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

7721

Vol. 62, No. 34

Thursday, February 20, 1997

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Rural Utilities Service

7 CFR Part 1710

RIN 0572–AB30

Pre-Loan Procedures for Electric

Loans

AGENCY: Rural Utilities Service, USDA.

ACTION: Proposed rule.

SUMMARY: The Rural Utilities Service

(RUS) is proposing a minor amendment

to its pre-loan procedures that will

clarify that use of a conventional utility

indenture as a security instrument for

loans to power supply borrowers is

permissible. This amendment will give

these borrowers and RUS the flexibility

to address the complex issues

surrounding power supply loans in the

rapidly changing electric industry. The

rule will also enhance loan security and,

by conforming more closely to private

lending practice, allow easier access to

private sector financing.

In the final rules section of this

Federal Register, RUS is publishing this

action as a direct final rule without

prior proposal because RUS views this

as a noncontroversial action and

anticipates no adverse comments. If no

adverse comments are received in

response to the direct final rule, no

further action will be taken on this

proposed rule and the action will

become effective at the time specified in

the direct final rule. If RUS receives

adverse comments, a document will be

published withdrawing the effective

date of the direct final rule and all

public comments received will be

addressed in a subsequent final rule

based on this action. Any parties

interested in commenting on this action

should do so at this time.

DATES: Comments on this proposed

action must be received March 24, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should

be sent to F. Lamont Heppe, Jr.,

Director, Program Support and

Regulatory Analysis, Rural Utilities

Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture,

Room 2230–S, 1400 Independence

Avenue, SW., STOP 1522, Washington,

DC 20250–1522. RUS requires, in hard

copy, a signed original and 3 copies of

all comments (7 CFR 1700.30(e)).

Comments will be available for public

inspection during regular business

hours at Room 4034, South Building,

U.S. Department of Agriculture,

Washington, DC 20250 between 8:00

a.m. and 4:00 p.m. (7 CFR part 1.27(b)).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: F.

Lamont Heppe, Jr., Director, Program

Support and Regulatory Analysis, Rural

Utilities Service, U.S. Department of

Agriculture, Room 2230–S, 1400

Independence Avenue, SW., STOP

1522, Washington, DC 20250–1522.

Telephone: 202–720–0736. FAX: 202–

720–4120. E-mail: fheppe@rus.usda.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: See the

Supplementary Information provided in

the direct final rule located in the final

rules section of this Federal Register for

the applicable supplementary

information on this action.

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

Dated: February 10, 1997.

Jill Long Thompson,

Under Secretary, Rural Development.

[FR Doc. 97–3991 Filed 2–19–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410–15–P

NUCLEAR REGULATORY

COMMISSION

10 CFR Part 73

RIN 3150–AF53

Changes to Nuclear Power Plant

Security Requirements

AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory

Commission.

ACTION: Proposed rule.

SUMMARY: The Nuclear Regulatory

Commission (NRC) is proposing to

revise its regulations to delete certain

security requirements associated with

an internal threat. This action follows

reconsideration by the NRC of nuclear

power plant physical security

requirements to identify those

requirements that are marginal to safety,

redundant, or no longer effective. This

action would reduce the regulatory

burden on licensees without

compromising physical protection

against radiological sabotage required

for public health and safety.

DATES: Submit comments by May 6,

1997. Comments received after this date

will be considered if it is practical to do

so, but the Commission is able to assure

consideration only for comments

received on or before this date.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be sent to:

Secretary, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory

Commission, Washington, DC 20555–

0001. Attention: Docketing and Service

Branch.

Deliver comments to: 11555 Rockville

Pike, Rockville, Maryland, between 7:30

am and 4:15 pm on Federal workdays.

For information on submitting

comments electronically, see the

discussion under Electronic Access in

the Supplementary Information Section.

Certain documents related to this

rulemaking, including comments

received, may be examined at the NRC

Public Document Room, 2120 L Street

NW. (Lower Level), Washington, DC.

These same documents may also be

viewed and downloaded electronically

via the Electronic Bulletin Board

established by NRC for this rulemaking

as discussed under Electronic Access in

the Supplementary Information Section.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr.

Sandra Frattali, Office of Nuclear

Regulatory Research, U.S. Nuclear

Regulatory Commission, Washington,

DC 20555–0001, telephone (301) 415–

6261, e-mail sdf@nrc.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

In a memorandum dated September 3,

1991 (COMFR–91–005), the

Commission requested the NRC staff to

re-examine the security requirements

associated with an internal threat to

nuclear power plants that are contained

in 10 CFR Part 73, ‘‘Physical Protection

of Plants and Materials.’’ The NRC staff

completed its re-examination and

recommended some changes in 10 CFR

Part 73 to the Commission (SECY–92–

272, August 4, 1992). In a Staff

Requirements Memorandum dated

November 5, 1992, the Commission

directed the NRC staff to work with the

Nuclear Management and Resources

Council (NUMARC) now known as the

Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI).

Following three public meetings with

NUMARC, the NRC staff recommended

to the Commission (SECY–93–326,

December 2, 1993) additional changes to