Standards and Specifications for Timber Products Acceptable for Use by Rural Utilities Service Electric and Telecommunications Borrowers, 28186-28202 [2019-12238]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
• Rural Utilities Service

[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 117 (Tuesday, June 18, 2019)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 28186-28202]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-12238]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Rural Utilities Service

7 CFR Parts 1728 and 1755


Standards and Specifications for Timber Products Acceptable for 
Use by Rural Utilities Service Electric and Telecommunications 
Borrowers

AGENCY: Rural Utilities Service, USDA.

ACTION: Final rule; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Rural Utilities Service (RUS), an agency of U.S. 
Department of Agriculture, is amending its regulations on Electric and 
Telecommunications Standards and Specifications for Materials, 
Equipment and Construction, to make changes to Bulletin 1728F-700, RUS 
Specification for Wood Poles, Stubs and Anchor Logs; Bulletin 1728H-
701, Specification for Wood Crossarms, Transmission Timbers, and Pole 
Keys; and Bulletin 1728H-702, Specification for Quality Control and 
Inspection of Timber Products (Wood Bulletins) to keep RUS standards 
current with the technology advances and consistent with the industry 
practice. The bulletins are provided as regulated specifications to RUS 
Electric Program borrowers for procurement of electric transmission and 
distribution line wood materials.

DATES: 
    Effective Date: This final rule is effective June 18, 2019.
    Comments Due Date: Comments are due no later than August 2, 2019.
    Incorporation by Reference: The incorporation by reference of 
certain publications listed in this rule is approved by the Director of 
the Federal Register as of June 18, 2019.

ADDRESSES: Submit comments identified as 7 CFR 1728.97(a)(21) Bulletin 
1728F-700, 7 CFR 1728.201 Bulletin 1728H-701, and/or 7 CFR 1728.202 
Bulletin 1728H-702 by the following method:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to https://www.regulations.gov and, in the lower ``Search Regulations and Federal 
Actions'' box, select ``Rural Utilities Service'' from the agency drop-
down menu, then click on ``Submit.'' In the Docket ID column, select 
RUS-18-ELECTRIC-0008 to submit or view public comments and to view 
supporting and related materials available electronically. Information 
on using Regulations.gov, including instructions for accessing 
documents, submitting comments, and viewing the docket after the close 
of the comment

[[Page 28187]]

period, is available through the site's ``User Tips'' link.
    Other Information: Additional information about Rural Development 
and its programs is available on the internet at: https://www.usda.gov/topics/rural.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Chendi Zhang, Mechanical Engineer, 
Engineering Standards Branch, Electric Programs, Rural Utilities 
Service, Rural Development U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1400 
Independence Ave. SW, Washington, DC 20250-1567; Phone: 202-690-9032; 
email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Executive Order 12866

    This final rule is exempt 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 12372

    This final rule is excluded from the scope of Executive Order 
12372, Intergovernmental Consultation, which may require consultation 
with State and local officials. A notice of final rule entitled 
``Department Programs and Activities Excluded from Executive Order 
12372,'' (50 FR 47034) exempted the Rural Utilities Service loans and 
loan guarantees from coverage under this order.

Executive Order 12988

    This final rule has been reviewed under Executive Order 12988, 
Civil Justice Reform. The Rural Utilities Service has determined that 
this 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 final rule will be preempted. No 
retroactive effect will be given to this final 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, 
must be exhausted before an action against the Department or its 
agencies may be initiated.

Executive Order 13132

    This final rule 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 final 
rule does not have sufficient federalism implications to require 
preparation of a Federalism Assessment.

Regulatory Flexibility Act Certification

    The Rural Utilities Service has been determined that the Regulatory 
Flexibility Act is not applicable to this rule since USDA Rural 
Utilities Service is not required by 5 U.S.C. 551 et seq. or any other 
provision of the law to publish a notice of proposed rulemaking with 
request to the subject matter of this rule.

Information Collection and Recordkeeping Requirements

    This final rule contains no new reporting or recordkeeping burdens 
under OMB control number 0572-0076 that would require approval under 
the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. chapter 35, as amended).

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance

    The program described by this final rule is listed in the Catalog 
of Federal Domestic Assistance Programs under No. 10.850, Rural 
Electrification Loans and Loan Guarantees. This catalog is available on 
a subscription basis from the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. 
Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402-9325, telephone number 
(202) 512-1800.

Unfunded Mandates

    This final rule contains no Federal Mandates (under the regulatory 
provision of title II of the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995 [2 
U.S.C. chapter 25]) for State, local, and tribal governments or the 
private sector. Thus, this final rule is not subject to the 
requirements of sections 202 and 205 of the Unfunded Mandates Reform 
Act of 1995.

National Environmental Policy Act Certification

    The Rural Utilities Service has determined that this final 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.

USDA Non-Discrimination Statement

    In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of 
Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its 
Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or 
administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on 
race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity (including 
gender expression), sexual orientation, disability, age, marital 
status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance 
program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil 
rights in any program or activity conducted or funded by the 
Department. (Not all prohibited basis will apply to all programs and/or 
employment activities.) Remedies and complaint filing deadlines vary by 
program or incident. Persons with disabilities who require alternative 
means of communication for program information (e.g., Braille, large 
print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.) should contact the 
responsible Agency or USDA's TARGET center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and 
TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-
8339. Additionally, program information may be made available in 
languages other than English.
    To file a program discrimination complaint, complete the USDA 
Program Discrimination Complaint Form (PDF), found online at https://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html, or at any USDA office, or 
write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the 
information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint 
form, call (866) 632-9992 to request the form. Submit your completed 
complaint form or letter to USDA by: (1) Mail at U.S. Department of 
Agriculture, Office of Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 
Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410, by Fax (202) 690-
7442 or Email at [email protected].
    USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.

Background

General Discussion

    The Rural Utilities Service maintains bulletins that contain 
construction standards and specifications for materials and equipment. 
These standards and specifications apply to systems constructed by 
electric and telecommunications borrowers in accordance with the loan 
contract, and contain standard construction units, materials, and 
equipment units used on electric and telecommunications borrowers' 
systems. The following bulletins establish standards for the 
manufacture and inspection of wood utility poles, crossarms and pole 
keys: Bulletin 1728F-700, ``RUS Specification for Wood Poles, Stubs and 
Anchor Logs'' (incorporated by reference at Sec.  1728.97); 7 CFR 
1728.201 ``Bulletin 1728H-701, Specification for Wood Crossarms (Solid 
and laminate), Transmission Timbers, and Pole Keys;'' and 7 CFR 
1728.202 ``Bulletin 1728H-

[[Page 28188]]

702, Specification for Quality Control and Inspection of Timber 
Products.''

