Civil Monetary Penalties-2018 Adjustment
Federal Register, Volume 83 Issue 6 (Tuesday, January 9, 2018)
Federal Register Volume 83, Number 6 (Tuesday, January 9, 2018)
Rules and Regulations
Pages 992-994
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov
FR Doc No: 2018-00166
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SURFACE TRANSPORTATION BOARD
49 CFR Part 1022
Docket No. EP 716 (Sub-No. 3)
Civil Monetary Penalties--2018 Adjustment
AGENCY: Surface Transportation Board.
ACTION: Final rule.
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SUMMARY: The Surface Transportation Board (Board) is issuing a final rule to implement the annual inflationary adjustment to its civil monetary penalties, pursuant to the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Improvements Act of 2015.
DATES: This final rule is effective on January 9, 2018.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Amy Ziehm: (202) 245-0391. Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) for the hearing impaired: (800) 877-
8339.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
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Background
The Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Improvements Act of 2015 (2015 Act), enacted as part of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015, Public Law 114-74, 129 Stat. 599, requires agencies to adjust their civil penalties for inflation annually, beginning on January 15, 2017, and no later than January 15 of every year thereafter. In accordance with the 2015 Act, annual inflation adjustments are to be based on the percent change between the Consumer Price Index for all Urban Consumers (CPI-U) for October of the previous year and the October CPI-U of the year before that. Penalty level adjustments should be rounded to the nearest dollar.
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Discussion
The statutory definition of civil monetary penalty covers various civil penalty provisions under the Rail (Part A); Motor Carriers, Water Carriers, Brokers, and Freight Forwarders (Part B); and Pipeline Carriers (Part C)
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provisions of the Interstate Commerce Act, as amended. The Board's civil (and criminal) penalty authority related to rail transportation appears at 49 U.S.C. 11901-11908. The Board's penalty authority related to motor carriers, water carriers, brokers, and freight forwarders appears at 49 U.S.C. 14901-14915. The Board's penalty authority related to pipeline carriers appears at 49 U.S.C. 16101-16106.\1\ The Board has regulations at 49 CFR pt. 1022 that codify the method set forth in the 2015 Act for annually adjusting for inflation the civil monetary penalties within the Board's jurisdiction.
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\1\ The Board also has various criminal penalty authority, enforceable in a federal criminal court. Congress has not, however, authorized federal agencies to adjust statutorily prescribed criminal penalty provisions for inflation, and this rule does not address those provisions.
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As set forth in this final rule, the Board is amending 49 CFR pt. 1022 to make an annual inflation adjustment to the civil monetary penalties in conformance with the requirements of the 2015 Act. The adjusted penalties set forth in the rule will apply only to violations that occur after the effective date of this regulation.
In accordance with the 2015 Act, the annual adjustment adopted here is calculated by multiplying each current penalty by the cost-of-living adjustment factor of 1.02041, which reflects the percentage change between the October 2017 CPI-U (738.893) and the October 2016 CPI-U (724.113). The table at the end of this decision shows the statutory citation for each civil penalty, a description of the provision, the current baseline statutory civil penalty level, and the adjusted statutory civil penalty level for 2018.
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Final Rule
The final rule set forth at the end of this decision is being issued without notice and comment pursuant to the Administrative Procedure Act (APA), 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B), which does not require that process ``when the agency for good cause finds'' that public notice and comment are ``unnecessary.'' Here, Congress has mandated that the agency make an annual inflation adjustment to its civil monetary penalties. The Board has no discretion to set alternative levels of adjusted civil monetary penalties, because the amount of the inflation adjustment must be calculated in accordance with the statutory formula. Given the absence of discretion, the Board has determined that there is good cause to promulgate this rule without soliciting public comment and to make this regulation effective immediately upon publication.
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Regulatory Flexibility Statement
The Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA), as amended by the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996, 5 U.S.C. 601 et seq., generally requires an agency to prepare a regulatory flexibility analysis of any rule subject to notice and comment rulemaking requirements, unless the agency certifies that the rule will not have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities. Because the Board has determined that notice and comment are not required under the APA for this rulemaking, the requirements of the RFA do not apply.
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Paperwork Reduction Act
This final rule does not contain a new or amended information collection requirement subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.
It is ordered:
1. The Board amends its rules as set forth in this decision. Notice of the final rule will be published in the Federal Register.
2. This decision is effective on its date of service.
List of Subjects in 49 CFR Part 1022
Administrative practice and procedures, Brokers, Civil penalties, Freight forwarders, Motor carriers, Pipeline carriers, Rail carriers, Water carriers.
Decided: January 3, 2018.
By the Board, Board Members Begeman and Miller.
Jeffrey Herzig,
Clearance Clerk.
For the reasons set forth in the preamble, part 1022 of title 49, chapter X, of the Code of Federal Regulations is amended as follows:
PART 1022--CIVIL MONETARY PENALTY INFLATION ADJUSTMENT
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1. The authority citation for part 1022 continues to read as follows:
Authority: 5 U.S.C. 551-557; 28 U.S.C. 2461 note; 49 U.S.C. 11901, 14901, 14903, 14904, 14905, 14906, 14907, 14908, 14910, 14915, 16101, 16103.
