[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 24 (Monday, February 5, 2001)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 8885-8886]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-2863]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Food and Nutrition Service

7 CFR Parts 271 and 278

RIN 0584-AB90


Food Stamp Program: Revisions to the Retail Food Store Definition 
and Program Authorization Guidance: Delay of Effective Date

AGENCY: Food and Nutrition Service, USDA.

ACTION: Final rule; delay of effective date.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the memorandum of January 20, 2001, from 
the Assistant to the President and Chief Staff, entitled ``Regulatory 
Review Plan,'' published in the Federal Register on January 24, 2001, 
this action temporarily delays for 60 days the effective date of the 
rule entitled Food Stamp Program: Food Revisions to the Retail Food 
Store Definition and Program Authorization Guidance, published in the 
Federal Register on January 12, 2001, 66 FR 2795. The rule implements 
provisions of the Food Stamp Progam Improvements Act of 1994 to revise 
the criteria for eligibility of firms to participate in the Food Stamp 
Program as retail food stores, and to provide for notification to such 
firms of eligibility criteria for participation in the Food Stamp 
Program. To the extent that 5 U.S.C. section 553 applies to this 
action, it is exempt from notice and comment because it constitutes a 
rule of procedure under 5 U.S.C. section 553(b)(A). Alternatively the 
Department's implementation of this rule without opportunity for public 
comment, effective immediately upon publication today in the Federal 
Register, is based on the good cause exceptions in 5 U.S.C. section 
553(b)(B) and 553(d)(3). Seeking public comment is impracticable, 
unnecessary and contrary to the public interest. The temporary 60-day 
delay in effective date is necessary to give Department officials the 
opportunity for further review and consideration of new regulations, 
consistent with the Assistant to the President's memorandum of January 
20, 2001. Given the imminence of the effective date, seeking prior 
public comment on this temporary delay would have been impractical, as 
well as contrary to the public interest in the orderly promulgation and 
implementation of regulations. The imminence of the effective date is 
also good cause for making this rule effective immediately upon 
publication.

DATES: The effective date of the Food Stamp Program: Food Stamp 
Program: Revisions to the Retail Food Store Definition and Program 
Authorization Guidance, published in the Federal Register on January 
12, 2001, at 66 FR 2795, is delayed for 60 days, from February 12, 
2001, to a new effective date of April 13, 2001.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sheri Ackerman, Regulatory Control 
Officer, Food and Nutrition Service, 3101 Park Center Drive, 
Alexandria, Virginia 22302-1954 or by telephone to (703) 305-2246.


[[Page 8886]]


    Dated: January 29, 2001.
Ann M. Veneman,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 01-2863 Filed 2-02-01; 8:45am]
BILLING CODE 3410-30-M