clarify the bulletins. RUS 
borrowers and other users of RUS electric transmission line 
specifications suggested corrections to several drawings. RUS and RUS 
borrowers have also suggested modifications to clarify and modify some 
of the drawings. RUS also reformatted these bulletins in accordance 
with RUS's publications and directives system.

EFFECTIVE DATE: April 9, 1998.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Donald G. Heald, Transmission 
Engineer, Electric Staff Division, Rural Utilities Service, Room 1246-
S, STOP 1569, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20250-1569. 
Telephone (202) 720-9102.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Executive Order 12372

    This rule is excluded from the scope of Executive Order 12372, 
Intergovernmental Consultation, which may require consultation with 
State and local officials. A Final Rule-related notice entitled, 
``Department Programs and Activities Excluded from Executive Order 
12372,'' (50 FR 47034) exempted RUS loans and loan guarantees from 
coverage under this order.

Executive Order 12866

    This rule has been determined to be not significant for purposes of 
Executive Order 12866 and therefore has not been reviewed by OMB.

Executive Order 12778

    This rule has been reviewed under Executive Order 12778, Civil 
Justice Reform. RUS has determined that this rule meets the applicable 
standards provided in sec. 3. of the Executive Order.

Regulatory Flexibility Act Certification

    The Administrator of RUS has determined that a rule relating to the 
RUS electric loan program is not a rule as defined in the Regulatory 
Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.) and, therefore, the Regulatory 
Flexibility Act does not apply to this final rule.

Information Collection and Recordkeeping Requirements

    This rule contains no reporting or recordkeeping provisions 
requiring Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval under the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. chapter 35.)

National Environmental Policy Act Certification

    The Administrator of RUS has determined that this 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 10.850, 
Rural Electrification Loans and Loan Guarantees. This catalog is 
available on a subscription basis from the Superintendent of Documents, 
United States Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402-9325.

Unfunded Mandates

    This rule contains no Federal mandates (under the regulatory 
provision of Title II of the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act) for State, 
local, and tribal governments or the private sector. Thus, this rule is 
not subject to the requirements of section 202 and 205 of the Unfunded 
Mandates Reform Act.

Background

    RUS amends 7 CFR chapter XVII, part 1728, Electric Standards and 
Specifications for Materials and Construction, by revising RUS Bulletin 
50-1, Electric Transmission Specifications and Drawings, 115 kV to 230 
kV, and RUS Bulletin 50-2, Electric Transmission Specifications and 
Drawings, 34.5 kV to 69 kV, and renumbering them as Bulletins 1728F-811 
and 1728F-810, respectively.

[[Page 11590]]

