Source: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2017/01/23/2017-01076/civil-penalties-inflation-adjustments-annual-adjustments
Timestamp: 2017-09-20 17:24:49
Document Index: 205604036

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 211', 'art 213', 'art 225', 'art 226', 'art 227', 'art 243', 'art 249', 'art 211', 'art 213', 'art 225', 'art 226', 'art 227', 'art 243', 'art 249', '§\u2009140', '§\u2009141', '§\u2009211', '§\u2009213', '§\u2009225', '§\u2009226', '§\u2009226', '§\u2009227', '§\u2009243', '§\u2009249']

A Rule by the Indian Affairs Bureau on 01/23/2017
82 FR 7649
7649-7653 (5 pages)
1076-AF35
BIA-2017-0001
Civil Penalties - 2017 Annual Adjustment
CHAPTER 1—BUREAU OF INDIAN AFFAIRS, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2017-01076 https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2017-01076
The Bureau issued an interim final rule providing for calculated catch-up adjustments on June 30, 2016 (81 FR 42478) and requesting comments post-promulgation. The Bureau issued a final rule affirming the catch-up adjustments set forth in the interim final rule on December 2, 2016 (81 FR 86953). The final rule adjusted the following civil monetary penalties, effective on August 1, 2016:
Catchup adjustment multiplier
25 CFR 140.3 Penalty for trading in Indian country without a license $500 2.50000 $1,250
25 CFR 141.50 Penalty for trading on Navajo, Hopi or Zuni reservations without a license 500 2.50000 1,250
25 CFR 211.55 Penalty for violation of leases of Tribal land for mineral development, violation of part 211, or failure to comply with a notice of noncompliance or cessation order 1,000 1.50245 1,502
25 CFR 213.37 Penalty for failure of lessee to comply with lease of restricted lands of members of the Five Civilized Tribes in Oklahoma for mining, operating regulations at part 213, or orders 500 2.50000 1,250
25 CFR 225.37 Penalty for violation of minerals agreement, regulations at part 225, other applicable laws or regulations, or failure to comply with a notice of noncompliance or cessation order 1,000 1.59089 1,591
25 CFR 226.42 Penalty for violation of lease of Osage reservation lands for oil and gas mining or regulations at part 226, or noncompliance with the Superintendent's order 500 1.78156 891
25 CFR 226.43(a) Penalty per day for failure to obtain permission to start operations 50 1.78156 89
25 CFR 226.43(b) Penalty per day for failure to file records 50 1.78156 89
25 CFR 226.43(c) Penalty for each well and tank battery for failure to mark wells and tank batteries 50 1.78156 89
25 CFR 226.43(d) Penalty each day after operations are commenced for failure to construct and maintain pits 50 1.78156 89
25 CFR 226.43(e) Penalty for failure to comply with requirements regarding valve or other approved controlling device 100 1.78156 178
25 CFR 226.43(f) Penalty for failure to notify Superintendent before drilling, redrilling, deepening, plugging, or abandoning any well 200 1.78156 356
25 CFR 226.43(g) Penalty per day for failure to properly care for and dispose of deleterious fluids 500 1.78156 891
25 CFR 226.43(h) Penalty per day for failure to file plugging and other required reports 50 1.78156 89
25 CFR 227.24 Penalty for failure of lessee of certain lands in Wind River Indian Reservation, Wyoming, for oil and gas mining to comply with lease provisions, operating regulations, regulations at part 227, or orders 500 2.50000 1,250
25 CFR 243.8 Penalty for non-Native transferees of live Alaskan reindeer who violates part 243, takes reindeer without a permit, or fails to abide by permit terms. 5,000 1.17858 5,893
25 CFR 249.6(b) Penalty for fishing in violation of regulations at part 249 (Off-Reservation Treaty Fishing). 500 2.50000 1,250
OMB recently issued guidance to assist Federal agencies in implementing the annual adjustments required by the Act which agencies must complete by January 15, 2017. See December 16, 2016, Memorandum for the Heads of Executive Departments and Agencies, from Shaun Donovan, Director, Office of Management and Budget, re: Implementation of the 2017 annual adjustment pursuant to the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Improvements Act of 2015 (M-17-11). The guidance states that the cost-of-living adjustment multiplier for 2017, based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI-U) for the month of October 2016, not seasonally adjusted, is 1.01636. (The annual inflation adjustments are based on the percent change between the October CPI-U preceding the date of the adjustment, and the prior year's October CPI-U. For 2017, OMB explains, October 2016 CPI-U (241.729)/October 2015 CPI-U (237.838) = 1.01636.) The guidance instructs agencies to complete the 2017 annual adjustment by multiplying each applicable penalty by the multiplier, 1.01636, and rounding to the nearest dollar. Further, agencies should apply the multiplier to the most recent penalty amount that includes the catch-up adjustment required by the Act.
