[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 24 (Monday, February 5, 2001)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 8899]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-2869]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service

36 CFR Part 294

RIN 0596-AB77


Special Areas; Roadless Area Conservation: Delay of Effective 
Date

AGENCY: Forest Service, Department of Agriculture.

ACTION: Final rule; Delay of effective date.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: In accordance with the memorandum of January 20, 2001, from 
the Assistant to the President and Chief of 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 Special Areas; Roadless Area 
Conservation, published in the Federal Register on January 12, 2001, 66 
FR 3244. That rule concerns the establishment of prohibitions on road 
construction, road reconstruction, and timber harvesting in inventoried 
roadless areas on National Forest System lands. 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 Special Areas; Roadless Area 
Conservation, published in the Federal Register on January 12, 2001, at 
66 FR 3244, is delayed for 60 days, from March 13, 2001 to a new 
effective date of May 12, 2001.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Marian P. Connolly, Regulatory 
Officer, Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, P.O. Box 96090, 
Washington, DC 20090-6090, telephone (703) 605-4533.

    Dated: January 29, 2001.
Ann M. Veneman,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 01-2869 Filed 2-2-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-M