Changes to the Regulations

    The Agency is affording the public an opportunity to comment on the 
following changes to standards and specifications as applied to systems 
constructed by electric and telecommunications borrowers:
    1. Changes relevant to Bulletin 1728F-700 (incorporated by 
reference at Sec.  1728.97), 7 CFR 1728.201, Bulletin 1728H-701, and 7 
CFR 1728.202, Bulletin 1728H-702:
    (a) Significantly limit the number of individual AWPA standards 
contained in the reference section of the current RUS specifications.
    RUS references several other national standards/specifications in 
the wood products specifications. For the RUS standards to keep current 
with each of these referenced documents, RUS would basically have to 
change their wood product specifications to some degree every year. The 
AWPA standards referenced in RUS specifications could best be kept 
current by simply referencing two broad AWPA standards, AWPA Standard 
U1, User Specification for Treated Wood and AWPA Standard T1, 
Processing and Treatment Standard, rather than listing each individual 
AWPA standard that is currently referenced in the RUS wood product 
specifications. All the information contained in the long list of 
individual AWPA standards now found in the RUS wood product 
specifications is found somewhere in either of these two AWPA 
standards.
    (b) Add language to the specifications requiring that all third-
party agencies involved in the inspection of RUS products must, on an 
annual basis, provide RUS Technical Standards Committee ``A'' with 
proof that the agency does have: (1) The required insurance coverage, 
and (2) the required, fully equipped laboratory capable of running each 
of the referee methods of analysis.
    While these two requirements themselves are not new, providing 
proof of such to RUS on an annual basis is new. The reason for making 
this change is that in recent years, there apparently have been several 
instances where third-party agencies involved in RUS inspection did not 
have the required insurance or the required lab facilities. Given that 
RUS currently does not have the ability to provide an active overview 
of these third-party agencies, this change simply provides RUS with a 
method for checking the basic legitimacy of any company involved in the 
inspection of RUS treated wood products. It also provides both RUS and 
the cooperative borrower with some possible source of fiscal recovery 
if problems with product service in line can be traced back to 
performance issues involving the third-party agency being utilized.
    (c) Addition of language that clearly defines the different 
function of plant quality control versus the function of third-party 
inspection.
    This is a small but important change, in that over the past 30-40 
years there has been a deliberate ongoing attempt by many former and 
some current inspection agencies to blur the distinction between the 
two functions to promote their inspection services. It is extremely 
important that the cooperative utilities using these RUS specifications 
understand exactly what the different function of plant quality control 
and of third-party inspectors are, that these two are separate and 
distinct functions, and that each has very specific requirements. 
Clarifying the two will make it clear that the responsibility for 
product quality does and always has rested with the producer, 
eliminating the widespread fallacy that the responsibility for product 
quality lies with the third-party inspector.
    (2) Changes relevant only to Bulletin 1728F-700, (7 CFR 1728.97, 
Incorporation by reference of electric standards and specifications, 
(incorporation approved for 7 CFR 1728.98) and 7 CFR 1728.202, Bulletin 
1728H-702:
    Addition of language listing the referee methods of analysis for 
each of the major types of preservatives used to treat RUS poles and 
crossarms.
    Over the last couple of decades, much of the wet chemistry that was 
previously used to run retention analyses on treated wood poles and 
crossarms has shifted to more modern and efficient methods, such as X-
ray fluorescence. This addition simply notes the current referee 
methods for plant quality control labs and for the laboratories that 
must be maintained by any third-party inspection agency involved in the 
inspection of RUS treated wood products.
    (3) Changes relevant only to Bulletin 1728F-700, ``Specification 
for Wood Poles, Stubs and Anchor Logs (incorporated by reference at 
Sec.  1728.97):''
    (a) Eliminate northern white cedar as an acceptable pole species, 
and eliminate any reference to it.
    No manufacturer has produced a northern white cedar pole in over 
four decades. Given the availability of many other far superior species 
of trees for use as poles and crossarms, northern white cedar will not 
be used for poles again. Removing it from the specification does not 
affect a single producer.
    (b) Change the restriction on the defect known as shelling to match 
the shelling restrictions recently adopted by ANSI in their O5.1 pole 
specification.
    RUS currently restricts shelling to no more than one inch deep at 
any point on a pole's surface. That used to match the ANSI restriction 
for the same defect. Knowing this is a very dangerous defect that can 
cause utilities a lot of problems, several years ago ANSI decided to 
add an additional restriction to their shelling allowance. The current 
ANSI O5.1 language on shelling restrictions reads ``Shelling on the 
surface of the pole shall be limited to no more than one inch in depth 
nor exceed \1/3\ of the pole's circumference at the point of 
shelling.'' Manufacturers are already operating under the current ANSI 
shelling restriction, so RUS adopting it in their specification will 
have no impact on the industry while providing a better overall product 
for cooperatives.
    (c) Modify the language in the RUS specification dealing with rate 
of growth requirements for poles.
    RUS has always had a rate of growth requirement (ring count 
requirement) to ensure that the trees used for poles have adequate 
strength characteristics. Given that ring count is a critical component 
in determining the strength of an individual pole, the proposed 
language modification to denote a ``referee'' method for determining 
ring count is a very important improvement to the current RUS 
specifications. This change will have no impact on the way ring count 
is currently determined, just provides clarification about how any 
difference of opinion over ring count in an individual pole is to be 
determined if there is a difference of opinion on the issue between two 
parties.
    (d) Modify the language that ``no pole treated with an oil-borne 
preservative (penta and copper naphthenate) or with creosote can be 
shipped to a RUS borrower more than two years after its original 
treatment date'' to also include poles treated with water-borne 
preservatives such as CCA or ACZA.
    The language modification is to make this two-year restriction 
applicable to all RUS poles, regardless of type of treatment. This 
change will bring all of the major preservatives under the same 
restriction. Given that both oil-borne preservatives and creosote do 
migrate over time to the low side of stored poles, it prevented 
potential problems with pole service life due to possibly significantly 
lower preservative content on the top side of poles held in a

[[Page 28189]]

producer's treated stock for an extended period. This two year ``drop-
dead'' requirement also encouraged manufacturers to rotate their stock 
on a reasonably short basis, meaning they could provide their 
cooperative customers with the ``new'' fresher poles that utilities 
expected when they made pole purchases.
    (e) Addition of a specific listing in Table 10 in Appendix A of 
Bulletin 1728F-700, the pole specification, that allows for the 
treatment Alaska Yellow Cedar with copper naphthenate.
    Normally when cedar poles are produced, the vast bulk of the cedar 
itself is one species, western red cedar. However, a small amount of 
that volume might also be Alaska yellow cedar. The two species are 
quite similar in the way they look and treat. Apparently at least one 
large producer in the western region has developed a significant supply 
of Alaska yellow cedar that they wanted to produce and treat with 
copper naphthenate on a full charge basis. The species is a very good 
pole species, but there was no allowance for treating full charges 
composed of only Alaska yellow cedar in RUS Table 10. This change will 
add that allowance to Table 10. Overall, it will have a negligible 
impact on the industry because of the relatively scarcity of pure 
stands of Alaska yellow cedar.
    (4) The following changes in the rule making are relevant only to 7 
CFR 1728.201, RUS Bulletin 1728H-701, ``Specification for Wood 
Crossarms (Solid and Laminated), Transmission Timbers and Pole Keys.''
    (a) Eliminate the allowance for producing thermal non-pressure 
treated crossarms.
    The last thermal dip treating facility for crossarms was closed 
over 35 years ago. All of the crossarms produced today, whether 
Douglas-fir or southern pine, are pressure treated. Pressure treatment 
provides a much more uniform treatment and a far better product.
    (b) Slight modification of the language contained in the one-year 
warranty for RUS crossarms to address the fact that no crossarms are 
sold directly from a crossarm producer to a cooperative, but rather are 
sold only through distributorships.
    The current language in the crossarm warranty states ``If any 
crossarm is determined to be defective within 1 year after delivery to 
the borrower, it shall be replaced as promptly as possible by the 
producer.'' The modification simply replaces the word ``producer'' with 
the word ``supplier''. The term ``supplier'' is already properly 
defined elsewhere in the specification.
    (5) The following changes in the rule making are relevant only to 7 
CFR 1728.202, Bulletin 1728H-702, ``Specification for Quality Control 
and Inspection of Timber Products.''
    (a) Remove the Insured Warranty Program (IW) as a purchase plan for 
poles.
    The IW program was started back in the late 60's as another option 
for cooperative borrowers to use for inspection of RUS treated poles 
they were purchasing. The IW program ended in the mid 70's. Given that 
insurance premiums on a natural product like a wood pole or crossarm 
are very expensive (if an agency will even provide the coverage at 
all), and that there are other effective purchase plans available to 
cooperatives, and that IW hasn't been used in over 40 years, it needs 
to be removed from the specifications.
    (b) Relocation of appendix A (formerly located in Sec.  1728.202).
    Appendix A, Inspector's Qualifications, was formerly located in 
Sec.  1728.202. It is relocated to new Sec.  1728.203, Inspector's 
qualifications, to comply with the codification requirements in 1 CFR 
chapter I.

Incorporation by Reference

    Bulletin 1728F-700, RUS Specification for Wood Poles, Stubs and 
Anchor Logs. This specification describes the minimum acceptable 
quality of wood poles, stubs, telephone pedestal stubs, and anchor logs 
(hereinafter called poles, except where specifically referred to as 
stubs or anchor logs) purchased by or for RUS borrowers. The 
requirements of this specification implement contractual provisions 
between RUS and borrowers receiving financial assistance from RUS.
    RUS provides free online public access to view and download copies 
of Bulletin 1728-F 700. The RUS website to view and download this 
bulletin is: https://www.rd.usda.gov/publications/regulations-guidelines/bulletins/electric.
    AITC 200-2009, Manufacturing Quality Control Systems Manual for 
Structural Glued Laminated Timber, details requirements for quality 
control in accordance with the ANSI/AITC A190.1-1992. Laminators 
quality control system and inspection of plant quality control system 
by AITC Inspection Bureau are detailed. Topics addressed are personnel, 
equipment and facilities, quality control of production operations, 
testing and inspection requirements, test procedures, AITC tests, 
definitions and annexes. Recommended for manufacturers of glued 
laminated timber, third party testing and inspection agencies, and 
quality assurance agencies.
    AITC Publications may be available for a fee by calling 503-639-
0651, or as a free download online at their web address: https://www.aitc-glulam.org/index.asp. The AITC 200-2009 standard is reasonably 
available for a fee.
    ANSI O5.2-2012, Structural Glued Laminated Timber for Utility 
Structures, covers requirements for manufacturing and quality control 
of structural glued laminated timber of Southern Pine, Coastal Region 
Douglas Fir, Hem Fir and other species of similar treatability for 
electric power and communication structures.
    ANSI 05.3-2015, Solid Sawn Wood Crossarms & Braces: Specifications 
& Dimensions, consists of specifications covering solid sawn-wood 
crossarms and braces manufactured from coastal Douglas-fir and from 
dense Southern pine. The specifications are intended to cover 
communications crossarms, power crossarms, heavy-duty crossarms, and 
heavy-duty braces.
    ANSI standards are reasonably available to obtain by calling 212-
642-4980 or by online access at their web address: https://webstore.ansi.org/ for a fee. ANSI O5.2-2012 and ANSI O5.3-2015 are 
also available for a fee in ANSI O5.--Wood Poles Package.
    AWPA A6-15, Method for the Determination of Oil-Type Preservatives 
and Water in Wood. This method is suitable for the determination of 
creosote, petroleum, and their solutions in treated wood when the 
sample contains at least 5.0 grams of wood and one gram of oil.
    Additives, such as copper naphthenate or pentachlorophenol, may not 
be quantitatively extracted by this method. The method can also be used 
for the determination of water in treated or untreated wood, but when 
it is so used, the directions on handling the sample in Standard M2 
must be followed carefully.
    AWPA A9-18, Standard Method for Analysis of Treated Wood and 
Treating Solutions By X-Ray Spectroscopy. This method provides for the 
non-destructive analysis of treated wood and treating solutions by X-
ray fluorescence spectroscopy and is applicable to the determination of 
elements of atomic number 5 or higher that are present in significant 
quantity in the wood (usually above 0.05%). The elements covered in 
this method are specified for use in preservative and fire-retardant 
treatment of wood.
    AWPA A15-18, Referee Methods. Referee methods are given to assist 
in the resolution of disputes over the

