[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 4 (Wednesday, January 7, 1998)] [Rules and Regulations] [Pages 684-685] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 98-256] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY 40 CFR Parts 712 and 716 [FRL-5944-5] Technical Amendments to Preliminary Assessment Information and Health and Safety Data Reporting; Addition of Chemicals; Stay of Final Rule: Correction of Effective Date Under Congressional Review Act (CRA) AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). ACTION: Final rule; correction of effective date under CRA. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: On October 29, 1996 (61 FR 55871), the Environmental Protection Agency published in the Federal Register a final rule in which EPA added certain chemical substances to two model information- gathering rules under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA): the TSCA Section 8(a) Preliminary Assessment Information Rule, and the TSCA Section 8(d) Health and Safety Data Reporting Rule. That rule established an effective date of November 29, 1996. On December 11, 1996 (62 FR 65186), EPA published a final rule in the Federal Register staying certain portions of the October 29, 1996 final rule. The stay rule established an effective date of December 11, 1996. This document corrects the effective dates of both rules to December 30, 1997 to be consistent with sections 801 and 808 of the Congressional Review Act (CRA), enacted as part of the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act. DATES: December 30, 1997. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Angela Hofmann, Director, Regulatory Coordination Staff, Office of Prevention, Pesticides, and Toxics, Environmental Protection Agency, 401 M St., SW, Washington, DC 20460. Telephone: (202) 260-2922. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: A. Background Section 801 of the CRA precludes a rule from taking effect until the agency promulgating the rule submits a rule report, which includes a copy of the rule, to each House of the Congress and to the Comptroller General of the General Accounting Office (GAO). EPA recently discovered that it had inadvertently failed to submit both the above rules as required; thus, although the first rule was promulgated on October 29, 1996, by operation of law, the rule did not take effect on November 29, 1996 as stated. Further, although the [[Page 685]] second rule, staying certain portions of the first rule, was promulgated on December 11, 1996, by operation of law, the rule did not take effect on December 11, 1996 as stated. After EPA discovered its error, both rules were submitted to both Houses of Congress and the GAO on December 11, 1997. This document amends the effective dates of both rules consistent with the provisions of the CRA. Since neither rule became effective as originally intended, the effect of today's rule is to stay the reporting of the category ``nonylphenol ethoxylates'' under 40 CFR 712.30 and 716.120 as intended by the December 11, 1996 rule. However, since the October 29, 1996 rule also made technical amendments to 40 CFR 712.30(e) to revise the CAS number entry for ``alkylphenols and alkylphenol ethoxylates'' and those provisions were not stayed by the December 11, 1996 rule, those technical amendments are effective December 30, 1997. Section 553 of the Administrative Procedure Act, 5 U.S.C. 553(b), provides that, when an agency for good cause finds that notice and public procedure are impracticable, unnecessary or contrary to the public interest, an agency may issue a rule without providing notice and an opportunity for public comment. EPA has determined that there is good cause for making today's rule final without prior proposal and opportunity for comment because EPA merely is correcting the effective dates of the promulgated rules to be consistent with the congressional review requirements of the Congressional Review Act as a matter of law and has no discretion in this matter. Thus, notice and public procedure are unnecessary. The Agency finds that this constitutes good cause under 5 U.S.C. 553(b). Moreover, since today's action does not create any new regulatory requirements and affected parties have known of the underlying rules since October 29, 1996, and December 11, 1996, respectively, EPA finds that good cause exists to provide for an immediate effective date pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3) and 808(2). B. Administrative Requirements Under Executive Order 12866 (58 FR 51735, October 4, 1993), this action is not a ``significant regulatory action'' and is therefore not subject to review by the Office of Management and Budget. In addition, this action does not impose any enforceable duty or contain any unfunded mandate as described in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-4), or require prior consultation with State officials as specified by Executive Order 12875 (58 FR 58093, October 28, 1993), or involve special consideration of environmental justice related issues as required by Executive Order 12898 (59 FR 7629, February 16, 1994). Because this action is not subject to notice-and- comment requirements under the Administrative Procedure Act or any other statute, it is not subject to the regulatory flexibility provisions of the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.). EPA's compliance with these statutes and Executive Orders for the October 29, 1996 rule is discussed in the October 29, 1996 Federal Register document. Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 801(a)(1)(A), as added by the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996, EPA will submit a report containing this rule and other required information to the U.S. Senate, the U.S. House of Representatives and the Comptroller General of the General Accounting Office; however, in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 808(2), this rule became effective on December 30, 1997. This rule is not a ``major rule'' as defined in 5 U.S.C. 804(2). This final rule only amends the effective dates of the underlying rules; it does not amend any substantive requirements contained in those rules. Accordingly, to the extent it is available, judicial review is limited to the amended effective date. Pursuant to Section 19 of TSCA, challenges to this amendment must be brought within 60 days of today's publication of this rule. Dated: December 30, 1997. Carol M. Browner, Administrator. [FR Doc. 98-256 Filed 1-2-98; 1:29 pm] BILLING CODE 6560-50-M