[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 202 (Wednesday, October 20, 2004)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 61609-61611]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-23477]


 ========================================================================
 Proposed Rules
                                                 Federal Register
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 
 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. 69, No. 202 / Wednesday, October 20, 2004 / 
Proposed Rules  

[[Page 61609]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Rural Utilities Service

7 CFR Part 1755


RUS Specification for Telecommunications Cable Splicing 
Connectors

AGENCY: Rural Utilities Service, USDA.

ACTION: Proposed rule.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Rural Utilities Service (RUS) an agency delivering the 
U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural Development Utilities Programs, 
proposes to amend its regulations on Telecommunications Standards and 
Specifications for Materials, Equipment, and Construction, by revising, 
renumbering, and renaming RUS Bulletin 345-54, ``RUS Specification for 
Telephone Cable Splicing Connectors, PE-52.'' The revised specification 
updates the relevant engineering and technical requirements for 
telecommunications splicing connectors including provisions for 
mechanical fiber-optic splicing connectors.

DATES: Written comments must be received by RUS or be postmarked no 
later than December 20, 2004.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by any of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online instructions for submitting 
comments.
     Agency Web site: http://www.usda.gov/rus/index2/Comments.htm. Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
     E-mail: [email protected]. Include in the subject line 
of the message ``Specification for Telecommunications Cable Splicing 
Connectors.''
     Mail: Addressed to Richard Annan, Acting Director, Program 
Development and Regulatory Analysis, Rural Utilities Service, U.S. 
Department of Agriculture, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW., STOP 1522, 
Washington, DC 20250-1522.
     Hand Delivery/Courier: Addressed to Richard Annan, Acting 
Director, Program Development and Regulatory Analysis, Rural Utilities 
Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW., 
Room 5168-S, Washington, DC 20250-1522.
    Instructions: All submissions received must include that agency 
name and the subject heading ``Specification for Telecommunications 
Cable Splicing Connectors''. All comments received must identify the 
name of the individual (and the name of the entity, if applicable) who 
is submitting the comment. All comments received will be posted without 
change to http://www.usda.gov/rus/index2/Comments.htm, including any 
personal information provided.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Norberto Esteves, Chief, Technical 
Support Branch, Advance Services Division, Rural Utilities Service, 
U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW., STOP 
1598, Washington, DC 20250-1598, telephone (202) 720-0699 or e-mail: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Executive Order 12866

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

Executive Order 12988

    This proposed rule has been reviewed under Executive Order 12988, 
Civil Justice Reform. RUS has determined that this proposed rule meets 
the applicable standards provided in section 3 of the 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 Sec.  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 proposed rule will not have a 
significant impact on a substantial number of small entities, as 
defined by the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.), and 
therefore, the Regulatory Flexibility Act does not apply to this rule. 
This proposed rule involves standards and specifications, which may 
increase the short-term direct costs to the RUS borrower. However, the 
long-term direct economic costs are reduced through greater durability 
and lower maintenance cost over time.

Information Collection and Recordkeeping Requirements

    The information collection and recordkeeping requirements contained 
in this proposed rule were approved by the Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB) pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 
Chapter 35, as amended) under control number 0572-0059.

National Environmental Policy Act Certification

    The Administrator of RUS 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 programs described by this proposed rule are listed in the 
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Programs under No. 10.851, Rural 
Telephone Loans and Loan Guarantees; No. 10.852, Rural Telephone Bank 
Loans, and No. 10.857, Rural Broadband Access 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. Telephone: (202) 512-1800.

Executive Order 12372

    This proposed 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) excludes RUS and RTB loans and loan 
guarantees, and RTB bank loans, to governmental and nongovernmental 
entities from coverage under this Order.

[[Page 61610]]

Unfunded Mandates

    This proposed rule contains no Federal mandates (under the 
regulatory provision of Title II of the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 
1995 (2 U.S.C. 1501 et seq.)) for State, local, and tribal governments 
or the private sector. Thus, this proposed rule is not subject to the 
requirements of sections 202 and 205 of the Unfunded Mandates Reform 
Act.

Executive Order 13132

    This proposed regulation will not have substantial direct effects 
on the States, on the relationship between the national government and 
the States, or on distribution of power and responsibilities among the 
various levels of government. Under Executive Order 13132, this 
proposed rule does not have sufficient federalism implications for 
which we would prepare a Federalism Assessment.

Background

    RUS regularly publishes and updates telecommunications 
``bulletins,'' which guide telecommunications borrowers through 
codified policies, procedures, and requirements for RUS grant, loan, 
and loan guarantee programs. Such bulletins contain, for example, 
standards and specifications for the construction of telecommunications 
facilities financed with RUS grants, loans, and/or loan guarantees. RUS 
herein proposes the revision, renumbering, and renaming of RUS Bulletin 
345-54 (PE-52), ``RUS Specification for Telephone Cable Splicing 
Connectors'' (hereinafter ``RUS Bulletin 3452-54'') in order to reflect 
recent technological changes and to conform to the existing numbering 
system of the agency. The proposed bulletin would become RUS Bulletin 
1755F-402 (PE-52), ``RUS Specification for Telecommunications Cable-
Splicing Connectors'' (hereinafter ``RUS Bulletin 1755F-402.'')
    At present, RUS Bulletin 345-54 contains certain mechanical and 
environmental requirements, desired design features, and test methods 
for the evaluation of copper cable-splicing connectors. The current 
specification, however, does not address the mechanical, electrical, 
and environmental reliability of ``fiber-optic'' splicing connectors, 
given that at the time the spec was written, no such technology 
existed. But because of technological advances in the production of 
such connectors over the past 25 years, and in the test methods of 
their functional reliability, the current specifications have become 
outdated. Recognizing the technological innovations in fiber-optic 
technology and that RUS borrowers provide telecommunications using 
fiber-optics, the current specification has been revised to allow RUS 
borrowers to take advantage of the improvements in connector production 
and in the test methods available for fiber-optic cable-splicing 
connectors. Specifically, proposed RUS Bulletin 1755F-402 includes end-
product performance requirements and test methods to evaluate the 
mechanical, electrical, and environmental reliability of fiber-optic 
splicing connectors designed for use with fiber-optic systems.
    On September 24, 1998, RUS had published a proposed rule in the 
Federal Register at 63 FR 51018 intending to rescind RUS Bulletin 345-
54, and to codify the revised specification at Sec.  1755.521 of this 
part instead. Comments to the proposed rule were due on November 23, 
1998. Only one comment, however, was received. The sole commenter 
recommended that RUS use the latest issuance of two American Society 
for Testing and Materials (ASTM) specifications referenced in the 
proposed rule; specifically asking that ASTM G 21-90 be changed to ASTM 
G 21-96 (Standard Practice for Determining Resistance of Synthetic 
Polymeric Materials to Fungi), and that ASTM A 276-91a be changed to 
ASTM A 276-98a (Standard Specification for Stainless Steel Bars and 
Shapes). RUS agreed with that recommendation and made the applicable 
changes to the ASTM standards referenced by the commenter. However, in 
response to those ASTM changes, as well as other changes made to the 
specification since the last comment period, RUS has decided to revise, 
renumber, and rename RUS Bulletin 345-54, instead of codifying the 
changes into Sec.  1755.521 of this part as intended in 1998. As such, 
RUS has decided to republish proposed RUS Bulletin 1755F-402 to allow 
interested parties to comment on the subsequent changes that were made.

List of Subjects in 7 CFR Part 1755

    Loan programs-telecommunications, Reporting and recordkeeping 
requirement, Rural areas, Telecommunications.

    For reasons set out in the preamble, RUS proposes to amend Chapter 
XVII of Title 7 of the Code of Federal Regulations to read 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.
    2. Section 1755.97 is amended by removing the entry ``RUS Bulletin 
345-54'' from the table and adding, in numerical order, the new entry 
``1755F-402'' to read as follows:


Sec.  1755.97  Incorporation by reference of telecommunications 
standards and specifications.

* * * * *

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                          Title of standard or
         RUS bulletin No.             Specification No.         Date last issued             specification
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
                                                  * * * * * * *
1755-402..........................  PE-52................  [Effective date of final    RUS specification for
                                                            rule].                      telecommunications
                                                                                        splicing connectors.
 
                                                  * * * * * * *
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[[Page 61611]]

    Dated: October 1, 2004.
Hilda Gay Legg,
Administrator, Rural Utilities Service.
[FR Doc. 04-23477 Filed 10-19-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-15-P