[[Page 28190]]

acceptability of the active(s) in treated wood products.
    AWPA A83-18, Standard Method for Determination of Chloride for 
Calculating Pentachlorophenol in solution or Wood. The Methods, 
commonly called the ``lime ignition'' method, describes the chemical 
analysis of treating solutions which contain pentachlorophenol, of 
pentachlorophenol concentrates, and of wood treated with 
pentachlorophenol.
    AWPA M2-16, Standard for the Inspection of Preservative Treated 
Products for Industrial Use. This Standard provides procedures for 
inspection at wood preserving plants of industrial products including 
but not limited to poles, crossarms, piling, ties, timbers, round posts 
and composite wood products. This Standard also contains detailed 
procedures and test methods for determining the conformance of treated 
wood products with specified standards or other written product quality 
specifications.
    AWPA M3-16, Standard for the Quality Control of Preservative 
Treated Products for Industrial Use. This Standard provides procedures 
for quality control at wood preserving plants of industrial products, 
including but not limited to poles, crossarms, piling, ties, timbers, 
round posts and composite wood products. This standard contains minimum 
requirements for the treating plant quality control to monitor the 
treating plant and process, sample treated products and determine 
conformance to the applicable portions of Standards U1 and T1 or other 
written product quality specifications.
    AWPA T1-18, Use Category System: Processing and Treatment Standard 
This Processing and Treatment Standard contains the minimum 
requirements and process limitations for treating wood products under 
the AWPA Standards. This includes conditioning of material for 
treatment, treatment processes and limitations, end-results of 
treatment, post treatment handling, and quality control applicable to 
all commodities treated under the AWPA Use Category System.
    AWPA U1-18, Use Category System: User Specification for Treated 
Wood. The Use Category System (UCS) of the American Wood Protection 
Association (AWPA) designates what preservative systems and retentions 
have been determined to be effective in protecting wood products under 
specified exposure conditions.
    AWPA standards are reasonably available to obtain for a fee by 
calling 1-855-999-9870 or by online access at the web address: https://www.techstreet.com/standards/awpa-a9-18?product_id=2017417 for a fee. 
AWPA standards are also available for a fee in 2018 AWPA Book of 
Standards at https://www.awpa.com/standards/index.asp.
    Standard Grading Rules for Southern Pine Lumber, 2014 Edition. 
Standard definitions and classifications of the most common 
characteristics and causes for grade limitation for Southern Pine 
lumber are provided. Also provided are descriptions of the 
characteristics allowed in southern pine lumber and other information 
such as general grade characteristics, definitions of lumber for 
different uses, moisture content, claim procedures and significant 
classes of lumber. The Inspection and Shipping Provisions of the 
Standard Grading Rules for Southern Pine Lumber represents customary 
usage and fair-trade practice.
    This standard is reasonably available to obtain by online access at 
the web address for a fee by an order form: https://www.spib.org/docs/litorderform.pdf for a fee. Order forms can be emailed to [email protected] 
or faxed to 850-434-1290.
    Standard No. 17, Grading Rules for West Coast Lumber. These rules 
apply to lumber species manufactured from timber grown in the West 
Coast region which includes the summit area of the Cascade Mountains 
and west to the Pacific Ocean in the states of Washington and Oregon, 
and in the entire state of California, and to those species of foreign 
origin specifically listed in these rules.
    This standard is reasonably available by online access at the web 
address: https://www.wclib.org/publications/rules-17/ for a free 
download or purchase for a fee.

List of Subjects

7 CFR Part 1728

    Electric power, Incorporation by reference, Loan programs-energy, 
Reporting and recordkeeping requirements, Rural areas.

7 CFR Part 1755

    Incorporation by reference, Loan programs-communications, Reporting 
and recordkeeping requirements, Rural areas, Telephone.

    For reasons set forth in the preamble, chapter XVII of title 7 of 
the Code of Federal Regulations is amended as follows:

PART 1728--ELECTRIC STANDARDS AND SPECIFICATIONS FOR MATERIALS AND 
CONSTRUCTION

0
1. The authority citation for part 1728 continues to read as follows:

    Authority:  7 U.S.C. 901 et seq., 1921 et seq., 6941 et seq.


0
2. Amend Sec.  1728.97 by:
0
a. Revising the introductory text and paragraphs (a) introductory text, 
(a)(21), (b), and (c);
0
b. Redesignating paragraph (g)(1) as paragraph (g)(3) and paragraphs 
(d)(1) and (2) as paragraphs (g)(1) and (2);
0
c. Removing paragraph (d) and redesignating paragraphs (e) through (i) 
as paragraphs (d) through (h);
0
d. Revising newly redesignated paragraph (d) introductory text, newly 
redesignated paragraph (e), newly redesignated paragraph (f) 
introductory text, and newly redesignated paragraphs (g) and (h).
    The revisions and additions read as follows:


Sec.  1728.97  Incorporation by reference of electric standards and 
specifications.

    Certain material is incorporated by reference into this part with 
the approval of the Director of the Federal Register under 5 U.S.C. 
552(a) and 1 CFR part 51. All approved material is available for 
inspection at the Rural Utilities Service, U.S. Department of 
Agriculture, Room 5170-S, Washington, DC 20250-1522, call (202) 720-
8674 and is available from the sources listed in this section. It is 
also available for inspection at the National Archives and Records 
Administration (NARA). For information on the availability of this 
material at NARA, call (202) 741-6030 or go to www.archives.gov/federal-register/cfr/ibr-locations.html.
    (a) Rural Utilities Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Room 
5170-S-S, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, DC 20250. For 
information on the availability of this material, call (202) 720-8674 
or go to: https://www.rd.usda.gov/publications/regulations-guidelines/bulletins.
* * * * *
    (21) Bulletin 1728F-700, RUS Specification for Wood Poles, Stubs 
and Anchor Logs (April 15, 2019), incorporation approved for Sec. Sec.  
1728.98 and 1728.202.
* * * * *
    (b) American Institute of Timber Construction (AITC), 7012 S Revere 
Park Way, Englewood, Colorado 80112, telephone (303) 792-9559, web 
address: https://www.aitc-glulam.org/index.asp.
    (1) AITC 200-2009, Manufacturing Quality Control Systems Manual For

[[Page 28191]]

Structural Glued Laminated Timber, copyright 2009, incorporation by 
reference approved for Sec. Sec.  1728.201 and 1728.202.
    (2) [Reserved]
    (c) American National Standards Institute (ANSI), 25 West 43rd 
Street, New York, New York 10036, telephone (212) 642-4900, Web 
address: https://www.ansi.org.
    (1) ANSI O5.2-2012, Structural Glued Laminated Timber for Utility 
Structures, approved May 9, 2012, incorporation by reference approved 
for Sec. Sec.  1728.201 and 1728.202.
    (2) ANSI O5.3-2015, Solid Sawn Wood Crossarms & Braces: 
Specifications & Dimensions, approved January 9, 2015, incorporation by 
reference approved for Sec.  1728.201.
    (d) ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, West Conshohocken, 
PA 19428-2959, Telephone: (610) 832-9585, website: www.astm.org.
* * * * *
    (e) American Wood Protection Association (AWPA), P.O. Box 361784, 
Birmingham, AL 35236-1784, telephone 205-733-4077, https://www.awpa.com/.
    (1) AWPA A6-15, Method for the Determination of Retention of Oil-
Type Preservatives from Small Samples, Reaffirmed 2015, incorporation 
by reference approved for Sec.  1728.202.
    (2) AWPA A9-18, Standard Method for Analysis of Treated Wood and 
Treating Solutions By X-Ray Spectroscopy, Revised 2018, incorporation 
by reference approved for Sec.  1728.202.
    (3) AWPA A15-18, Referee Methods, Revised 2018, incorporation by 
reference approved for Sec.  1728.202.
    (4) AWPA A83-18, Standard Method for Determination of Chloride for 
Calculating Pentachlorophenol in Solution or Wood, Reaffirmed 2018, 
incorporation by reference approved for Sec.  1728.202.
    (5) AWPA M2-16, Standard for the Inspection of Preservative Treated 
Products for Industrial Use, Revised 2016, incorporation by reference 
approved for Sec.  1728.202.
    (6) AWPA M3-16, Standard for the Quality Control of Preservative 
Treated Products for Industrial Use, Revised 2016, incorporation by 
reference approved for Sec. Sec.  1728.201 and 1728.202.
    (7) AWPA T1-18, Use Category System: Processing and Treatment 
Standard, Revised 2018, incorporation by reference approved for Sec.  
1728.201.
    (8) AWPA U1-18, Use Category System: User Specification for Treated 
Wood, Revised 2018, incorporation by reference approved for Sec. Sec.  
1728.201 and 1728.202.
    (f) Insulated Cable Engineers Association (ICEA). The following 
material may be purchased from: IHS Global Engineering Documents, 15 
Inverness Way East, Englewood, CO 80112, Phone: (303) 397-7956; (800) 
854-7179, Fax: (303) 397-2740, email: [email protected], website: https://global.ihs.com.
* * * * *
    (g) Southern Pine Inspection Bureau Standards, 4709 Scenic Highway, 
Pensacola, Florida 32504-9094, telephone (850) 434-2611. The web 
address for the Southern Pine Inspection Bureau is https://www.spib.org/.
    (1) Standard Grading Rules for Southern Pine Lumber, 2014 Edition, 
effective January 25, 2014, incorporation by reference approved for 
Sec.  1728.201.
    (2) [Reserved]
    (h) West Coast Lumber Inspection Bureau, P.O. Box 23145, Portland, 
Oregon 97281, telephone (503) 639-0651, fax (503) 684-8928. The web 
address for is https://www.wclib.org/.
    (1) Standard No. 17, Grading Rules for West Coast Lumber, Revised 
September 1, 2018, incorporation by reference approved for Sec.  
1728.201.
    (2) [Reserved]

0
3. Revise Sec.  1728.98(a)(21) to read as follows:


Sec.  1728.98  Electric standards and specifications.

