[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 7, Volume 11]
[Revised as of January 1, 2003]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 7CFR1728.20]

[Page 274]
 
                          TITLE 7--AGRICULTURE
 
    CHAPTER XVII--RURAL UTILITIES SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
 
PART 1728--ELECTRIC STANDARDS AND SPECIFICATIONS FOR MATERIALS AND CONSTRUCTION--Table of Contents
 
Sec. 1728.20  Establishment of standards and specifications.

    (a) National and other standards. RUS will utilize standards of 
national standardizing groups, such as the American National Standards 
Institute (ANSI), American Wood Preservers' Association (AWPA), the 
various national engineering societies and the National Electrical 
Safety Code (NESC), to the greatest extent practical. When there are no 
national standards or when RUS determines that the existing national 
standards are not adequate for rural electric systems, RUS will prepare 
standards for material and equipment to be used on systems of electric 
borrowers. RUS standards and specifications will be codified or listed 
in Sec. 1728.97, Incorporation by Reference of Electric Standards and 
Specifications. RUS will also prepare specifications for materials and 
equipment when it determines that such specifications will result in 
reduced costs, improved materials and equipment, or in the more 
effective use of engineering services.
    (b) Deviations from Standards. No member of the RUS staff will be 
permitted to authorize deviations from the standard specifications, or 
to establish or change the technical standards, or to authorize the use 
of items that have not received acceptance by the Technical Standards 
Committees, except as provided for under Sec. 1728.70, or by 
authorization and/or delegation of authority by the Administrator of 
RUS.
    (c) Category of Items. Items appearing in the List of Materials are 
listed by categories of generic items which are used in RUS construction 
standards incorporated by reference in Sec. 1728.97. RUS will establish 
and define these categories and will establish all criteria for 
acceptability within these categories.

[50 FR 47710, Nov. 20, 1985. Redesignated at 55 FR 39395, Sept. 27, 
1990, and amended at 55 FR 53487, Dec. 31, 1990]