Final Effective Date Modification for the Determination of Nonattainment as of November 15, 1996, and Reclassification of the St. Louis Ozone Nonattainment Area; States of Missouri and Illinois

On March 19, 2001, EPA published a final rule entitled "Determination of Nonattainment as of November 15, 1996, and Reclassification of the St. Louis Ozone Nonattainment Area; States of Missouri and Illinois" (66 FR 15578). The effective date for the final rule was May 18, 2001. At the same time, EPA also published its proposal to delay the effective date of the determination and reclassification until June 29, 2001. The 30-day comment period on our March 19, 2001, proposal to extend the effective date has ended and EPA received no adverse comments. Today EPA is finalizing the modification of the effective date of our March 19, 2001, rule from May 18, 2001, until June 29, 2001. Section 553(d) of the Administrative Procedure Act generally provides that rules may not take effect earlier than 30 days after they are published in the Federal Register. However, if an Agency identifies a good cause, section 553(d)(3) allows a rule to take effect earlier, provided that the Agency publishes its reasoning in the final rule. EPA is making this action effective immediately because the effective date of the underlying nonattainment determination and reclassification is imminent, and delaying the effective date of this action would negate the purpose of this rule. In addition, EPA finds good cause for making this action effective immediately because it relieves a restriction that would otherwise go into effect.