    (a) * * *
    (21) Bulletin 1728F-700, RUS Specification for Wood Poles, Stubs 
and Anchor Logs (April 15, 2019).
* * * * *

0
4. Revise Sec.  1728.201 to read as follows:


Sec.  1728.201  Bulletin 1728H-701, Specification for Wood Crossarms 
(Solid and Laminated), Transmission Timbers and Pole Keys.

    (a) Scope. (1) The specification in this section describes the 
minimum acceptable quality of wood transmission and distribution 
crossarms (hereinafter called arms) purchased by or for RUS borrowers. 
Where there is conflict between the specification in this section and 
any other specification referred to in this section, the specification 
in this section shall govern.
    (2) The requirements of the specification in this section implement 
contractual provisions between RUS and borrowers receiving financial 
assistance from RUS. The contractual agreement between RUS and a RUS 
borrower requires the borrower to construct its system in accordance 
with RUS accepted plans and specifications. Each RUS electric and 
telecommunications borrower shall purchase only arms produced in 
accordance with the specification in this section. Each RUS electric 
and telecommunications borrower shall require a written confirmation 
from their selected contractor that all material utilized shall be 
produced in accordance with the specifications in this section.
    (b) General stipulations. (1) Conformance of arms to RUS 
specifications is the responsibility of the producer. A member of the 
producer's staff shall be designated as quality control supervisor and 
charged with the responsibility for the exercise of proper quality 
control procedures throughout the production process. The primary 
responsibility of third-party inspection agencies is to verify that 
producers involved in the manufacture of RUS treated wood products have 
functional in-house quality control systems in place that result in the 
shipment of materials meeting applicable RUS specification requirements 
to borrowers.
    (2) Treated wood products intended for RUS borrowers shall not be 
inspected when in the opinion of the inspector, unsafe conditions are 
present.
    (3) Various requirements relating to quality control and inspection 
that are contained in Sec.  1728.202 and ANSI O5.2 and ANSI O5.3 (both 
incorporated by reference in Sec.  1728.97) shall be followed exactly 
and shall not be interpreted or subject to judgment by the producer's 
quality control personnel or by the third party inspector.
    (4) The requirements of AWPA M3 (incorporated by reference in Sec.  
1728.97) pertaining to record keeping, pre-treatment storage, 
analytical laboratories, plant gauges and other plant facilities, shall 
be followed.
    (5) The producer shall maintain its own properly staffed and 
equipped analytical laboratory or contract with an independent testing 
laboratory at or near the treating plant to provide the required 
analytical service. On a case-by-case basis, with written permission 
from RUS, a producer with more than one treatment facility may be 
allowed to use a central laboratory.
    (6) Arms can be purchased under either of two purchase plans; a RUS 
approved Quality Assurance Plan or an Independent Inspection Plan. The 
method of inspection described in this section shall be used no matter 
which plan timber products are purchased under.
    (7) All third-party inspectors involved in the inspection of RUS 
products shall maintain their impartiality when providing their 
inspection service. This requires that these individuals and their

[[Page 28192]]

employers, as well as producers and suppliers involved in providing RUS 
borrowers with treated wood products, maintain a professional 
separation during the performance of their respective functions to 
eliminate any possible conflict of interest.
    (8) With the exception of financial agreements for inspection 
services, inspection agencies shall neither accept nor provide 
gratuities or free services to suppliers.
    (9) Inspection agencies shall not offer product warranties on 
inspected material.
    (10) Arms shall be warranted to conform to this specification. Arms 
shall meet or exceed their minimum allowable dimensions for at least 
one year from time of delivery to the borrower. If any arm is 
determined to be defective or does not conform to this specification 
within 1 year from the date of delivery to the borrower, it shall be 
replaced as promptly as possible by the supplier. In the event of 
failure to do so, the purchaser may make such replacement and the cost 
of the arm, at destination, shall be recovered from the supplier.
    (c) Definitions. The following definitions apply to this section:
    Agency refers to Rural Utilities Service (RUS), United States 
Department of Agriculture.
    Certificate of compliance is a written certification by an 
authorized employee of the producer that the material shipped meets the 
requirements of this specification and any supplemental requirements 
specified in a purchase order from a borrower or the borrower's 
contractor.
    Crossarm refers to the structural wood member used to support 
electrical conductors and equipment. The word arm is used 
interchangeably with crossarm.
    Independent inspection refers to examination of material by a 
trained inspector employed by a commercial inspection agency.
    Inspection means an examination of material in sufficient detail to 
ensure conformity to all requirements of the specification under which 
it was purchased.
    Lot is a certain number of pieces of a given item submitted for 
inspection at one time.
    Producer is the party who manufactures arms. In some cases the 
producer may also be the treating plant.
    Purchaser refers to either the RUS borrower or contractors acting 
as the borrower's agent, except where a part of the specification in 
this section specifically refers to only the borrower or the 
contractor.
    Quality control supervisor refers to an employee of the producer 
designated to be responsible for quality control procedures carried out 
by said producer.
    Reserve treated stock consists of treated material held in storage 
by a producer for purchase and immediate shipment to a borrower.
    Supplier may refer to the producer, the treater, or to a third-
party broker or distributorship involved in supplying RUS products to 
the borrowers.
    Treating plant is the facility that applies the preservative 
treatment to the arms.
    (d) Material requirements--(1) Material and grade. All arms 
furnished under the specification in this section shall be free of 
brashy wood, decay, and shall meet additional requirements as shown on 
specific drawings in this section. Arms shall be made of one of the 
following:
    (i) Douglas-fir which conforms to the applicable provisions of 
paragraphs 170 and 170a, or the applicable transmission arm provisions 
of paragraphs 169 and 169a of the West Coast Lumber Standard No. 17 
(incorporated by reference in Sec.  1728.97). Only coastal origin 
Douglas-fir shall be used for Douglas-fir arms manufactured under the 
specification in this section;
    (ii) Southern Yellow Pine which conforms to the provisions of Dense 
Industrial Crossarm 65, as described in Southern Pine Inspection 
Bureau's Standard Grading Rules for Southern Pine Lumber (incorporated 
by reference at Sec.  1728.97); or
    (iii) Laminated wood arms shall conform to ANSI O5.2 and have at 
least the same load carrying capacity as the solid sawn arms being 
replaced. The load carrying capacity of the laminated arms shall be 
determined by one of the procedures outlined in ANSI O5.2. The testing 
and inspection of laminated arms shall be in accordance with AITC 200 
(incorporated by reference at Sec.  1728.97).
    (2) Alternative arms. Borrowers may use alternative arms that are 
listed in Informational Publication 202-1, List of Materials Acceptable 
for Use on Systems of USDA Rural Utilities Service Borrowers. For 
information on the availability of such material, contact the Chairman, 
Technical Standards Committee ``A'' (Electric), 1400 Independence Ave. 
SW, Stop 1569, Washington, DC 20250-1569, or go to: https://www.rd.usda.gov/files/UEP_LoM.pdf.
    (3) Knots. Well-spaced round, firm, and tight knots are permitted.
    (i) Slightly decayed knots are permitted, except on the top face, 
provided the decay extends no more than \3/4\ of an inch into the knot 
and provided the cavities will drain water when the arm is installed. 
For knots to be considered well-spaced, the sum of the sizes of all 
knots in any 6 inches of length of a piece shall not exceed twice the 
size of the largest knot permitted. More than one knot of maximum 
permissible size shall not be in the same 6 inches of length. Slightly 
decayed, firm, or round ``pin knots'' (\3/8\ of an inch or less) are 
not considered in size, spacing, or zone considerations.
    (ii) Knots are subject to limits on size and location as detailed 
in Tables 1 and 2 to this paragraph (d)(3)(ii).

