Source: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2020/01/13/2019-28019/civil-monetary-penalty-inflation-adjustment
Timestamp: 2020-01-23 01:51:36
Document Index: 647885529

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 19', '§\u200919', '§\u200919', '§\u200919', '§\u200919', '§\u200919', '§\u200919', '§\u200919', '§\u200919', '§\u200919']

A Rule by the Environmental Protection Agency on 01/13/2020
85 FR 1751
1751-1757 (7 pages)
FRL-10003-77-OECA
https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2019-28019 https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2019-28019
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is promulgating this final rule to adjust the level of the maximum (and minimum) statutory civil monetary penalty amounts under the statutes the EPA administers. This action is mandated by the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act of 1990, as amended through the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Improvements Act of 2015 (“the 2015 Act”). The 2015 Act prescribes a formula for annually adjusting the statutory maximum (and minimum) amount of civil penalties to reflect inflation, maintain the deterrent effect of statutory civil penalties, and promote compliance with the law. The rule does not necessarily revise the penalty amounts that the EPA chooses to seek pursuant to its civil penalty policies in a particular case. The EPA's civil penalty policies, which guide enforcement personnel on how to exercise the EPA's statutory penalty authorities, take into account a number of fact-specific considerations, e.g., the seriousness of the violation, the violator's good faith efforts to comply, any economic benefit gained by the violator as a result of its noncompliance, and a violator's ability to pay.
Since 1996, Federal agencies have been required to issue regulations adjusting for inflation the statutory civil penalties [1] that can be imposed under Start Printed Page 1752the laws administered by that agency. The Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act of 1990, as amended by the Debt Collection Improvement Act of 1996 (DCIA), required agencies to review their statutory civil penalties every 4 years, and to adjust the statutory civil penalty amounts for inflation if the increase met the DCIA's adjustment methodology. In accordance with the DCIA, the EPA reviewed and, as appropriate, adjusted the civil penalty levels under each of the statutes the agency implements in 1996 (61 FR 69360), 2004 (69 FR 7121), 2008 (73 FR 75340), and 2013 (78 FR 66643).
As required by the 2015 Act, the EPA issued a catch-up rule on July 1, 2016, which was effective August 1, 2016 (81 FR 43091). The EPA made its first annual adjustment on January 12, 2017, which was effective on January 15, 2017 (82 FR 3633). The EPA made its second annual adjustment on January 10, 2018, which was effective on January 15, 2018 (83 FR 1190). The EPA made its third annual adjustment on February 6, 2019 (84 FR 2056) and issued a subsequent correction on February 25, 2019 (84 FR 5955). This rule implements the fourth annual adjustment mandated by the 2015 Act.
The 2015 Act provides a formula for calculating the adjustments. Each statutory maximum and minimum [3] civil monetary penalty as currently adjusted is multiplied by the cost-of-living adjustment multiplier, which is the percentage by which the Consumer Price Index for all Urban Consumers (CPI-U) for the month of October 2019 exceeds the CPI-U for the month of October 2018.[4]
With this rule, the new statutory maximum and minimum penalty levels listed in the third column of Table 1 of 40 CFR 19.4 will apply to all civil penalties assessed on or after January 13, 2020, for violations that occurred after November 2, 2015, the date the 2015 Act was enacted. The former maximum and minimum statutory civil penalty levels, which are in the fourth column of Table 1 to 40 CFR 19.4, will now apply only to violations that occurred after November 2, 2015, where the penalties were assessed on or after February 6, 2019, but before January 13, 2020. The statutory civil penalty levels that apply to violations that occurred on or before November 2, 2015, are codified at Table 2 to 40 CFR 19.4.[5] The fifth column of Table 1 and the seventh column of Table 2 display the statutory civil penalty levels as originally enacted.
Step 1: The cost-of-living adjustment multiplier for 2020 is the percentage by which the CPI-U of October 2019 (257.346) exceeds the CPI-U for the month of October 2018 (252.885), which is 1.01764.[6] Multiply 1.01764 by the current penalty amount. This is the raw adjusted penalty value.
Pursuant to section 4 of the 2015 Act, each Federal agency is required to publish annual adjustments no later than January 15 each year. In accordance with section 553 of the Administrative Procedures Act (APA), most rules are subject to notice and comment and are effective no earlier than 30 days after publication in the Federal Register. However, Section 4(b)(2) of the 2015 Act provides that each agency shall make the annual inflation adjustments “notwithstanding section 553” of the APA. Consistent with the language of the 2015 Act, this rule is not subject to notice and an opportunity for public comment and will be effective on January 13, 2020.
