[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 232 (Monday, December 4, 2006)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 70275]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-20482]



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  Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 232 / Monday, December 4, 2006 / 
Rules and Regulations  

[[Page 70275]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Rural Utilities Service

7 CFR Part 1792

RIN 0572-AC01


Seismic Safety

AGENCY: Rural Utilities Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of confirmation of direct final rule.

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SUMMARY: The Rural Utilities Service, an agency which administers the 
U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural Development Utilities Programs 
(hereinafter ``USDA Rural Development'' or the ``Agency,'') gives 
notice that no adverse comments were received regarding the direct 
final rule amending its regulations to update the seismic safety 
requirements of the Agency, and confirms the effective date of the 
direct final rule.

DATES: The direct final rule published in the Federal Register on 
October 16, 2006 (71 FR 60657), and will be effective on November 30, 
2006.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Donald Heald, Structural Engineer, 
Transmission Branch, Electric Staff Division, USDA Rural Development, 
1400 Independence Avenue, SW., STOP 1569, Washington, DC 20250-1569. 
Telephone: (202) 720-9102. Fax: (202) 720-7491.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    In the mid eighties, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) 
contracted the Building Seismic Safety Council (BSSC) to develop the 
National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP) Provisions for 
new buildings. One of the primary goals of the program is to reduce or 
mitigate losses from earthquakes. The NEHRP Recommended Provisions for 
Seismic Regulations for New Buildings and Other Structures are 
recommended provisions that have been adopted in recent times by model 
codes and standards. The first edition of the NEHRP Provisions was 
dated 1985. The document is updated on a 3-year cycle. The 2000 edition 
of the NEHRP provisions is the fifth update of the document.
    Executive Order 12699, Seismic Safety of Federal and Federally 
Assisted or Regulated New Building Construction, requires that all new 
federally owned, leased, assisted, and other regulated buildings be 
designed and constructed in accordance with the appropriate seismic 
standards. The Interagency Committee on Seismic Safety in Construction 
(ICSSC) has recommended the use of building codes which are 
substantially equivalent to the 2000 National Earthquake Hazards 
Reduction Program Provisions for the Development of Seismic Regulations 
for New Buildings (commonly called the NEHRP Provisions).
    The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NTIS) had 
previously contracted to evaluate the equivalency of the latest edition 
of the NEHRP Provisions available at the time and the latest editions 
of national building codes and standards. The four previous comparisons 
involved the BOCA National Building Code (BOCA/NBC), the Standard 
Building Code (SBC), the Uniform Building Code (UBC), ASCE 7, Minimum 
Design Loads for Buildings and Other Structures (ASCE 7) and CABO One- 
and Two-family Dwelling Code (OTFDC), the International Building Code 
(IBC), and the International Residential Code (IRC).
    NTIS contracted to determine whether or not the seismic and 
material design provisions of the International Building Code (IBC), 
2003 edition; the NFPA 5000 Building Construction and Safety Code, 2003 
edition; the International Residential Code for One- and Two-Family 
Dwellings, 2003 edition, and ASCE 7-02, Minimum Design Loads for 
Buildings and Other Structures, are substantially equivalent to, or 
exceed, the 2000 NEHRP Provisions.
    For purposes of USDA Rural Development, the following documents 
have been found to be substantially equivalent to the 2000 NEHRP: 
International Building Code (IBC), 2003 edition; the NFPA 5000 Building 
Construction and Safety Code, 2003 edition, and ASCE 7-02, Minimum 
Design Loads for Buildings and Other Structures. Although these 
documents were found to be equivalent in intent and equivalent in 
design values, there were some exceptions within each document. Because 
of the structure of our agency requirements, it is recommended that the 
above documents be accepted as substantially equivalent.

Confirmation of Effective Date

    This is to confirm the effective date of November 30, 2006, for the 
direct final rule 7 CFR 1792, Seismic Safety, published in the Federal 
Register on October 16, 2006.

    Dated: November 28, 2006.
James M. Andrew,
Administrator, Rural Utilities Service.
[FR Doc. E6-20482 Filed 12-1-06; 8:45 am]
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