 Table 1 to Paragraph (d)(3)(ii)--Knot Limits for Distribution Arms (See
                        Figure 1 to This Section)
                       [All dimensions in inches]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                               Maximum knot diameter
       Class of knot and location        -------------------------------
                                            Close grain     Dense grain
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Round Knots:
    Single Knot: Maximum Diameter Center
     Section \1\
        Upper Half......................           \3/4\               1
        Lower Half......................               1          1\1/4\
    Elsewhere...........................          1\1/4\          1\1/2\
Sum of Diameters in 6-Inch Length:
 Maximum Center Section:
        Upper Half......................          1\1/2\               2
        Lower Half......................               2          2\1/2\
    Elsewhere...........................          2\1/2\               3
------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ No knot shall be closer than its diameter to the pole mounting hole.


[[Page 28193]]


 Table 2 to Paragraph (d)(3)(ii)--Knot Limits for Transmission Arms (See
                        Figure 2 to This Section)
                       [All dimensions in inches]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                           Maximum diameter for single
      Pole mounting hole zone \1\                      knot
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Upper Half (inner zone)................  \3/4\.
Upper Half (outer zone)................  1 for close grain.
                                         1\1/4\ dense grain.
------------------------------------------------------------------------


 
                                                                                 Wide face (two sides)
   Other locations transmission arm size \2\         Narrow face     -------------------------------------------
                                                                              Edge            Along centerline
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4\5/8\ x 5\5/8\ or less.......................                     1                1\1/4\                1\1/4\
5\5/8\ x 7\3/8\...............................                1\1/4\                1\3/8\                1\7/8\
3\5/8\ x 9\3/8\...............................                 \3/4\                1\3/4\                2\1/4\
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ No knot shall be closer than its diameter to the pole mounting hole.
\2\ For cross sections not shown, refer to grading rules.

    (iii) Knot clusters shall be prohibited unless the entire cluster, 
measured on the worst face, is equal to or less than the round knot 
allowed at the specific location.
    (iv) Spike knots shall be prohibited in deadend arms. Any spike 
knot across the top face shall be limited to the equivalent 
displacement of a knot \3/8\ of an inch deep on one face and the 
maximum round knot for its particular location on the worst face, with 
a maximum width of 1 inch measured at the midpoint of the spiked 
section. Elsewhere across the bottom or side faces, spike knots shall 
not exceed \1/2\ the equivalent displacement of a round knot permitted 
at that location, provided that the depth of the knot on the worst face 
shall not exceed the maximum round knot allowed at that location.
    (v) Loose knots shall be prohibited in deadend arms. Loose knots 
and knot holes shall be permitted only if they allow water to drain 
when the arm is installed in its normal position. In the center 
section, upper half, loose knots shall not be greater than \1/2\ the 
dimensions of round knots. Elsewhere, loose knots shall not be greater 
than the round knot dimension.
    (vi) All knots except those ``spike'' knots intersecting a corner 
shall be measured on the least diameter of the knot.
    (vii) A knot shall be considered to occupy a specific zone or 
section if the center of the knot (i.e., pith of knot) is within the 
zone or on the zone's boundary.
    (viii) If a round or oval knot appears on two faces and is in two 
zones, each face shall be judged independently. When this does not 
occur, average the least dimension showing on both faces. Knots which 
occur on only one face of a free of heart center (FOHC) arm shall be 
permitted to be 25 percent larger than the stated size.
    (ix) Two or more knots opposite each other on any face shall be 
limited by a sum not to exceed the size of a maximum single knot 
permitted for the location. On all four faces, all knots shall be well 
spaced.
    (x) No knot over \5/8\ inch in diameter may intersect pin holes in 
the center section. One-inch diameter knots may intersect insulator pin 
holes elsewhere.
    (e) Miscellaneous characteristics, features and requirements. (1) 
The top face of distribution arms shall not have more than four medium 
pitch and bark pockets in 8-foot arms, and not more than five pitch and 
bark pockets in 10-foot arms. Elsewhere a maximum of six medium pitch 
and bark pockets in 8-foot arms and eight in 10-foot arms shall be 
permitted. Equivalent smaller pockets shall be permissible. An 
occasional large pocket is permissible.
    (2) Shakes shall be prohibited.
    (3) Prior to treatment on properly seasoned arms, single face 
checks shall not exceed an average penetration of \1/4\ the depth from 
any face and shall be limited to 10 inches long on the top face, and 
\1/3\ the arm length on the other faces. Checks shall not be repeated 
in the same line of grain in adjacent pin holes. The sum of the average 
depths of checks occurring in the same plane on opposite faces shall be 
limited to \1/4\ the face depth.
    (4) Compression wood shall be prohibited on any face. Compression 
wood is permitted if wholly enclosed in the arm, more than six annual 
rings from the surface, and not over \3/8\ of an inch in width.
    (5) Insect holes \3/32\ of an inch and larger shall be prohibited. 
Insect pin holes (i.e., holes not over \1/16\ of an inch diameter) 
shall be allowed if scattered and not exceeding 10 percent of the arm 
girth.
    (6) Wane shall be allowed on one edge, limited to approximately 1 
inch measured across the corner. Outside of the top center section, an 
aggregate length not to exceed 2 feet may have wane up to 1\1/2\ inches 
on an occasional piece on one or both edges. Bark shall be removed.
    (7) Prior to and after preservative treatment, crook, bow, or twist 
shall not exceed \1/2\ of an inch in 8-foot arms and \5/8\ of an inch 
in 10-foot arms.
    (f) Manufacturing--(1) Quality of work. All arms shall be of the 
highest quality production. Arms shall be dressed on all four sides, 
although ``hit and miss skips'' may occur on two adjacent faces on 
occasional pieces.
    (2) Dimensions and tolerances. All dimensions and tolerances shall 
conform to those shown on the drawings in this section or drawings 
supplied with the purchase order. Arms supplied shall meet or exceed 
minimum dimensions shown on the drawings in this section. Cross-
sectional dimensions shall be measured and judged at about \1/4\ the 
arm length, except when the defects of ``skip dressing'' or ``machine 
bite or offset'' are involved.
    (3) Shape. The shape of the arms at any cross section, except for 
permissible wane, shall be as shown on the respective drawings in this 
section or supplied with the order. The two top edges may be either 
chamfered or rounded \3/8\ of an inch radius. The two bottom edges 
shall be slightly eased \1/8\ of an inch radius for the entire length.
    (4) Lamination techniques. Lamination techniques shall comply with 
ANSI O5.2.
    (5) Pin and bolt holes. Pin and bolt holes shall be smoothly bored 
without undue splintering where drill bits break through the surface. 
The center of any hole shall be within \1/8\ of an inch of the center-
line locations on the face in

[[Page 28194]]

which it appears. Holes shall be perpendicular to the starting and 
finishing faces.
    (6) Incising. The lengthwise surfaces of Douglas-fir arms shall be 
incised a minimum of \1/4\ of an inch deep. The incision shall be 
reasonably clean cut with a spacing pattern that ensures uniform 
penetration of preservative.
    (g) Conditioning prior to treatment. AWPA T1 (incorporated by 
reference at Sec.  1728.97) shall be followed.
    (1) All solid sawn arms shall be made of lumber which has been 
kiln-dried. Douglas-fir arms shall have an average moisture content of 
19 percent or less, with a maximum not to exceed 22 percent in a single 
arm. Southern Yellow Pine arms shall have an average moisture content 
of 22 percent or less, with a maximum not to exceed 30 percent in a 
single arm.
    (2) Moisture content levels shall be measured at about \1/4\ the 
length and at a depth of about \1/5\ the arm's thickness. Additionally, 
the moisture content gradient between the shell (i.e., \1/4\ of an inch 
deep) and the core (i.e., about 1 inch deep) shall not exceed 5 
percentage points.
    (3) A minimum of at least 20 solid sawn arms per treating charge 
shall be measured and the individual results recorded by the producer 
to verify moisture content.
    (4) The moisture content of lumber used in laminating shall, at the 
time of gluing, be within the range of 8 to 12 percent, inclusive.
    (h) Preservatives. (1) Creosote, water-borne preservatives, 
pentachlorophenol and copper naphthenate shall conform to the 
requirements of AWPA U1 (incorporated by reference at Sec.  1728.97). 
Oxide formulations of waterborne preservatives shall be supplied. If 
CCA is the selected preservative, CCA-C shall be the type required.
    (2) Douglas-fir arms shall not be treated with CCA.
    (i) Preservative treatment. (1) All timber products manufactured 
under the specification in this section shall be pressure treated. AWPA 
T1 shall be followed.
    (2) These materials may be further conditioned by steaming, or by 
heating in hot oil (Douglas-fir), within the following time and 
temperature limits:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                 Max. time
                                                  (hours)    Temperature
------------------------------------------------------------------------
(i) Steam.....................................           3    220 [deg]F
(ii) Heating in Preservation..................           3    210 [deg]F
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    (3) A final steam or hot oil bath may be used only to meet 
cleanliness requirements. Total duration of the final steam bath shall 
not exceed 2 hours and the temperature shall not exceed 240 [deg]F.
    (j) Results of treatment--(1) Penetration and retention. The 
quality control supervisor shall test or supervise the testing of each 
treated charge for penetration and retention.
    (2) Method of sampling. When testing penetration and retention, a 
borer core shall be taken from a minimum of 20 arms in each treating 
charge. The borings shall be taken from any face except the top face at 
a point as close to the end as possible, being at least 3 inches from 
the end of the arm and no closer than 3 inches from the edge of the 
holes. The bored holes shall be plugged with treated plugs. Borings 
from laminated arms shall not be taken from the same laminate unless 
there is an end joint separation.
    (3) Preservative penetration. All of the sapwood present in 
Douglas-fir and southern yellow pine arms shall be completely 
penetrated with preservative. Preservative penetration in the heartwood 
of Douglas-fir arms shall be not less than 3 inches longitudinally from 
the edge of holes and ends, and at least \3/16\ inch from the surface 
of any face.
    (4) Preservative retention. Preservative retention in the outer 0.6 
inch for Douglas-fir arms and in the outer one inch of southern yellow 
pine arms shall be not less than the following:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                               Retention
                        Preservative                             (pcf)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
(i) Creosote................................................         8.0
(ii) Pentachlorophenol......................................     \1\ 0.4
(iii) ACA, ACZA, or CCA-C...................................         0.4
(iv) Copper Naphthenate.....................................        0.04
------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ This penta retention is for the lime ignition method. If the copper
  pyridine method is used when timbers may have been in contact with
  salt water, a penta retention of 0.36 pcf is required for all species
  native to the Pacific Coast region.