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2. Revise Sec. 1022.4(b) to read as follows:
Sec. 1022.4 Cost-of-living adjustments of civil monetary penalties.
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(b) The cost-of-living adjustment required by the statute results in the following adjustments to the civil monetary penalties within the jurisdiction of the Board:
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Civil monetary penalty Adjusted penalty Adjusted penalty
U.S. Code citation description amount 2017 amount 2018
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Rail Carrier Civil Penalties
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49 U.S.C. 11901(a)...................... Unless otherwise specified, $7,635 $7,791
maximum penalty for each
knowing violation under this
part, and for each day.
49 U.S.C. 11901(b)...................... For each violation under Sec. 763 779
11124(a)(2) or (b).
49 U.S.C. 11901(b)...................... For each day violation continues 39 40
49 U.S.C. 11901(c)...................... Maximum penalty for each knowing 7,635 7,791
violation under Sec. Sec.
10901-10906.
49 U.S.C. 11901(d)...................... For each violation under Sec. 152-763 155-779
Sec. 11123 or 11124(a)(1).
49 U.S.C. 11901(d)...................... For each day violation continues 76 78
49 U.S.C. 11901(e)(1)................... For each violation under Sec. 763 779
Sec. 11141-11145.
49 U.S.C. 11901(e)(2)................... For each violation under Sec. 152 155
11144(b)(1).
49 U.S.C. 11901(e)(3-4)................. For each violation of reporting 152 155
requirements, for each day.
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Motor and Water Carrier Civil Penalties
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49 U.S.C. 14901(a)...................... Minimum penalty for each 1,045 1,066
violation and for each day.
49 U.S.C. 14901(a)...................... For each violation under Sec. 10,450 10,663
Sec. 13901 or 13902(c).
49 U.S.C. 14901(a)...................... For each violation related to 26,126 26,659
transportation of passengers.
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49 U.S.C. 14901(b)...................... For each violation of the 20,900-41,801 21,327-42,654
hazardous waste rules under
Sec. 3001 of the Solid Waste
Disposal Act.
49 U.S.C. 14901(d)(1)................... Minimum penalty for each 1,527 1,558
violation of household good
regulations, and for each day.
49 U.S.C. 14901(d)(2)................... Minimum penalty for each 15,271 15,583
instance of transportation of
household goods if broker
provides estimate without
carrier agreement.
49 U.S.C. 14901(d)(3)................... Minimum penalty for each 38,175 38,954
instance of transportation of
household goods without being
registered.
49 U.S.C. 14901(e)...................... Minimum penalty for each 3,054 3,116
violation of a transportation
rule.
49 U.S.C. 14901(e)...................... Minimum penalty for each 7,635 7,791
additional violation.
49 U.S.C. 14903(a)...................... Maximum penalty for undercharge 152,703 155,820
or overcharge of tariff rate,
for each violation.
49 U.S.C. 14904(a)...................... For first violation, rebates at 305 311
less than the rate in effect.
49 U.S.C. 14904(a)...................... For all subsequent violations... 382 390
49 U.S.C. 14904(b)(1)................... Maximum penalty for first 763 779
violation for undercharges by
freight forwarders.
49 U.S.C. 14904(b)(1)................... Maximum penalty for subsequent 3,054 3,116
violations.
49 U.S.C. 14904(b)(2)................... Maximum penalty for other first 763 779
violations under Sec. 13702.
49 U.S.C. 14904(b)(2)................... Maximum penalty for subsequent 3,054 3,116
violations.
49 U.S.C. 14905(a)...................... Maximum penalty for each knowing 15,271 15,583
violation of Sec. 14103(a),
and knowingly authorizing,
consenting to, or permitting a
violation of Sec. 14103(a) &
(b).
49 U.S.C. 14906......................... Minimum penalty for first 2,090 2,133
attempt to evade regulation.
49 U.S.C. 14906......................... Minimum amount for each 5,225 5,332
subsequent attempt to evade
regulation.
49 U.S.C. 14907......................... Maximum penalty for 7,635 7,791
recordkeeping/reporting
violations.
49 U.S.C. 14908(a)(2)................... Maximum penalty for violation of 3,054 3,116
Sec. 14908(a)(1).
49 U.S.C. 14910......................... When another civil penalty is 763 779
not specified under this part,
for each violation, for each
day.
49 U.S.C. 14915(a)(1) & (2)............. Minimum penalty for holding a 12,135 12,383
household goods shipment
hostage, for each day.
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Pipeline Carrier Civil Penalties
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49 U.S.C. 16101(a)...................... Maximum penalty for violation of 7,635 7,791
this part, for each day.
49 U.S.C. 16101(b)(1) & (4)............. For each recordkeeping violation 763 779
under Sec. 15722, each day.
49 U.S.C. 16101(b)(2) & (4)............. For each inspection violation 152 155
liable under Sec. 15722, each
day.
49 U.S.C. 16101(b)(3) & (4)............. For each reporting violation 152 155
under Sec. 15723, each day.
49 U.S.C. 16103(a)...................... Maximum penalty for improper 1,527 1,558
disclosure of information.
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FR Doc. 2018-00166 Filed 1-8-18; 8:45 am
BILLING CODE 4915-01-P