    The Rural Utilities Service (RUS) maintains bulletins that contain 
construction standards and specifications for materials and equipment. 
In accordance with the RUS standard form of loan documents, these 
standards and specifications apply to systems constructed by RUS 
electric and telecommunications borrowers, and contain standard 
construction units, material, and equipment units used on RUS electric 
and telephone borrowers' systems. Bulletins 50-1 and 50-2 establish 
standard overhead electric transmission construction drawings and 
specifications for wood pole structures and assemblies for use by RUS 
borrowers on electric systems.
    RUS changes the bulletin numbers from Bulletins 50-1 and 50-2 to 
Bulletins 1728F-811 and 1728F-810, respectively. The changes in the 
bulletin number and reformatting of the specifications were necessary 
to conform to RUS' publications and directives system. In addition, 
certain changes were made to clarify the drawings and specifications. 
Changes were made for some of the drawings that appear in the current 
bulletins. These drawing changes are summarized below. If no changes 
were made to the drawings, the unchanged drawings remain the same as in 
the current bulletin except that the final rule effective date will be 
added for publication and verification purposes. The final rule 
effective date will also be added to the drawings for which changes 
were made.
    Copies of the bulletins will be available for purchase from 
Superintendent of Documents, P.O. Box 371954, Pittsburgh, PA 15250-
7954, telephone (202) 512-1800.
    Corrections were made to Crossarm Drilling Drawings TCD-11, TCD-15, 
TCD-20 and TCD-32 of bulletins formerly designated as Bulletin 50-2 and 
50-1, renumbered as Bulletins 1728F-810 and 1728F-811. Several 
dimensions which are used to drill the crossarms were corrected on 
crossarm drilling drawings. Crossarm types 81 and 83 (5\1/8\'' x 7\1/
2\'') are eliminated on drawing TCD-40, since laminated arms are 
readily available in standard 9\3/8\'' x 3\5/8\'' sizes.
    Drawing TG-15 and TG-45 were revised to show the minimum thickness 
and width of the guying plate. Drawing TG-16 and TG-46 were revised to 
a better ground the connection between the guy wire and the pole ground 
wire. On drawing TG-17, a guying plate is added to TG-17D where the 
insulators attach to the pole and anchor shackles have been added to 
TG-17E. The anchor shackles are necessary to permit the attachment of 
light duty guy assemblies to the double eye pole eye plate. The 
capacity of the swing angle bracket shown on drawing TG-18 is being 
clarified to show both allowable and ultimate capacities. Washers are 
being added on the clevis side of the clevis bolts. These washers will 
provide a bearing surface when tightening the nut to the clevis bolt. 
The dimensions of the connecting links to the pole bands were removed 
from drawing TG-26, Guy Attachments (Pole Bands) and TG-46, Pole Tie 
Assemblies (Pole Bands). The size of the link depends on the strength 
of the metal used by different manufacturers.
    Drawings TG-28 and TG-29, Bracket and Guy Attachment, were revised 
to show minimum sizes for the bracket and to clarify the notes by 
adding an allowable vertical load and defining the ultimate load to be 
compatible with the TH-10 series structures and TG-29. Antisplit bolts 
were added to drawings TG-35D and TG-35E, Heavy Duty Guying Ties. 
Several notes have been added to TG-36, Heavy Duty Pole Bands, so that 
problems associated with improper use of this unit are avoided. Since 
there are no suppliers for heavy duty pole eye plates, drawing TG-37 is 
eliminated. The pole tie assemblies shown in drawing TG-47 are modified 
to be similar to TG-45.
    Units TM-1B and TM-2B of drawings TM-1 and TM-2, Insulator Assembly 
Units, were modified in both bulletins to require the use of a Y-clevis 
ball instead of the anchor shackle and oval eye ball. The use of a Y-
clevis ball will provide savings to the RUS borrower. It is a standard 
hardware item that has been used frequently on steel and concrete pole 
construction.
    The Pole Stablility, Bearing, and Uplift Foundations drawings (TM-
101, 102, 103) were revised to eliminate the compacted backfill below 
the pole for TM-101 unit, to eliminate unit TM-102B, and to add a note 
to the engineer on TM-103. All three drawings show the backfill at 
ground level in a more realistic manner. The reason for the proposed 
elimination of unit TM-102B is the difficulty in compacting the soil 
below the top pair of pole bearing plates. The crossarm splice (TM-
114A) was eliminated since laminated arms are readily available. Note 4 
to Drawing TM-111 was revised for clarification. Drawing TM-115, Steel 
Upswept Arm Assembly, was revised to show Table 1, Required Dimensions 
and Swing Angle Clearances. A dimension for the 50,000 pound anchor 
shackle has been corrected on Drawing TM-120, Hardware.
    RUS eliminated the higher capacity log anchors (TA-3L, 3LC, 5L, and 
5LC) from the log anchor drawings of both bulletins. The size of the 
washer required in these construction units limits the safety factor 
below those designated for other assemblies. The other log anchor units 
remain in both bulletins (TA-2L and TA-4L). On these drawings, as well 
as drawing TA-2P, average soil is redefined as class 5 soil to be 
consistent with other RUS publications.
    The modification to existing drawings TA-1S through TA-24S, Anchors 
(Power Screw), in both bulletins was suggested by RUS borrowers and 
their consulting engineers. This revision simplifies defining unit 
costs for screw anchors. Screw anchor units will be composed of the 
basic helix section with a 5-foot extension . A bid unit will cover the 
number of extensions. The new drawing is designated TA-2H to 4H.
    Corrections to the list of materials for the TSS-9 structure in 
Bulletin 1728f-810 shows a 12'-0'' arm for the lower crossarm instead 
of 9'-0'' arm. The pole ground wire was relocated on the TS-1B, TS-1BX, 
TS-1C, TSZ-115B, TSZ-138B, TS-115B, and TS-138B in order to improve the 
BIL (Basic Impulse Insulation Level) of the structure.
    Drawings TPF-40 and TPF-50 were revised to reflect the option of 
using adjustable spacers with gained poles. A corresponding change is 
included in the list of options in the construction specifications.
    On November 8, 1996, RUS published a proposed rule (61 Fed. Reg. 
57788) to revise its specifications and drawings for 34.5 kV to 230 kV 
transmission lines. Comments on this proposed rule were due January 7, 
1997. No comments were received.

List of Subjects in 7 CFR Part 1728

    Electric power, Incorporation by reference, Loan programs--energy, 
Rural areas.
    For the reasons set out in the preamble, RUS amends 7 CFR 1728 as 
follows:

PART 1728--ELECTRIC STANDARDS AND SPECIFICATIONS FOR MATERIALS AND 
CONSTRUCTION

    1. The authority citation for part 1728 is revised to read as 
follows:

    Authority: 7 U.S.C. 901 et seq., 1921 et seq., 6941 et seq.

    2. Section 1728.97, (b) is amended by removing the entries for 
Bulletin 50-1 and 50-2, adding to the list of bulletins in numerical 
order the entries for

[[Page 11591]]

Bulletins 1728F-811 and 1728F-810, respectively, as follows:


Sec. 1728.97  Incorporation by reference of electric standards and 
specifications.

* * * * *
    (b) List of Bulletins.
* * * * *
    Bulletin 1728F-810, Electric Transmission Specifications and 
Drawings, 34.5 kV to 69 kV (3-98).
    Bulletin 1728F-811, Electric Transmission Specifications and 
Drawings, 115 kV to 230 kV (3-98).

    Dated: February 27, 1998.
Jill Long Thompson,
Under Secretary, Rural Development.
[FR Doc. 98-5942 Filed 3-9-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-15-M