    (5) Arms surfaces. The surfaces of all arms shall be free from oil 
exudation (bleeding) and pentachlorophenol crystallization (blooming), 
and other surface deposits.
    (6) Retreatment of arms. Arms may be retreated no more than twice. 
Initial treatment steaming time plus re-treatment steaming time, 
combined, shall not exceed total steaming time allowed.
    (k) Marking/branding. (1) Before treatment, arms shall be legibly 
branded to a depth of approximately \1/16\ of an inch, with the top of 
the brand oriented to the top of the arm. The brand shall be placed on 
either of the wide surfaces of the arm, approximately one foot from the 
midpoint of the piece.
    (2) The letters and figures shall be not less than \1/2\ of an inch 
in height.
    (3) The brand shall include:
    (i) The manufacturer's identification symbol;
    (ii) Month and year of manufacture;
    (iii) Species (DF for Douglas-fir and SP for southern yellow pine);
    (iv) Preservative (C for creosote, P for penta, S for waterbornes, 
N for Copper Naphthenate); and
    (v) Required retention. An example of required retention is: M-6-16 
Manufacturer--Month--Year and DF-P-.4 Douglas--fir--penta treated--.40 
pcf retention
    (4) Brands and quality assurance/inspection marks shall be removed 
from arms that do not meet these specifications.
    (l) Storage. (1) Producers may manufacture/treat RUS arms for 
reserve treated stock under either of the allowable purchase plans. 
(See paragraph (b)(6) of this section).
    (2) Arms treated with creosote or oil-borne preservatives, and 
which have been held in storage for more than 1 year before purchase 
and shipment to the borrower shall be re-assayed before shipment. Any 
such arms found to be nonconforming for retention shall be retreated 
and reassayed per the requirements of this section of the 
specification.
    (m) Drawings. (1) The drawings of Figure 3 to this section, 
Crossarm Drilling Guide, have a type number and show in detail the hole 
size, shape, and pattern desired for arms ordered under the 
specification in this section.
    (2) Purchase orders shall indicate the type arm required.
    (3) Arms shall be furnished in accordance with the details of the 
drawings in this section or in accordance with drawings attached to the 
purchase order.
    (4) Appropriate drawings for transmission arms are to be specified 
and included with purchase orders. Technical drawings for transmission 
arms are published in Bulletin 1728F-811 (incorporated by reference at 
Sec.  1728.97) and Bulletin 1728F-810 (incorporated by reference at 
Sec.  1728.97).
    (n) Destination inspection. The RUS borrower shall have the 
prerogative to inspect materials at destination. All provisions of the 
specification in this section shall apply to material inspected at 
destination. If a disagreement arises over conformance of materials 
received at destination, it shall be the responsibility of the supplier 
to resolve the matter with the purchaser.
    (o) Purchase of related specifications and standards. (1) All ANSI 
and AWPA standards may be purchased from:

[[Page 28195]]

American Wood Protection' Association (AWPA), P.O. Box 361784, 
Birmingham, AL 35236-1784, Telephone (205)733-4077, Web address: https://www.awpa.com.
    (2) Standard Grading Rules for Southern Pine Lumber and Special 
Products Rules for Structural, Industrial, and Railroad Freight Car 
Lumber may be purchased from: Southern Pine Inspection Bureau, 4709 
Scenic Highway, Pensacola, Florida 32504-9094, Telephone (850) 434-
2611, Web address: https://www.spib.org.
    (3) Standard Grading Rules for West Coast Lumber may be purchased 
from: West Coast Lumber Inspection Bureau, P.O. Box 23145, Portland, 
Oregon 97281, Telephone (503) 639-0651, Web address: https://www.wclib.org.
    (4) AITC 200 may be purchased from: American Institute of Timber 
Construction, 7012 S Revere Park Way, Englewood, Colorado 80112, 
Telephone (303) 792-9559, Web address: https://aitc-glulam.org.
    (p) Information to be completed by the borrower. When using the 
specification in this section, the borrower or borrower's 
representative should enter into a written agreement with a material 
supplier by way of a contract or purchase order. This agreement should 
state that all arms shall be manufactured in strict accordance with the 
specifications in this section.
BILLING CODE 6355-01-P
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TR18JN19.001


[[Page 28196]]


[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TR18JN19.002


[[Page 28197]]


[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TR18JN19.003

BILLING CODE 6355-01-C

[[Page 28198]]


0
5. Revise Sec.  1728.202 to read as follows:


Sec.  1728.202  Bulletin 1728H-702, Specification for Quality Control 
and Inspection of Timber Products.

    (a) Scope. (1) The specification in this section describes the 
responsibilities and procedures pertaining to the quality control by 
producers and pertaining to inspection of timber products produced in 
accordance with the following RUS specifications in Sec.  1728.201, and 
poles, covered in Bulletin 1728F-700 (incorporated by reference in 
Sec.  1728.97) and in Sec.  1755.97 of this chapter.
    (2) Where there is conflict between the specification in this 
section and any other specification referred in this section, the 
specification in this section shall govern.
    (3) The specification in this section also describes and designates 
responsibilities of RUS borrowers in regard to their purchases under 
the specifications referenced in paragraph (a)(1) of this section.
    (b) General stipulations. (1) Conformance of poles and crossarms to 
RUS specifications is the responsibility of the producer. A member of 
the producer's staff shall be designated as quality control supervisor 
and charged with the responsibility for the exercise of proper quality 
control procedures throughout the production process. The primary 
responsibility of third party inspection agencies is to verify that 
producers involved in the manufacture of RUS treated wood products have 
functional in-house quality control systems in place that result in the 
shipment of materials meeting applicable RUS specification requirements 
to borrowers.
    (2) The requirements of AWPA M3 (incorporated by reference at Sec.  
1728.97), pertaining to recordkeeping, pretreatment storage, analytical 
laboratories, plant gauges, and other plant facilities, shall be 
followed.
    (3) Treated wood products intended for RUS borrowers shall not be 
inspected when in the opinion of the inspector, unsafe conditions are 
present.
    (4) Poles and crossarms can be purchased under either of two 
purchase plans; a RUS approved Quality Assurance Plan or an Independent 
Inspection Plan. The method of inspection described in this section 
shall be used no matter which plan timber products are purchased under.
    (5) Under the Independent Inspection Plan, the borrower should 
designate in the purchase order which inspection agency it has 
selected. Unless the borrower contracts for inspection as a separate 
transaction, the treating company shall obtain the services of the 
borrower's designated inspection agency. For reserve treated stock held 
in inventory by the producer, the producer shall obtain the services of 
the appropriate inspection program.
    (6) All third-party inspectors involved in the inspection of RUS 
products shall maintain their impartiality when providing their 
inspection service. This requires that these individuals and their 
employers, as well as producers and suppliers involved in providing RUS 
borrowers with treated wood products, maintain the greatest degree of 
professional separation during the performance of their respective 
functions to eliminate any possible conflict of interest.
    (7) With the exception of financial agreements for inspection 
services, inspection agencies shall not accept nor provide gratuities 
or free services to suppliers.
    (8) Inspection agencies shall not offer product warranties on 
inspected material.
    (9) Inspection agencies shall have and maintain liability insurance 
in the amount of $500,000 and a surety bond or miscellaneous Errors and 
Omission insurance for consequential damages for not less than 
$250,000. Evidence of compliance to the requirement in this paragraph 
(b)(9) shall be forwarded to the RUS annually. The evidence shall be in 
the form of a certificate of insurance or a Bond signed by a 
representative of the insurance or Surety Bonding company and include a 
provision that no change in, or cancellation of, will be made without 
the prior written notice to Chairman, Technical Standards Committee 
``A'' (Electric).
    (10) Inspection agencies shall maintain their own properly equipped 
laboratory that, at a minimum, is able to run the referee methods 
listed in table 1 to this paragraph (b)(10) for retention analysis for 
all preservatives being inspected. This laboratory shall be independent 
from any treating plant laboratory. Inspection Agencies may use one 
central laboratory. All XRF units maintained by third party inspection 
agencies as part of their RUS required laboratories shall be calibrated 
at least quarterly by said agency utilizing the referee method for each 
preservative treatment being analyzed or via comparison with a set of 
graduated treated wood standards. Each agency shall keep an up-to-date 
written record of these quarterly calibration results. AWPA A83 
(incorporated by reference at Sec.  1728.97) shall be followed for 
Pentachlorophenol testing, AWPA A6 (incorporated by reference at Sec.  
1728.97) shall be followed for Creosote testing and AWPA A9 
(incorporated by reference at Sec.  1728.97) shall be followed for XRF 
be followed, as illustrated in the following table:

