[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 27 (Thursday, February 8, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9593-9594]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-3223]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

RIN 1018-AG47


Policy on Maintaining the Biological Integrity, Diversity, and 
Environmental Health of the National Wildlife Refuge System: Delay of 
Effective Date

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Final policy; delay of effective date.

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[[Page 9594]]

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 (66 FR 7701), this document temporarily delays for 60 
days the effective date of the document entitled ``Policy on 
Maintaining the Biological Integrity, Diversity, and Environmental 
Health of the National Wildlife Refuge System; Notice,'' published in 
the Federal Register on January 16, 2001 (66 FR 3809). This policy 
guides personnel of the National Wildlife Refuge System in implementing 
the clause of the National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 
1997 directing the Secretary of the Interior to ensure that the 
``biological integrity, diversity, and environmental health'' of the 
System is maintained.

DATES: The effective date of the Policy on Maintaining the Biological 
Integrity, Diversity, and Environmental Health of the National Wildlife 
Refuge System published in the Federal Register on January 16, 2001, at 
66 FR 3809, is delayed for 60 days, from February 15, 2001, to a new 
effective date of April 16, 2001.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Elizabeth Souheaver, Acting Chief, 
Division of Natural Resources, National Wildlife Refuge System, U.S. 
Fish and Wildlife Service, 4401 North Fairfax Drive, Room 670, 
Arlington, Virginia 22203; telephone (703) 358-1744.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: To the extent that 5 U.S.C. section 553 
applies to this action, this action 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 
action 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. sections 553(b)(3)(B) and 553(d)(3), in 
that seeking public comment is impractical, 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.

    Dated: February 2, 2001.
Timothy S. Elliott,
Acting Deputy Solicitor.
[FR Doc. 01-3223 Filed 2-7-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-M