[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: 

I. 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.

II. 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)

[[Page 993]]

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.

III. 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.

IV. 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.

V. 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

0
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.


0
2. Revise Sec.  1022.4(b) to read as follows:


Sec.  1022.4   Cost-of-living adjustments of civil monetary penalties.

* * * * *
    (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