This action does not impose an information collection burden under the PRA. This rule merely increases the level of statutory civil penalties that can be imposed in the context of a Federal civil administrative enforcement action or civil judicial case for violations of EPA-administered statutes and their implementing regulations.Start Printed Page 1753
This action does not contain any unfunded mandate as described in UMRA, 2 U.S.C. 1531-1538, and does not significantly or uniquely affect small governments. This action is required by the 2015 Act, without the exercise of any policy discretion by the EPA. This action also imposes no enforceable duty on any state, local or tribal governments or the private sector. Because the calculation of any increase is formula-driven pursuant to the 2015 Act, the EPA has no policy discretion to vary the amount of the adjustment.
This rule merely reconciles the real value of current statutory civil penalty levels to reflect and keep pace with the levels originally set by Congress when the statutes were enacted. The calculation of the increases is formula-driven and prescribed by statute, and the EPA has no discretion to vary the amount of the adjustment to reflect any views or suggestions provided by commenters. Accordingly, this rule will not have a substantial direct effect on tribal governments, on the relationship between the Federal Government and Indian tribes, or on the distribution of power and responsibilities between the Federal Government and Indian tribes.
This action is subject to the CRA, and the EPA will submit a rule report to each House of the Congress and to the Comptroller General of the United States. The CRA allows the issuing agency to make a rule effective sooner than otherwise provided by the CRA if the agency makes a good cause finding that notice and comment rulemaking procedures are impracticable, unnecessary or contrary to the public interest (5 U.S.C. 808(2)). The EPA finds that the APA's notice and comment rulemaking procedures are unnecessary because the 2015 Act directs Federal agencies to publish their annual penalty inflation adjustments “notwithstanding section 553 [of the APA].”
For the reasons set out in the preamble, the EPA amends title 40, chapter I, part 19 of the Code of Federal Regulations as follows:
(a) The statutory civil penalty levels set forth in the third column of Table 1 of § 19.4 apply to all violations which occur or occurred after November 2, 2015, where the penalties are assessed on or after January 13, 2020. The statutory civil penalty levels set forth in the fourth column of Table 1 of § 19.4 apply to all violations which occurred after November 2, 2015, where the penalties were assessed on or after February 6, 2019 but before January 13, 2020.
(b) The statutory penalty levels in the third column of Table 2 to § 19.4 apply to all violations which occurred after December 6, 2013 through November 2, 2015, and to violations occurring after November 2, 2015, where penalties were assessed before August 1, 2016. The statutory civil penalty levels set forth in the fourth column of Table 2 of § 19.4 apply to all violations which occurred after January 12, 2009 through December 6, 2013. The statutory civil penalty levels set forth in the fifth column of Table 2 of § 19.4 apply to all violations which occurred after March 15, 2004 through January 12, 2009. The statutory civil penalty levels set forth in the sixth column of Table 2 of § 19.4 apply to all violations which occurred after January 30, 1997 through March 15, 2004.
3. Revise § 19.4 to read as follows:
Table 1 of this section sets out the statutory civil penalty provisions of statutes administered by the EPA, with the third column setting out the latest operative statutory civil penalty levels for violations that occur or occurred after November 2, 2015, where penalties Start Printed Page 1754are assessed on or after January 13, 2020. The fourth column displays the operative statutory civil penalty levels where penalties were assessed on or after February 6, 2019, but before January 13, 2020. Table 2 of this section sets out the statutory civil penalty provision of statutes administered by the EPA, with the operative statutory civil penalty levels, as adjusted for inflation, for violations that occurred on or before November 2, 2015, and for violations that occurred after November 2, 2015, where penalties were assessed before August 1, 2016.