                      Table 1 to Paragraph (b)(10)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
             Preservative                        Referee method
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pentachlorophenol.....................  Lime Ignition, Copper Pyridine.
Creosote..............................  Toluene Extraction.
Waterborne............................  X-ray fluorescence (XRF).
Copper Naphthenate....................  X-ray fluorescence (XRF).
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    (11) If used for analysis, plant XRF units shall be accurate and 
generate reproducible results per AWPA A9. At least once monthly, their 
accuracy and precision shall be checked by the third-party inspector. 
This verification shall consist of the inspector taking a retention 
sample previously analyzed by the plant quality control supervisor on-
site and rerunning it in the inspection agency's own laboratory using 
said agency's XRF unit or the referee method for a specific 
preservative. If the inspection agency's analytical result is within 
+5% of the plant's retention result on that sample, the plant XRF unit 
needs no further calibration.
    (12) Individual inspectors in the employ of inspection agencies 
shall be properly trained and experienced. See Sec.  1728.203, for 
details of an inspector's minimum qualifications. Upon request, 
inspection agencies must provide RUS with detailed written 
documentation verifying that each of their employees inspecting RUS 
materials has the minimum experience and training described in Sec.  
1728.203. Failure of an individual inspector to follow proper 
procedures or failure of an inspection agency to properly train and 
supervise their inspectors or follow applicable RUS specifications 
constitutes grounds for RUS debarment of said inspector and said 
inspection agency from future inspection of RUS financed material.
    (c) Quality control and inspection procedures. It is the 
responsibility of the plant quality control supervisor to perform the 
following procedures to ensure that a particular lot of material 
conforms to the requirements of the applicable Agency specification 
prior to treatment. After the plant quality control supervisor has 
performed these procedures, a particular lot of material shall be 
released to the inspector for verification of conformance.
    (1) For poles, inspection prior to treatment shall include:
    (i) Ample space and assistance shall be provided by the treating 
plant for handling and turning poles. Regardless of the purchase plan 
poles are being purchased under, all poles in a lot shall

[[Page 28199]]

be inspected by the plant quality control supervisor prior to offering 
the lot for verification by a third party.
    (ii) When limited by the purchaser in a written purchase order, 
moisture content shall be measured with a calibrated electronic 
moisture meter. Calibration of the moisture meter shall include not 
only the zero settings for the X and Y readings, but also two 
resistance standards for 12 and 22 percent moisture content. Material 
failing to conform for moisture content may be retested upon request 
after recalibration of the moisture meter.
    (iii) Dimensions, length, and circumference shall be measured by a 
standard steel tape to determine that they meet specification 
requirements and that they agree with the details for class and length 
found in the face brand/tag and butt of each pole. If it is obvious by 
visual comparison with a measured pole that the brand information 
regarding class and length is correct, individual poles need not be 
measured. Pole circumference dimensions measured prior to treatment 
shall govern acceptance. Reduction in dimension due to treatment and 
shipping shall be no more than 2 percent below the minimum for the pole 
class.
    (iv) Poles in a lot shall be of the same seasoning condition and 
all shall be inspected for decay. If the plant quality control 
supervisor suspects that decay is present in a pole, a slice from both 
ends shall be cut for closer examination. If 3 percent or more of the 
poles in the lot inspected by the plant quality control supervisor show 
evidence of decay, the entire lot shall be unconditionally withdrawn 
without further sorting.
    (v) Under the Independent Inspection Plan, all poles shall be 
examined by the third-party Inspector for verification of conformance. 
Under a RUS approved Quality Assurance Plan, the number of poles 
inspected for verification of conformance may vary according to the 
terms of the approved plan.
    (vi) Whenever it becomes evident during third party inspection of 
any lot of poles offered by the producer that non-conforming pieces 
exceed 3 percent for any one defect or 5 percent for all defects, the 
inspector shall withhold further inspection and reject the balance of 
the lot. After the producer has acted to eliminate all defective 
pieces, the rejected balance may be inspected as a new lot. Sorting, 
however, shall not be permitted when a lot has been rejected for decay.
    (vii) Re-examination for mechanical damage or deterioration and for 
original acceptance shall be conducted on timber products not treated 
within 10 days after the original third-party inspection.
    (2) For crossarms, inspection prior to treatment shall include:
    (i) Regardless of the purchase plan arms are being purchased under, 
all arms in a lot shall be inspected by the plant quality control 
supervisor prior to offering the lot for verification by a third party. 
After the plant quality control supervisor has performed the procedures 
in paragraphs (c)(2)(ii) through (vii) of this section, a particular 
lot of arms shall be released to the inspector for verification of 
conformance.
    (ii) Moisture content of the arms in the lot shall be checked with 
a calibrated moisture meter.
    (iii) Surface inspection of both ends and the side surfaces of each 
arms. Particular attention shall be paid to visible defects such as 
compression wood, red heart, honeycomb and other forms of decay, 
shakes, splits, through checks, low density, wane, undersize, and pitch 
pockets.
    (iv) Inspection of bolt and insulator pin holes for proper 
location, dimension and excessive splintering.
    (v) Inspection of brands for proper location, required content and 
legibility.
    (vi) Under the Independent Inspection, both ends of all crossarms 
and a random representative sample of the lengthwise side faces of all 
crossarms shall be inspected. The sample size shall equal 20 percent of 
the lot size or 200 arms, whichever is smaller. Under a RUS approved 
Quality Assurance Plan, the number of crossarms inspected for 
verification of conformance may vary according to the terms of the 
approved plan.
    (vii) Whenever it becomes evident during third party inspection of 
any lot of arms offered by the producer that non-conforming pieces 
exceed 2 percent of the sample size, the entire lot shall be rejected. 
After the producer has acted to eliminate all defective pieces, the 
rejected balance may be inspected as a new lot.
    (d) Preservatives. Creosote, waterborne preservatives, 
pentachlorophenol and copper naphthenate shall conform to current AWPA 
U1 (incorporated by reference in Sec.  1728.97).
    (e) Results of treatment--Poles. (1) Following treatment, poles 
shall be sampled for preservative retention and penetration utilizing a 
calibrated increment borer 0.2 inches +0.02 inches in diameter in 
accordance with procedures listed in AWPA M2 (incorporated by reference 
in Sec.  1728.97).
    (2) Inspectors may take their own retention samples and analyze 
them concurrently with those taken by the quality control supervisor, 
but each shall work independently. The results of the plant's analysis 
shall be presented before verification and acceptance of the charge by 
the third-party inspector.
    (3) Unless otherwise specified, borings shall be taken from the 
section of the pole extending from 1 foot below the face brand/tag to 1 
foot above the face brand/tag. For pressure treated Western Red Cedar, 
Alaska Yellow Cedar and all butt treated poles, borings shall be taken 
from the section of the pole approximately 1 foot below groundline.
    (4) For all species, core samples shall be taken from 20 poles in 
charges of 20 or more poles. If a charge consists of less than 20 
poles, each pole shall be bored and then individual poles shall be 
bored a second time to obtain a minimum of 20 core samples. Any 
additional borings required to obtain the required 20 core samples 
shall be taken in a manner that represents the lot of material with 
respect to variations in size, seasoning condition, or other features 
that may affect the results of treatment.
    (5) Retention and penetration samples shall consist of borings 
representative of pole volumes for each class and length in the charge, 
as illustrated in the following table:

                                           Table 2 to Paragraph (e)(5)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                    % of total       Number of
                 Number of poles                   Class/length    Vol. in ft\3\       vol.         borings \1\
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
20..............................................            5/40             550              22               4
30..............................................            4/40             840              34               7
20..............................................            4/45             510              20               4
20..............................................            3/45             600              24               5
                                                                 ----------------

[[Page 28200]]

 
    Total.......................................  ..............           2,500  ..............  ..............
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Retention and penetration requirements for each different species and preservative are listed in Table 10 of
  Appendix A, RUS Bulletin 1728F-700, Specification for Wood Poles, Stubs and Anchor Logs (incorporated by
  reference at Sec.   1728.97).

