Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 103 / Friday, May 26, 2000 / Proposed Rules 34125

species of seed weevil listed in

§ 305.2(a) of this chapter as a condition

of entry into the United States may

instead be treated by irradiation in

accordance with part 305 of this

chapter.

4. In § 319.56–2x, paragraph (a), the

introductory text preceding the table

would be revised to read as follows:

§ 319.56–2x Administrative instructions;

conditions governing the entry of certain

fruits and vegetables for which treatment is

required.

(a) The following fruits and vegetables

may be imported into the United States

only if they have been treated in

accordance with the Plant Protection

and Quarantine (PPQ) Treatment

Manual, which is incorporated by

reference at § 300.1 of this chapter.

Treatment by irradiation in accordance

with part 305 of this chapter may be

substituted for treatments in the PPQ

Treatment Manual for the mango seed

weevil Cryptorhynchus mangiferae or

for one or more of the following 11

species of fruit flies: Anastrepha ludens,

Anastrepha obliqua, Anastrepha

serpentina, Anastrepha suspensa,

Bactrocera cucurbitae, Bactrocera

dorsalis, Bactrocera tryoni, Bactrocera

jarvisi, Bactrocera latifrons, and

Ceratitis capitata.

* * * * *

Done in Washington, DC, this 23rd day of

May 2000.

Craig A. Reed,

Administrator, Animal and Plant Health

Inspection Service.

[FR Doc. 00–13291 Filed 5–25–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410–34–U

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Rural Utilities Service

7 CFR Part 1792

RIN 0572–AB47

Seismic Safety

AGENCY: Rural Utilities Service, USDA.

ACTION: Proposed rule.

SUMMARY: The Rural Utilities Service

(RUS) proposes to amend its regulations

to update and simplify the requirements

of the agency. This revised rule would

provide RUS borrowers, grant

recipients, Rural Telephone Bank (RTB)

borrowers and the public with updated

rules for compliance with seismic safety

requirements for new building

construction using RUS or RTB loan,

grant or guaranteed funds or funds

provided through lien accommodations

or subordinations approved by RUS or

RTB. The proposed revision would

identify model codes and standards

found to provide a required level of

seismic safety.

DATES: Written comments must be

received by RUS on or before July 25,

2000.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should

be addressed to George J. Bagnall,

Director, Electric Staff Division, U.S.

Department of Agriculture, Rural

Utilities Service, Room 1246 South

Building, Stop 1569, 14th &

Independence Ave., SW., Washington,

DC 20250–1569. Telephone 202–720–

1900. RUS requests a signed original

and three copies of all comments (7 CFR

1700.4). Comments will be available for

public inspection during regular

business hours (7 CFR 1.27(b)).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr.

Donald Heald, Structural Engineer,

Transmission Branch, Electric Staff

Division, Rural Utilities Service, U.S.

Department of Agriculture, 1400

Independence Avenue, SW, STOP 1569,

Washington, DC 20250–1569.

Telephone: (202) 720–9102. Fax: (202)

720–7491.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Executive Order 12866

This proposed rule has been

determined to be not significant for

purposes of Executive Order 12866 and,

therefore, has not been reviewed by the

Office of Management and Budget

(OMB).

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 offices. See the final rule related

notice entitled ‘‘Department Programs

and Activities Excluded from Executive

Order 12372’’ (50 FR 47034).

Executive Order 12988

This proposed rule has been reviewed

in accordance with 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 section 212(e) of the

Department of Agriculture

Reorganization Act of 1994 (7 U.S.C.

6912(e)) administrative appeal

procedures, if any are required, must be

exhausted prior to initiating litigation

against the Department or its agencies.

Regulatory Flexibility Act Certification

The Administrator of RUS has

determined that this rule will not have

significant economic impact on a

substantial number of small entities as

defined in the Regulatory Flexibility Act

(5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.). The RUS and RTB

loan programs provide borrowers with

loans at interest rates and terms that are

more favorable than those generally

available from the private sector.

Borrowers, as a result of obtaining

federal financing, receive economic

benefits that exceed any direct cost

associated with RUS regulations and

requirements.

Information Collection and

Recordkeeping Requirements

In accordance with the Paperwork

Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C.

chapter 35), RUS invites comments on

this information collection for which

RUS intends to request approval from

the Office of Management and Budget

(OMB).

Comments on this notice must be

received by July 25, 2000.

Comments are invited on (a) whether

the collection of information is

necessary for the proper performance of

the functions of the agency, including

whether the information will have

practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the

agency’s estimate of burden including

the validity of the methodology and

assumption used; (c) ways to enhance

the quality, utility and clarity of the

information to be collected; and (d)

ways to minimize the burden of the

collection of information on those who

are to respond, including through the

use of appropriate automated,

electronic, mechanical, or other

technological collection techniques on

other forms of information technology.

Comments may be sent to F. Lamont

Heppe, Jr., Director, Program

Development and Regulatory Analysis,

Rural Utilities Service, U.S. Department

of Agriculture, 1400 Independence Ave.,

SW., Stop 1522, Room 4034 South

Building, Washington, D.C. 20250–1522.

For further information contact Mr.

Donald Heald, Structural Engineer,

Transmission Branch, Electric Staff

Division, Rural Utilities Service, U.S.

Department of Agriculture, 1400

Independence Avenue, SW, STOP 1569,

Washington, DC 20250–1569.

Telephone: (202) 720–9102. Fax: (202)

720–7491.

Title: Seismic Safety of New Building

Construction.

OMB Control Number: 0572–0099.

Type of Request: Revision of a

currently approved collection.

Abstract: The Earthquake Hazards

Reduction Act of 1977 (42 U.S.C. 7701

34126 Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 103 / Friday, May 26, 2000 / Proposed Rules

et seq.) was enacted to reduce risks to

life and property through the National

Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program

(NEHRP). The Federal Emergency

Management Agency (FEMA) is

designated as the agency with the

primary responsibility to plan and

coordinate the NEHRP. This program

includes the development and

implementation of feasible design and

construction methods to make

structures earthquake resistant.

Executive Order 12699 of January 5,

1990, Seismic Safety of Federal and

Federally Assisted or Regulated New

Building Construction, requires that

measures to assure seismic safety be

imposed on federally assisted new

building construction.

The revision of 7 CFR Part 1792,

Subpart C, Seismic Safety of Federally

Assisted New Building Construction,

will reduce the requirements by the

borrower or grant recipient needed to

comply with this part. This revision will

also include RUS water and waste water

borrowers previously under the former

Famers Home Administration (FmHA)

(Pub. L. 103–354, 108 Stat. 3178).

Estimate of Burden: Public reporting

burden for this collection of information

is estimated to average 1.5 hours per

response.

Respondents: Small business or

organizations.

Estimated Number of Respondents:

1,000.

Estimated Number of Responses per

Respondent: 1.

Estimated Total Annual Burden on

Respondents: 800.

Copies of this information collection

can be obtained from Dawn Wolfgang,

Program Development and Regulatory

Analysis, at (202) 720–0812.

All responses to this information

collection and recordkeeping notice will

be summarized and included in the

request for OMB approval. All

comments will also become a matter of

public record.

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 covered by this

proposed rule are listed in the Catalog

of Federal Domestic Assistance

programs under numbers 10.850, Rural

Electrification Loans and Loan

Guarantees; 10.851, Rural Telephone

Loans and Loan Guarantees; 10.852,

Rural Telephone Bank Loans; 10.760,

Water and Waste Disposal System for

Rural Communities; 10.764, Resource

Conservation Development Loans, and

10.765, Watershed Protection and Flood

Prevention Loans.

This catalog is available on a

subscription basis from the

Superintendent of Documents, U.S.

Government Printing Office,

Washington, DC 20402–9325.

Telephone: (202) 512–1800.

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 proposed rule is not

subject to the requirements of sections

202 and 205 of the Unfunded Mandates

Reform Act.

Background

RUS requires borrowers and grant

recipients to meet applicable

requirements mandated by Federal

statutes and regulations to obtain RUS

financing. One such requirement is

compliance with building safety

provisions of the Earthquake Hazards

Reduction Act of 1977, (42 U.S.C. 7701

et seq.) as implemented pursuant to

Executive Order 12699, Seismic Safety

of Federal and Federally Assisted or

Regulated New Building Construction (3

CFR, 1990 Comp., pg. 269).