Table 1 of § 19.4—Civil Monetary Penalty Inflation Adjustments
Statutory civil penalties for violations that occurred after November 2, 2015, where penalties are assessed on or after January 13, 2020
Statutory civil penalties for violations that occurred after November 2, 2015, where penalties were assessed on or after February 6, 2019 but before January 13, 2020
7 U.S.C. 136 l (a)(1) FEDERAL INSECTICIDE, FUNGICIDE, AND RODENTICIDE ACT (FIFRA) $20,288 $19,936 $5,000
7 U.S.C. 136 l (a)(2) 1 FIFRA 2,976/1,917/2,976 2,924/1,884/2,924 1,000/500/1,000
15 U.S.C. 2615(a)(1) TOXIC SUBSTANCES CONTROL ACT (TSCA) 40,576 39,873 25,000
15 U.S.C. 2647(a) TSCA 11,665 11,463 5,000
15 U.S.C. 2647(g) TSCA 9,639 9,472 5,000
31 U.S.C. 3802(a)(1) PROGRAM FRAUD CIVIL REMEDIES ACT (PFCRA) 11,665 11,463 5,000
31 U.S.C. 3802(a)(2) PFCRA 11,665 11,463 5,000
33 U.S.C. 1319(d) CLEAN WATER ACT (CWA) 55,800 54,833 25,000
33 U.S.C. 1319(g)(2)(A) CWA 22,320/55,800 21,933/54,833 10,000/25,000
33 U.S.C. 1319(g)(2)(B) CWA 22,320/278,995 21,933/274,159 10,000/125,000
33 U.S.C. 1321(b)(6)(B)(i) CWA 19,277/48,192 18,943/47,357 10,000/25,000
33 U.S.C. 1321(b)(6)(B)(ii) CWA 19,277/240,960 18,943/236,783 10,000/125,000
33 U.S.C. 1321(b)(7)(A) CWA 48,192/1,928 47,357/1,895 25,000/1,000
33 U.S.C. 1321(b)(7)(B) CWA 48,192 47,357 25,000
33 U.S.C. 1321(b)(7)(C) CWA 48,192 47,357 25,000
33 U.S.C. 1321(b)(7)(D) CWA 192,768/5,783 189,427/5,683 100,000/3,000
33 U.S.C. 1414b(d)(1) MARINE PROTECTION, RESEARCH, AND SANCTUARIES ACT (MPRSA) 1,284 1,262 600
33 U.S.C. 1415(a) MPRSA 202,878/267,621 199,361/262,982 50,000/125,000
33 U.S.C. 1901 note (see 1409(a)(2)(A)) CERTAIN ALASKAN CRUISE SHIP OPERATIONS (CACSO) 14,791/36,975 14,535/36,334 10,000/25,000
33 U.S.C. 1901 note (see 1409(a)(2)(B)) CACSO 14,791/184,874 14,535/181,669 10,000/125,000
33 U.S.C. 1901 note (see 1409(b)(1)) CACSO 36,975 36,334 25,000
33 U.S.C. 1908(b)(1) ACT TO PREVENT POLLUTION FROM SHIPS (APPS) 75,867 74,552 25,000
33 U.S.C. 1908(b)(2) APPS 15,173 14,910 5,000
42 U.S.C. 300g-3(b) SAFE DRINKING WATER ACT (SDWA) 58,328 57,317 25,000
42 U.S.C. 300g-3(g)(3)(A) SDWA 58,328 57,317 25,000
42 U.S.C. 300g-3(g)(3)(B) SDWA 11,665/40,640 11,463/39,936 5,000/25,000
42 U.S.C. 300g-3(g)(3)(C) SDWA 40,640 39,936 25,000
42 U.S.C. 300h-2(b)(1) SDWA 58,328 57,317 25,000
42 U.S.C. 300h-2(c)(1) SDWA 23,331/291,641 22,927/286,586 10,000/125,000
42 U.S.C. 300h-2(c)(2) SDWA 11,665/291,641 11,463/286,586 5,000/125,000
42 U.S.C. 300h-3(c) SDWA 20,288/43,280 19,936/42,530 5,000/10,000
42 U.S.C. 300i(b) SDWA 24,386 23,963 15,000
