The LSB mandates that all boot loader config files be in /etc with all the other config files. From page 9 of LSB-2.2: 3.5 /boot : Static files of the boot loader 3.5.1 Purpose This directory contains everything required for the boot process except configuration files and the map installer. Thus /boot stores data that is used before the kernel begins executing user-mode programs. This may include saved master boot sectors, sector map files, and other data that is not directly edited by hand.2 2. Programs necessary to arrange for the boot loader to be able to boot a file must be placed in /sbin. Configuration files for boot loaders must be placed in /etc.
It's the FHS, not the LSB. And this is clearly a case of standards drain-bamage.because for boot loaders that are sane and can actually read their config files off the filesystem, the config file has to be in the same physical partition as the kernels and boot loader images. We do, though, provide a symlink of /etc/grub.conf to help out somewhat. Now to figure out the proper channels for getting brokenness out of the FHS (the LSB at least has a bug database :-)