Certification of Safety Auditors, Safety Investigators, and Safety Inspectors; Delay of Effective Date

AGENCY:

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), DOT.

ACTION:

Interim final rule; delay of effective date.

SUMMARY:

The FMCSA delays for 30 days the effective date of the interim final rule titled “Certification of Safety Auditors, Safety Investigators, and Safety Inspectors,” published in the Federal Register on March 19, 2002 at 67 FR 12776. That rule establishes procedures to certify and maintain certification for auditors and investigators. It also requires certification for State or local government Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program (MCSAP) employees performing driver/vehicle roadside inspections. The FMCSA needs more time to review all of the comments received on this rulemaking.

DATES:

The effective date of the interim final rule amending 49 CFR parts 350 and 385 published at 67 FR 12776, March 19, 2002, is delayed for 30 days from June 17, 2002 until July 17, 2002.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Mr. Larry Minor, 202-366-4009, Acting Chief, Driver and Carrier Operations Division, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, 400 Seventh Street, SW., MC-PSD, Washington, DC 20590-0001. Office hours are from 7:45 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. EST, Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The FMCSA believes that an additional 30 days are necessary to fully consider all of the comments received on the rule, including those related to potential environmental impacts of this action. The FMCSA'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. 553(b)(B) and 553 (d)(3). Seeking public comment is impracticable, unnecessary, and contrary to the public interest. The brief 30-day delay in effective date is necessary to give agency officials the opportunity to do further analysis in response to the comments. Given the imminence of the effective date, seeking prior public comment on this brief delay would have been impracticable, 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 action effective immediately upon publication.