[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 33 (Wednesday, February 19, 2003)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 7897-7898]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-3746]



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 Rules and Regulations
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  Federal Register / Vol. 68, No. 33 / Wednesday, February 19, 2003 / 
Rules and Regulations  

[[Page 7897]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Rural Utilities Service

7 CFR Part 1755


RUS Specification for Voice Frequency Loading Coils

AGENCY: Rural Utilities Service, USDA.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: The Rural Utilities Service (RUS) hereby amends its 
regulations on Telecommunications Standards and Specifications for 
Materials, Equipment and Construction, by rescinding the current issue 
of RUS Bulletin 345-22, RUS Specification for Voice Frequency Loading 
Coils, PE-26. This specification has become outdated because of 
advancements made in the delivery of telecommunications services to 
rural subscribers.

DATES: Effective date: March 21, 2003.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Charlie I. Harper, Jr., Chief, Outside 
Plant Branch, Telecommunications Standards Division, Rural Utilities 
Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW., 
STOP 1598, Washington, DC 20250-1598, telephone (202) 720-0667.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Executive Order 12866

    This final rule is exempt from the Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB) review for the purposes of Executive Order 12866 and, therefore 
has not been reviewed by OMB.

Executive Order 12988

    This final rule has been reviewed under Executive Order 12988, 
Civil Justice Reform. RUS has determined that this final rule meets the 
applicable standards provided in section 3 of that Executive Order. In 
addition, all State and local laws and regulations that are in conflict 
with this rule will be preempted, no retroactive effect will be given 
to this rule, and, in accordance with section 212(e) of the Department 
of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994 (7 U.S.C. 6912(e)), 
administrative appeal procedures, if any, must be exhausted before an 
action against the Department or its agencies may be initiated.

Regulatory Flexibility Act Certification

    RUS has determined that this rule will not have a significant 
economic impact on a substantial number of small entities, as defined 
in the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.). Loan 
documents between RUS and its telecommunications borrowers require 
borrowers to comply with certain standards and specifications for the 
construction of telecommunications facilities financed with RUS loan 
funds. This rule rescinds the requirements that borrowers comply with 
an outdated RUS Specification for Voice Frequency Loading Coils. This 
rule relieves borrowers of a requirement that no longer represents best 
practices in the telecommunications industry and consequently will not 
have a significant impact on the affected entities.

Information Collection and Recordkeeping Requirements

    This final rule contains no information collection or recordkeeping 
requirements 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 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 No. 10.851, Rural 
Telephone Loans and Loan Guarantees, and No. 10.852, 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 20402-9325. Telephone (202) 512-1800.

Executive Order 12372

    This final rule is excluded from the scope of Executive Order 
12372, Intergovernmental Consultation, which may require consultation 
with State and local officials. See the final rule related notice 
entitled, ``Department Programs and Activities Excluded from Executive 
Order 12372,'' (50 FR 47034) advising that RUS loans and loan 
guarantees were not covered by Executive Order 12372.

Unfunded Mandates

    This final 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 final 
rule is not subject to the requirements of section 202 and 205 of the 
Unfunded Mandates Reform Act.

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 construction of 
telecommunications facilities financed with RUS loan funds. After 
review of RUS's bulletin and specification issuances, RUS has decided 
to rescind the outdated RUS Bulletin 345-22, RUS Specification for 
Voice Frequency Loading Coils, PE-26, issued January 19, 1989. This 
bulletin is incorporated by reference at 7 CFR 1755.97.
    RUS Bulletin 345-22, RUS Specification for Voice Frequency Loading 
Coils, PE-26, specifies the technical requirements for voice frequency 
loading coils that are used in aerial, direct burial, and underground 
plant installations. Since RUS borrowers are designing and constructing 
new plant facilities capable of handling both voice and data 
transmission which require that loop lengths be shorter than 18,000 
feet, the installation of voice frequency loading coils in these new 
transmission facilities using these shorter loop lengths is no longer 
required.
    Therefore RUS is rescinding this bulletin because of obsolescence.

[[Page 7898]]

    On January 31, 2002, RUS published a proposed rule (67 FR 4679) to 
rescind RUS Bulletin 345-22, RUS Specification for Voice Frequency 
Loading Coils, PE-26, because of obsolescence. Comments on this 
proposed rule were due by April 1, 2002. One comment was received by 
this due date. The commenter agreed with RUS that the bulletin should 
be rescinded because of obsolescence. Since the commenter agreed with 
RUS, RUS will rescind RUS Bulletin 345-22, RUS Specification for Voice 
Frequency Loading Coils, PE-26.

List of Subjects in 7 CFR Part 1755

    Loan programs--communications, Reporting and recordkeeping 
requirements, 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., 6941 et seq.


Sec.  1755.97  [Amended]

    2. Section 1755.97 is amended by removing the entry ``RUS Bulletin 
No. 345-22'' from the table.

    Dated: January 3, 2003.
Hilda Gay Legg,
Administrator, Rural Utilities Service.
[FR Doc. 03-3746 Filed 2-18-03; 8:45 am]
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