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.

Proposed Rules Federal Register

61609

Vol. 69, No. 202

Wednesday, October 20, 2004

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: RUSComments@usda.gov.

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: 

Norberto.Esteves@usda.gov.

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 § 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. 

61610 Federal Register / Vol. 69, No. 202 / Wednesday, October 20, 2004 / Proposed Rules 

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 ‘‘fiberoptic’’ 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 cablesplicing 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 § 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 § 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:

§ 1755.97 Incorporation by reference of 

telecommunications standards and 

specifications.

* * * * *

RUS bulletin No. Specification No. Date last issued Title of standard or specification 

* * * * * * * 

1755–402 ..................... PE–52 ........................ [Effective date of final rule] ............................. RUS specification for telecommunications 

splicing connectors. 

* * * * * * * 

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

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. 83–ANE–14–AD] 

RIN 2120–AA64

Airworthiness Directives; Hartzell 

Propeller Inc. (formerly TRW Hartzell 

Propeller) Model HC–B3TN–2, HC–

B3TN–3, HC–B3TN–5, HC–B4TN–3, 

HC–B4TN–5, HC–B4MN–5, and HC–

B5MP–3 Turbopropellers

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking 

(NPRM). 

SUMMARY: The FAA proposes to revise 

an existing airworthiness directive (AD) 

for Hartzell Propeller Inc. (formerly 

TRW Hartzell Propeller) models HC–

B3TN–2, HC–B3TN–3, HC–B3TN–5, 

HC–B4TN–3, HC–B4TN–5, HC–B4MN–

5, and HC–B5MP–3 turbopropellers. 

That AD currently requires, before 

further flight, that all new propellers 

being installed and all serviceable 

propellers being reinstalled, are 

attached using part number (P/N) B–

3339 bolts and P/N A–2048–2 washers, 

and that the bolts are properly torqued. 

That AD also currently requires a onetime torque-check of P/N A–2047 bolts 

that are already installed through 

propellers and replacement of those 

bolts if necessary, with P/N B–3339 

bolts and P/N A–2048–2 washers. This 

proposed AD would require the same 

actions. This proposed AD results from 

the need to make nonsubstantive 

wording changes and additions to 

clarify that terminating action is 

achieved by attaching propellers with P/

N B–3339 bolts and P/N A–2048–2 

washers to the engine flange, as 

instructed in the compliance section of 

this AD. This proposed AD does not 

require an additional one-time torquecheck of P/N A–2047 bolts. Also, this 

proposed AD does not apply to 

propellers installed using P/N B–3339 

bolts and P/N A–2048–2 washers. We 

are proposing this AD to preclude 

propeller attaching bolt failures or 

improperly secured propellers, which 

could lead to separation of the propeller 

from the airplane.

DATES: We must receive any comments 

on this proposed AD by December 20, 

2004.

ADDRESSES: Use one of the following 

addresses to submit comments on this 

proposed AD: 

• By mail: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), New England 

Region, Office of the Regional Counsel, 

Attention: Rules Docket No. 83–ANE–

14–AD, 12 New England Executive Park, 

Burlington, MA 01803–5299. 

• By fax: (781) 238–7055. 

• By e-mail: 9-aneadcomment@faa.gov.

You can get the service information 

identified in this proposed AD from 

Hartzell Propeller Inc. Technical 

Publications Department, One Propeller 

Place, Piqua, OH 45356; telephone (937) 

778–4200; fax (937) 778–4391. 

You may examine the AD docket at 

the FAA, New England Region, Office of 

the Regional Counsel, 12 New England 

Executive Park, Burlington, MA.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Melissa T. Bradley, Aerospace Engineer, 

Chicago Aircraft Certification Office, 

FAA, Small Airplane Directorate, 2300 

East Devon Avenue, Des Plaines, IL 

60018; telephone: (847) 294–8110; fax: 

(847) 294–7834.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Comments Invited 

We invite you to submit any written 

relevant data, views, or arguments 

regarding this proposal. Send your 

comments to an address listed under 

ADDRESSES. Include ‘‘AD Docket No. 83–

ANE–14–AD’’ in the subject line of your 

comments. If you want us to 

acknowledge receipt of your mailed 

comments, send us a self-addressed, 

stamped postcard with the docket 

number written on it; we will datestamp your postcard and mail it back to 

you. We specifically invite comments 

on the overall regulatory, economic, 

environmental, and energy aspects of 

the proposed AD. If a person contacts us 

verbally, and that contact relates to a 

substantive part of this proposed AD, 

we will summarize the contact and 

place the summary in the docket. We 

will consider all comments received by 

the closing date and may amend the 

proposed AD in light of those 

comments. 

We are reviewing the writing style we 

currently use in regulatory documents. 

We are interested in your comments on 

whether the style of this document is 

clear, and your suggestions to improve 

the clarity of our communications that 

affect you. You can get more 

information about plain language at 

http://www.faa.gov/language and http://

www.plainlanguage.gov.

Examining the AD Docket 

You may examine the AD Docket 

(including any comments and service 

information), by appointment, between 

8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through 

Friday, except Federal holidays. See 

ADDRESSES for the location.

Discussion 

Since we published the existing AD 

83–08–01R1 (Amendment 39–4633, 48 

FR 17576, April 25, 1983), numerous 

inquiries from the FAA field and 

industry have been presented to the 

Chicago Aircraft Certification Office 

(ACO) regarding replacement of 

propeller attaching bolts. On July 10, 

1992, that office distributed a letter 

through the Flight Standards District 

Office that stated the following: 

• The intent of AD 83–08–01R1 is not 

to require replacement or imply life 

limits of bolts P/N B–3339 and washers 

P/N A–2048–2, when a propeller is 

reinstalled, removed, or replaced. 

• Bolt replacement at time of 

propeller installation is only required 

when a different part number bolt was 

previously installed. 

• If the current FAA-approved bolt P/

N B–3339 can pass inspection and meet 

required torque limit, the bolt is 

reusable. 

• Installing bolts P/N B–3339 is 

terminating action for AD 83–080–01R1. 

FAA’s Actions and Requirements Since 

the ACO Letter Was Issued 

Despite that letter distribution, we are 

still receiving inquiries on the intent of 

AD 83–08–01R1. This proposed AD 

would revise AD 83–08–01R1 by 

making nonsubstantive wording 

changes and additions to clarify that 

replacement of the previous P/N bolts, 

P/N A–2047, and related washers, with 

P/N B–3339 bolts and P/N A–2048–2 

washers, must be done when new 

propellers are being installed and when 

serviceable propellers are being 

reinstalled. Doing these actions is 

considered terminating action to the 

AD. This proposed AD revision is being 

issued to preclude propeller attaching 

bolt failures or improperly secured 

propellers, which could lead to 

separation of the propeller from the 

airplane. 

Costs of Compliance 

There are about 17,000 Hartzell 

Propeller Inc. models HC–B3TN–2, HC–

B3TN–3, HC–B3TN–5, HC–B4TN–3, 

HC–B4TN–5, HC–B4MN–5, and HC–

B5MP–3 turbopropellers of the affected 

design in the worldwide fleet. We 

estimate that 11,900 turbopropellers 

installed on airplanes of U.S. registry 

would be affected by this proposed AD.