42 U.S.C. 300i-1(c) SDWA 141,943/1,419,442 139,483/1,394,837 100,000/1,000,000
42 U.S.C. 300j(e)(2) SDWA 10,143 9,967 2,500
42 U.S.C. 300j-4(c) SDWA 58,328 57,317 25,000
42 U.S.C. 300j-6(b)(2) SDWA 40,640 39,936 25,000
42 U.S.C. 300j-23(d) SDWA 10,705/107,050 10,519/105,194 5,000/50,000
42 U.S.C. 4852d(b)(5) RESIDENTIAL LEAD-BASED PAINT HAZARD REDUCTION ACT OF 1992 18,149 17,834 10,000
42 U.S.C. 4910(a)(2) NOISE CONTROL ACT OF 1972 38,352 37,687 10,000
42 U.S.C. 6928(a)(3) RESOURCE CONSERVATION AND RECOVERY ACT (RCRA) 101,439 99,681 25,000
42 U.S.C. 6928(c) RCRA 61,098 60,039 25,000
42 U.S.C. 6928(g) RCRA 75,867 74,552 25,000
42 U.S.C. 6928(h)(2) RCRA 61,098 60,039 25,000
42 U.S.C. 6934(e) RCRA 15,173 14,910 5,000
42 U.S.C. 6973(b) RCRA 15,173 14,910 5,000
42 U.S.C. 6991e(a)(3) RCRA 61,098 60,039 25,000
42 U.S.C. 6991e(d)(1) RCRA 24,441 24,017 10,000
42 U.S.C. 6991e(d)(2) RCRA 24,441 24,017 10,000
42 U.S.C. 7413(b) CLEAN AIR ACT (CAA) 101,439 99,681 25,000
42 U.S.C. 7413(d)(1) CAA 48,192/385,535 47,357/378,852 25,000/200,000
42 U.S.C. 7413(d)(3) CAA 9,639 9,472 5,000
42 U.S.C. 7524(a) CAA 48,192/4,819 47,357/4,735 25,000/2,500
42 U.S.C. 7524(c)(1) CAA 385,535 378,852 200,000
42 U.S.C. 7545(d)(1) CAA 48,192 47,357 25,000
42 U.S.C. 9604(e)(5)(B) COMPREHENSIVE ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSE, COMPENSATION, AND LIABILITY ACT (CERCLA) 58,328 57,317 25,000
42 U.S.C. 9606(b)(1) CERCLA 58,328 57,317 25,000
42 U.S.C. 9609(a)(1) CERCLA 58,328 57,317 25,000
42 U.S.C. 9609(b) CERCLA 58,328/174,985 57,317/171,952 25,000/75,000
42 U.S.C. 9609(c) CERCLA 58,328/174,985 57,317/171,952 25,000/75,000
42 U.S.C. 11045(a) EMERGENCY PLANNING AND COMMUNITY RIGHT-TO-KNOW ACT (EPCRA) 58,328 57,317 25,000
42 U.S.C. 11045(b)(1)(A) EPCRA 58,328 57,317 25,000
42 U.S.C. 11045(b)(2) EPCRA 58,328/174,985 57,317/171,952 25,000/75,000
42 U.S.C. 11045(b)(3) EPCRA 58,328/174,985 57,317/171,952 25,000/75,000
42 U.S.C. 11045(c)(1) EPCRA 58,328 57,317 25,000
42 U.S.C. 11045(c)(2) EPCRA 23,331 22,927 10,000
42 U.S.C. 11045(d)(1) EPCRA 58,328 57,317 25,000
42 U.S.C. 14304(a)(1) MERCURY-CONTAINING AND RECHARGEABLE BATTERY MANAGEMENT ACT (BATTERY ACT) 16,258 15,976 10,000
42 U.S.C. 14304(g) BATTERY ACT 16,258 15,976 10,000
1 Note that 7 U.S.C. 136 l (a)(2) contains three separate statutory maximum civil penalty provisions. The first mention of $1,000 and the $500 statutory maximum civil penalty amount were originally enacted in 1978 (Pub. L. 95-396), and the second mention of $1,000 was enacted in 1972 (Pub. L. 92-516).