Subpart C of this part codifies the

policies and requirements that RUS and

RTB borrowers and grant recipients

must meet for new building

construction when using funds

provided or guaranteed by RUS or RTB

(or when obtained through a lien

accommodation or subordination

approved by RUS or RTB).

The Executive Order requires all

Federal agencies to ensure that any new

building which is leased for federal

users or purchased or constructed with

federal assistance is designed and

constructed in accordance with

appropriate seismic design standards.

Those standards must be equivalent to

or exceed the seismic safety levels in the

National Earthquake Hazards Reduction

Program (NEHRP) recommended

provisions for the development of

seismic regulations for new buildings.

The Executive Order charges the

Interagency Committee on Seismic

Safety in Construction (ICSSC) with

recommending appropriate and costeffective seismic design, construction

standards and practices.

The ICSSC has identified several

model codes and standards that provide

an acceptable level of seismic safety.

The existing regulation in this subpart

would be revised to identify new model

codes or standards which are equivalent

to the 1994 NEHRP Recommended

Provisions for the Development of

Seismic Regulations for New Buildings.

List of Subjects in 7 CFR Part 1792

Buildings and facilities, Electric

power, Grant programs, Loan programs,

Reporting and recordkeeping

requirements, Rural area, Seismic safety,

Telephone.

For reasons set for in the preamble,

chapter XVII of title 7 of the Code of

Federal Regulations is proposed to be

amended as follows:

PART 1792—COMPLIANCE WITH

OTHER FEDERAL STATUTES,

REGULATIONS, AND EXECUTIVE

ORDERS

1. The authority citation for part 1792

is revised to read as follows:

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

seq., 6941 et seq., and 42 U.S.C. 7701 et seq.

Subpart C—Seismic Safety

2. Section 1792.101 is amended by

revising paragraph (b) and removing

paragraphs (c), (d), & (e), to read as

follows:

§ 1792.101 General.

* * * * *

(b) This subpart identifies acceptable

seismic standards which must be

employed in new building construction

funded by loans, grants, or guarantees

made by the Rural Utilities Service

(RUS) or the Rural Telephone Bank

(RTB) (or through lien accommodations

or subordinations approved by RUS or

RTB).

3. Section 1792.102 is amended by

revising the definitions for ‘‘RUS’’ and

‘‘Seismic,’’ removing ‘‘REA,’’ and

adding the definition of ‘‘Model Code’’

to read as follows:

§ 1792.102 Definitions.

* * * * *

Model Code—A building code

developed for the adoption of local or

state authorities or to be used as the

basis of a local or state building code.

* * * * *

RUS—Rural Utilities Service, and for

the purposes of this subpart, shall

include the Rural Telephone Bank. For

the purposes of RTB borrowers, as used

in this subpart, RUS means RTB and

Administrator means Governor.

Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 103 / Friday, May 26, 2000 / Proposed Rules 34127

Seismic—Related to or caused by

earthquakes.

* * * * *

4. Sections 1792.103 and 1792.104 are

revised to read as follows:

§ 1792.103 Seismic design and

construction standards for new buildings.

(a) In the design and construction of

federally assisted buildings, the

borrowers and grant recipients must

utilize the seismic provisions of the

most recent edition of those standards

and practices that are substantially

equivalent to or exceed the seismic

safety level in the most recent or

immediately preceding edition of the

NEHRP Recommended Provisions for

the Development of Seismic Regulation

for New Buildings.

(b) Each of the following model codes

or standards has been found to provide

a level of seismic safety substantially

equivalent to that provided by the use

of the 1994 NEHRP Recommended

Provisions and appropriate for federally

assisted new building construction:

(1) 1997 International Conference of

Building Officials (ICBO) Uniform

Building Code. Copies are available

from ICBO, Austin Regional Office, 9300

Jollyville Road., Suite 101, Austin,

Texas 78759–7455.

(2) 1995 American Society of Civil

Engineers (ASCE) 7, Minimum Design

Loads for Buildings and Other

Structures. Copies are available from

ASCE, 345 East 47th Street, New York,

New York 10017–2398.

(c) The NEHRP Recommended

Provisions for the Development of

Seismic Regulations for New Buildings

is available from the Office of

Earthquakes and Natural Hazards,

Federal Emergency Management

Agency, 500 C Street, SW., Washington,

DC 20472.

§ 1792.104 Seismic acknowledgments.

