The EPA is finalizing the extension of the deferred effective date of air quality designations for 14 areas of the country that have entered into Early Action Compacts. Early Action Compact areas have agreed to reduce ground[hyphen]level ozone pollution earlier than the Clean Air Act (CAA) requires. On April 30, 2004, EPA published an action designating all areas of the country for the 8[hyphen]hour ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). In the designation rule, EPA deferred the effective date of the nonattainment designation for 14 areas that had entered into Early Action Compacts until September 30, 2005. The EPA is now extending the deferred effective date of the nonattainment designation for all 14 Early Action Compact areas until December 31, 2006.