    (6) Preservative retention analyses shall be performed per the 
standard AWPA U1, (incorporated by reference at Sec.  1728.97).
    (7) Penetration compliance of both poles and crossarms shall be 
determined in accordance with the standard AWPA A15 (incorporated by 
reference at Sec.  1728.97). Chrome Azurol S and Penta-Check shall be 
used to determine the penetration of copper containing preservatives 
and penta, respectively.
    (8) All bored holes created by penetration and retention sampling 
shall be promptly filled with tight fitting treated plugs.
    (9) Penetration sampling of poles shall be carried out as follows:
    (i) Group A poles (Those poles with a circumference of 37.5 inches 
or less at 6 feet from butt.):
    (A) Bore 20 poles or 20 percent of the poles in the charge, 
whichever is greater. Accept all poles in the charge for penetration if 
every boring in the sample conforms. If any sample fails penetration, 
bore all poles in the charge.
    (B) If more than 15% of the poles in the charge are found to be 
nonconforming, the entire charge shall be retreated. If 15% or less are 
found to be nonconforming, remove and retreat only those that are 
nonconforming.
    (ii) Group B poles (Those poles with a circumference greater than 
37.5 inches at 6 feet from the butt.):
    (A) For Group B poles 45 feet and under, bore each pole in the 
charge. If more than 15% of these poles are found to be nonconforming, 
the entire charge shall be retreated. If 15% or less are found to be 
nonconforming, remove and retreat only those that are nonconforming.
    (B) For Group B poles 50 feet and over, bore each pole twice at 90 
degrees apart and accept only those poles conforming to penetration in 
both borings.
    (iii) Nonconforming poles may be treated only twice. The letter 
``R'' shall be added to the original charge number in the butts of all 
poles that are retreated. Poles failing to meet treatment requirements 
after two retreatments shall be permanently rejected and all brand and 
butt information removed.
    (f) Results of treatment--Crossarms. Retention and penetration 
samples shall be taken from not less than 20 crossarms in each charge. 
The sampling method and retention and penetration requirements for both 
Douglas-fir and Southern Yellow Pine crossarms are listed in Sec.  
1728.201.
    (g) Product acceptance. (1) Third party inspectors shall verify 
their acceptance of untreated poles that have been offered by the 
producer as conforming by marking each accepted piece in the tip with a 
clear, legible hammer stamp. Following treatment, inspectors shall 
verify their acceptance of treated poles that have been offered by the 
producer as conforming by marking each accepted piece in the butt with 
a clear, legible hammer stamp. Inspection marks are not to be placed in 
the butt surfaces of any poles prior to treatment and proper retention 
analysis and penetration testing being completed. The inspector shall 
personally mark each piece for acceptance and shall not delegate this 
responsibility to any other individual.
    (2) Each inspector or inspection agency shall retain for a period 
of at least one year a copy or transcript of each pre-treatment 
inspection report and a copy of analytical worksheets covering 
retention and penetration test results for each treated charge of 
material inspected. On request, a copy or transcript of these reports 
shall be furnished to the Chairman, Technical Standards Committee 
``A'', Rural Utilities Service, Washington, DC 20250-1569.
    (i) On each inspection report the third-party inspector and the 
plant quality control supervisor shall certify in writing that the 
material listed on the report has been properly inspected both before 
and after treatment and that the preservative used met the requirements 
of this section. Inspection reports shall also include the following 
information:
    (A) Conditioning details of the material prior to treatment.
    (B) Total number of pieces offered by the producer.
    (C) Number of pieces rejected by the inspector, cause for 
rejection.
    (D) Copy of preservative analysis (usually supplied by the 
preservative supplier).
    (E) Treating sheet containing details of treatment for each charge.
    (F) Separate worksheets for retention analyses done by the plant 
quality control supervisor and by the inspector.
    (G) Penetration result on each individual core boring taken from 
poles in the charge.
    (ii) [Reserved]
    (h) Laminated materials. (1) All lumber used to fabricate laminated 
materials shall be inspected and its grade verified by a qualified 
lumber grader, then marked appropriately.
    (2) Laminated materials shall comply with manufacturing 
requirements specified in ANSI O5.2 (incorporated by reference at Sec.  
1728.97). Melamine urea adhesives shall not be used. Plant quality 
control procedures and any third-party inspection shall be conducted in 
accordance with AITC 200 (incorporated by reference at Sec.  1728.97), 
and Sec.  1728.201 (Bulletin 1728H-701).
    (3) Following treatment, laminated material shall be checked for 
proper preservative retention and penetration, and for any evidence of 
delamination. All conforming laminated materials shall be clearly 
marked with either an American Institute of Timber Construction (AITC) 
or American Plywood Association (APA) quality stamp.
    (i) Safety provisions. Poles intended for agency borrowers shall 
not be inspected when, in the opinion of the inspector, unsafe 
conditions are present.

0
6. Add Sec.  1728.203 to read as follows:


Sec.  1728.203  Inspector's qualifications.

    Inspection agencies must assure borrowers that employees assigned 
to the inspection of timber products and preservative treatments are 
competent and experienced. In general, any of the following examples 
are considered as minimum qualifying experience before an individual 
may be permitted to inspect timber products for borrowers:
    (a) Three years of direct experience inspecting untreated and 
treated utility products; or
    (b) Three years of direct experience conducting in-plant quality 
control work at a treating plant producing treated utility products; or
    (c) Under the direct supervision of an experienced, qualified 
inspector, the individual shall have performed the following:

[[Page 28201]]

    (1) For poles, inspected at least 10,000 individual untreated 
poles, and checked preservative penetration on at least 3,000 
individual poles;
    (2) For crossarms, inspected at least 5,000 individual untreated 
arms and checked penetration on at least 500 individual arms;
    (3) Conducted at least 100 retention assays, including at least 25 
analyses for each different preservative treatment being inspected.
    (d) In both paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section, the experience 
should be not less than that required in paragraph (c) of this section.
    (e) Individuals involved in the inspection of more than one 
commodity must have the minimum experience required in paragraph (c) of 
this section for each respective product.

PART 1755--TELECOMMUNICATIONS POLICIES ON SPECIFICATIONS, 
ACCEPTABLE MATERIALS, AND STANDARD CONTRACT FORMS

0
7. 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.


0
8. Revise Sec.  1755.97 to read as follows:


Sec.  1755.97  Telephone standards and specifications.

    (a)(1) Certain material is incorporated by reference into this part 
with the approval of the Director of the Federal Register under 5 
U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 CFR part 51. All approved material is available for 
inspection at the Rural Utilities Service, U.S. Department of 
Agriculture, Room 5170-S, Washington, DC 20250-1522, call (202) 720-
8674 and is available as listed in this section. It is also available 
for inspection at the National Archives and Records Administration 
(NARA). For information on the availability of these materials at NARA, 
call (202) 741-6030 or go to: www.archives.gov/federal-register/cfr/ibr-locations.html.
    (2) To comply with the provisions of this part, you must follow the 
requirements set out in the RUS telecommunications bulletins 
incorporated by reference. These materials are incorporated as they 
exist on the date of the approval and notification of any change in 
these materials will be published in the Federal Register. The terms 
``RUS form'', ``RUS standard form'', ``RUS specification'', and ``RUS 
bulletin'' have the same meaning as the terms ``REA form'', ``REA 
standards form'', ``REA specification'', and ``REA bulletin'', 
respectively, unless otherwise indicated. For information on other 
standards incorporated by reference into this part see Sec.  1755.901.
    (b) Rural Utilities Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Room 
5170-S, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, DC 20250, https://www.rd.usda.gov/publications/regulations-guidelines/bulletins.
    (1) Bulletin 345-39, RUS specification for telephone station 
protectors, August 19, 1985.
    (2) Bulletin 345-50 PE-60, RUS specification for trunk carrier 
systems, September 1979.
    (3) Bulletin 345-54 PE-52, RUS specification for telephone cable 
splicing connectors, December 1971.
    (4) Bulletin 345-55 PE-61, RUS specification for central office 
loop extenders and loop extender voice frequency repeater combinations, 
December 1973.
    (5) Bulletin 345-65, PE-65, Specification for shield bonding 
connectors, March 22, 1985.
    (6) Bulletin 345-66 PE-64, RUS specification for subscriber carrier 
systems, September 1979.
    (7) Bulletin 345-69 PE-29, RUS specification for two-wire voice 
frequency repeater equipment, January 1978.
    (8) Bulletin 345-72 PE-74, RUS specification for filled splice 
closures, October 1985.
    (9) Bulletin 345-78 PE-78, RUS specification for carbon arrester 
assemblies for use in protectors, February 1980.
    (10) Bulletin 345-180 Form 397a, RUS specifications for voice 
frequency repeaters and voice frequency repeatered trunks, January 
1963.
    (11) Bulletin 345-183 Form 397d, RUS design specifications for 
point-to-point microwave radio systems June 1970.
    (12) Bulletin 345-184 Form 397e, RUS design specifications for 
mobile and fixed dial radio telephone equipment May 1971.
    (13) Bulletin 1728F-700, RUS Specification for Wood Poles, Stubs 
and Anchor Logs, April 15, 2019.
    (14) Bulletin 1753F-150 Form 515a, Specifications and Drawings for 
Construction of Direct Buried Plant, September 30, 2010.
    (15) Bulletin 1753F-151 Form 515b, Specifications and Drawings for 
Construction of Underground Plan, September 12, 2001.
    (16) Bulletin 1753F-152 Form 515c, Specifications and Drawings for 
Construction of Aerial Plant, September 17, 2001.
    (17) Bulletin 1753F-153 Form 515d, Specifications and Drawings for 
Service Installation at Customer Access Locations, September 17, 2001.

0
9. Amend Sec.  1755.98 by revising the table to read as follows:


Sec.  1755.98  List of telecommunications specifications included in 
other 7 CFR parts.

* * * * *

------------------------------------------------------------------------
            Section                 Issue date             Title
------------------------------------------------------------------------
(a) 1728.202..................  April 15, 2019...  RUS Specification for
                                                    Quality Control and
                                                    Inspection of Timber
                                                    Products.
(b) [Reserved]................
------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chad Rupe,
Administrator, Rural Utilities Service.
[FR Doc. 2019-12238 Filed 6-17-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE P