[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 53 (Tuesday, March 21, 2017)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 14477]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-05543]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

49 CFR Parts 571 and 585

[Docket No. NHTSA-2016-0125]
RIN 2126-AK93


Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards; Minimum Sound 
Requirements for Hybrid and Electric Vehicles

AGENCY: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), DOT.

ACTION: Final rule; delay of effective date.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Presidential directive as expressed in 
the memorandum of January 20, 2017, from the Assistant to the President 
and Chief of Staff, entitled ``Regulatory Freeze Pending Review,'' this 
action temporarily delays until May 22, 2017, the effective date of the 
final rule titled ``Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards; Minimum 
Sound Requirements for Hybrid and Electric Vehicles,'' initially 
scheduled to become effective on February 13, 2017.

DATES: As of March 21, 2017, the effective date of the final rule 
published on December 14, 2016 (81 FR 90416), delayed on February 6, 
2017 (82 FR 9368), is further delayed until May 22, 2017. The 
compliance date is September 1, 2018, with full phase in by September 
1, 2019.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For legal issues, contact Tom Healy, 
Office of Chief Counsel, at (202) 366-2992. For non-legal issues, 
contact Mike Pyne, Office of Rulemaking, at (202) 366-4171.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NHTSA bases this action on the Presidential 
directive expressed in the memorandum of January 20, 2017, from the 
Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff, entitled ``Regulatory 
Freeze Pending Review'' (the January 20, 2107 memorandum). That 
memorandum directed the heads of Executive Departments and Agencies to 
temporarily postpone for 60 days from the date of the memorandum the 
effective dates of certain regulations that had been published in the 
Federal Register, but had not yet taken effect. Because the original 
effective date of the final rule published on December 14, 2016, fell 
within that 60-day window, the effective date of the rule was extended 
to March 21, 2017, in a final rule published on February 6, 2017 (82 FR 
9368). Consistent with the memorandum of the Assistant to the President 
and Chief of Staff, and as stated in the February 6, 2017, final rule 
delaying the effective date, the Agency further delays the effective 
date of this regulation until May 22, 2017.
    The Agency's implementation of this action without opportunity for 
public comment is based on the good cause exceptions in 5 U.S.C. 
553(b)(B) and 553(d)(3), in that seeking public comment is 
impracticable, unnecessary and contrary to the public interest. The 
delay in the effective date until May 22, 2017, is necessary to provide 
the opportunity for further review and consideration of this new 
regulation, consistent with the January 20, 2017 memorandum. Given the 
imminence of the effective date of the ``Federal Motor Vehicle Safety 
Standards; Minimum Sound Requirements for Hybrid and Electric 
Vehicles'' final rule, seeking prior public comment on this temporary 
delay would be impractical, as well as contrary to the public interest 
in the orderly promulgation and implementation of regulations.

    Authority: 49 U.S.C. 322, 30111, 30115, 30117, and 30116; 
delegation of authority at 49 CFR 1.95.

    Issued on: March 16, 2017.
Jack Danielson,
Acting Deputy Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2017-05543 Filed 3-20-17; 8:45 am]
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