The annual adjustment applies to all civil monetary penalties with a dollar amount that are subject to the Act. This final rule adjusts the following civil monetary penalties contained in the Bureau's regulations for 2017 by multiplying 1.01636 (i.e., the cost-of-living adjustment multiplier for 2017) by each penalty amount as updated by the catch-up adjustment made in 2016:
Adjusted penalty for 2017
25 CFR 140.3 Penalty for trading in Indian country without a license $1,250 1.01636 $1,270
25 CFR 141.50 Penalty for trading on Navajo, Hopi or Zuni reservations without a license 1,250 1.01636 1,270
25 CFR 211.55 Penalty for violation of leases of Tribal land for mineral development, violation of part 211, or failure to comply with a notice of noncompliance or cessation order 1,502 1.01636 1,527
25 CFR 213.37 Penalty for failure of lessee to comply with lease of restricted lands of members of the Five Civilized Tribes in Oklahoma for mining, operating regulations at part 213, or orders 1,250 1.01636 1,270
25 CFR 225.37 Penalty for violation of minerals agreement, regulations at part 225, other applicable laws or regulations, or failure to comply with a notice of noncompliance or cessation order 1,591 1.01636 1,617
25 CFR 226.42 Penalty for violation of lease of Osage reservation lands for oil and gas mining or regulations at part 226, or noncompliance with the Superintendent's order 891 1.01636 906
25 CFR 226.43(a) Penalty per day for failure to obtain permission to start operations 89 1.01636 90
25 CFR 226.43(b) Penalty per day for failure to file records 89 1.01636 90
25 CFR 226.43(c) Penalty for each well and tank battery for failure to mark wells and tank batteries 89 1.01636 90
25 CFR 226.43(d) Penalty each day after operations are commenced for failure to construct and maintain pits 89 1.01636 90
25 CFR 226.43(e) Penalty for failure to comply with requirements regarding valve or other approved controlling device 178 1.01636 181
25 CFR 226.43(f) Penalty for failure to notify Superintendent before drilling, redrilling, deepening, plugging, or abandoning any well 356 1.01636 362
25 CFR 226.43(g) Penalty per day for failure to properly care for and dispose of deleterious fluids 891 1.01636 906
25 CFR 226.43(h) Penalty per day for failure to file plugging and other required reports 89 1.01636 90
25 CFR 227.24 Penalty for failure of lessee of certain lands in Wind River Indian Reservation, Wyoming, for oil and gas mining to comply with lease provisions, operating regulations, regulations at part 227, or orders 1,250 1.01636 1,270
25 CFR 243.8 Penalty for non-Native transferees of live Alaskan reindeer who violates part 243, takes reindeer without a permit, or fails to abide by permit terms. 5,893 1.01636 5,989
25 CFR 249.6(b) Penalty for fishing in violation of regulations at part 249 (Off-Reservation Treaty Fishing). 1,250 1.01636 1,270
Start Printed Page 7651
Consistent with the Act, the adjusted penalty levels for 2017 will take effect immediately upon the effective date of the adjustment. The adjusted penalty levels for 2017 will apply to penalties assessed after that date including, if consistent with agency policy, assessments associated with violations that occurred on or after November 2, 2015. The Act does not, however, change previously assessed penalties that the Bureau is collecting or has collected. Nor does the Act change an agency's existing statutory authorities to adjust penalties.
If you feel that we have not met these requirements, send us comments by one of the methods listed in the ADDRESSES section. To better help us revise the rule, your comments should be as specific as possible. For example, you should tell us the numbers of the sections or paragraphs that you find unclear, which sections or sentences are too long, the sections where you feel lists or tables would be useful, etc.Start Printed Page 7652
Furthermore, the Bureau finds under section 553(d)(3) of the APA that good cause exists to make this final rule effective immediately upon publication in the Federal Register. In the Act, Congress expressly required Federal agencies to publish annual inflation adjustments to civil penalties in the Federal Register by January 15, 2017, and not later than January 15 of every subsequent year, notwithstanding section 553 of the APA. Under the statutory framework and OMB guidance, the new penalty levels take effect immediately upon the effective date of the adjustment. The statutory deadline does not allow time to delay this rule's effective date beyond publication. Moreover, an effective date after January 15 would delay application of the new penalty levels, contrary to Congress's intent.
2. In § 140.3, remove “$1,250” and add in its place “$1,270”.
4. In § 141.50, remove “$1,250” and add in its place “$1,270”.
6. In § 211.55(a), remove “$1,502” and add in its place “$1,527”.
8. In § 213.37, remove “$1,250” and add in its place “$1,270”.
10. In § 225.37(a), remove “$1,591” and add in its place “$1,617”.
End Amendment Part Start Part Start Printed Page 7653
10. In § 226.42, remove “$891” and add in its place “$906”.
11. In § 226.43:
a. Remove “$89” each time it appears and add in each place “$90” wherever it appears in this section.
b. In paragraph (e), remove “$178” and add in its place “$181”.
c. In paragraph (f), remove “$356” and add in its place “$362”.
d. In paragraph (g), remove “$891” and add in its place “$906”.
13. In § 227.24, remove “$1,250” and add in its place “$1,270”.
15. In § 243.8(a) introductory text, remove “$5,893” and add in its place “$5,989”.
17. In § 249.6(b), remove “$1,250” and add in its place “$1,270”.
[FR Doc. 2017-01076 Filed 1-19-17; 8:45 am]