For each applicable building,

borrowers and grant recipients must

provide RUS a written acknowledgment

from a registered architect or engineer

responsible for the design stating that

seismic provisions pursuant to

§ 1792.103(b) will be used in the design

of the building. This acknowledgement

will include the identification and date

of the model code or standard that is

used for the seismic design of the

building project and the seismic factor

for the building location.

Dated: May 15, 2000.

Jill Long Thompson,

Under Secretary, Rural Development.

[FR Doc. 00–13295 Filed 5–25–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410–15–P

FEDERAL HOUSING FINANCE BOARD

12 CFR Parts 900, 940, 950, 955 and

956

[No. 2000–20]

RIN 3069–AA98

Federal Home Loan Bank Acquired

Member Assets, Core Mission

Activities, Investments and Advances

AGENCY: Federal Housing Finance

Board.

ACTION: Proposed rule; extension of

public comment period.

SUMMARY: On May 3, 2000, the Federal

Housing Finance Board (Finance Board)

published a proposed rule in the

Federal Register (65 FR 25676 (May 3,

2000)) that would: add a new part 955

to the Finance Board’s regulations to

authorize the Federal Home Loan Banks

(Banks) to hold acquired member assets;

amend the Finance Board’s recently

adopted part 940 to enumerate the types

of core mission assets that must be

addressed in the Banks’ strategic

business plans; and make related

changes to the Finance Board’s

regulations governing the Banks’

investment and advances authorities.

The Finance Board has received a

number of requests for an extension of

the June 2, 2000 deadline for written

comments on the proposed rule. In

order to provide interested parties

ample opportunity to participate in the

rulemaking process, the Finance Board

is extending the comment period for the

proposed rule from June 2, 2000 to June

15, 2000.

DATES: The comment period on the

proposed rule is extended until June 15,

2000.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be

mailed to: Elaine L. Baker, Secretary to

the Board, by electronic mail at

bakere@fhfb.gov, or by regular mail at

the Federal Housing Finance Board,

1777 F Street, NW, Washington, DC

20006. Comments will be available for

public inspection at this address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

James L. Bothwell, Director and Chief

Economist, (202) 408–2821; Scott L.

Smith, Deputy Director, (202) 408–2991;

Ellen E. Hancock, Senior Financial

Analyst, (202) 408–2906; Christina K.

Muradian, Senior Financial Analyst,

(202) 408–2584, Office of Policy,

Research and Analysis; or Eric M.

Raudenbush, Senior Attorney-Advisor,

(202) 408–2932; Office of General

Counsel, Federal Housing Finance

Board, 1777 F Street, NW, Washington,

DC 20006.

Dated: May 22, 2000.

By the Board of Directors of the Federal

Housing Finance Board.

Bruce A. Morrison,

Chairman.

[FR Doc. 00–13254 Filed 5–25–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6725–01–P

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Coast Guard

33 CFR Part 165

[CGD05–00–015]

RIN 2115–AA97

Safety Zone; Atlantic Ocean, Virginia

Beach, VA

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking.

SUMMARY: The Coast Guard proposes

establishing temporary safety zones for

the Virginia Beach Fireworks displays,

north of the Virginia Beach Fishing Pier,

in the Atlantic Ocean. This action

would restrict vessel traffic on the

Atlantic Ocean within a 2500-foot

radius of a fireworks=laden barge. The

safety zone is necessary to protect

mariners and spectators from the

hazards associated with the fireworks

display.

DATES: Comments and related material

must reach the Coast Guard on or before

June 5, 2000.

ADDRESSES: You may mail comments

and related material to USCG Marine

Safety Office Hampton Roads, 200

Granby Street, Norfolk, VA, or deliver

them to the same address between 8

a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through

Friday, except Federal holidays. USCG

Marine Safety Office Hampton Roads

maintains the public docket for this

rulemaking. Comments and materials

received from the public, as well as

documents indicated in this preamble as

being available in the docket, will

become part of this docket and will be

available for inspection or copying at

the above address between 8 a.m. and 4

p.m., Monday through Friday, except

Federal holidays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Chief Petty Officer Roddy Corr, project

officer, USCG Marine Safety Office

Hampton Roads, telephone number

(757) 441–3290.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Request for Comments

We encourage you to participate in

this rulemaking by submitting

comments and related material. If you

do so, please include your name and