Table 2 of § 19.4—Civil Monetary Penalty Inflation Adjustments
Statutory civil penalties for violations after December 6, 2013 through November 2, 2015, or assessed before August 1, 2016
Statutory civil penalties for violations after January 12, 2009 through December 6, 2013
Statutory civil penalties for violations after March 15, 2004 through January 12, 2009
Statutory civil penalties for violations after January 30, 1997 through March 15, 2004
7 U.S.C. 136 l (a)(1) FEDERAL INSECTICIDE, FUNGICIDE, AND RODENTICIDE ACT (FIFRA) $7,500 $7,500 $6,500 $5,500 $5,000
7 U.S.C. 136 l (a)(2) FIFRA 750/1,100 750/1,100 650/1,100 550/1,000 500/1,000
15 U.S.C. 2615(a)(1) TOXIC SUBSTANCES CONTROL ACT (TSCA) 37,500 37,500 32,500 27,500 25,000
15 U.S.C. 2647(a) TSCA 7,500 7,500 6,500 5,500 5,000
15 U.S.C. 2647(g) TSCA 7,500 7,500 5,500 5,000 5,000
31 U.S.C. 3802(a)(1) PROGRAM FRAUD CIVIL REMEDIES ACT (PFCRA) 7,500 7,500 6,500 5,500 5,000
31 U.S.C. 3802(a)(2) PFCRA 7,500 7,500 6,500 5,500 5,000
33 U.S.C. 1319(d) CLEAN WATER ACT (CWA) 37,500 37,500 32,500 27,500 25,000
33 U.S.C. 1319(g)(2)(A) CWA 16,000/37,500 16,000/37,500 11,000/32,500 11,000/27,500 10,000/25,000
33 U.S.C. 1319(g)(2)(B) CWA 16,000/187,500 16,000/177,500 11,000/157,500 11,000/137,500 10,000/125,000
33 U.S.C. 1321(b)(6)(B)(i) CWA 16,000/37,500 16,000/37,500 11,000/32,500 11,000/27,500 10,000/25,000
33 U.S.C. 1321(b)(6)(B)(ii) CWA 16,000/187,500 16,000/177,500 11,000/157,500 11,000/137,500 10,000/125,000
33 U.S.C. 1321(b)(7)(A) CWA 37,500/2,100 37,500/1,100 32,500/1,100 27,500/1,100 25,000/1,000
33 U.S.C. 1321(b)(7)(B) CWA 37,500 37,500 32,500 27,500 25,000
33 U.S.C. 1321(b)(7)(C) CWA 37,500 37,500 32,500 27,500 25,000
33 U.S.C. 1321(b)(7)(D) CWA 150,000/5,300 140,000/4,300 130,000/4,300 110,000/3,300 100,000/3,000
33 U.S.C. 1414b(d)(1) 1 MARINE PROTECTION, RESEARCH, AND SANCTUARIES ACT (MPRSA) 860 860 760 660 600
33 U.S.C. 1415(a) MPRSA 75,000/187,500 70,000/177,500 65,000/157,500 55,000/137,500 50,000/125,000
33 U.S.C. 1901 note (see 1409(a)(2)(A)) CERTAIN ALASKAN CRUISE SHIP OPERATIONS (CACSO) 11,000/27,500 11,000/27,500 10,000/25,000 10,000/2 25,000 10,000/25,000
33 U.S.C. 1901 note (see 1409(a)(2)(B)) CACSO 11,000/147,500 11,000/137,500 10,000/125,000 10,000/125,000 10,000/125,000
33 U.S.C. 1901 note (see 1409(b)(1)) CACSO 27,500 27,500 25,000 25,000 25,000
42 U.S.C. 300g-3(b) SAFE DRINKING WATER ACT (SDWA) 37,500 37,500 32,500 27,500 25,000
42 U.S.C. 300g-3(g)(3)(A) SDWA 37,500 37,500 32,500 27,500 25,000
42 U.S.C. 300g-3(g)(3)(B) SDWA 7,000/32,500 7,000/32,500 6,000/27,500 5,000/25,000 5,000/25,000
42 U.S.C. 300g-3(g)(3)(C) SDWA 32,500 32,500 27,500 25,000 25,000
42 U.S.C. 300h-2(b)(1) SDWA 37,500 37,500 32,500 27,500 25,000
42 U.S.C. 300h-2(c)(1) SDWA 16,000/187,500 16,000/177,500 11,000/157,500 11,000/137,500 10,000/125,000
42 U.S.C. 300h-2(c)(2) SDWA 7,500/187,500 7,500/177,500 6,500/157,500 5,500/137,500 5,000/125,000
42 U.S.C. 300h-3(c) SDWA 7,500/16,000 7,500/16,000 6,500/11,000 5,500/11,000 5,000/10,000
42 U.S.C. 300i(b) SDWA 21,500 16,500 16,500 15,000 15,000
42 U.S.C. 300i-1(c) SDWA 120,000/1,150,000 110,000/1,100,000 100,000/1,000,000 22,000/3 55,000 20,000/50,000
42 U.S.C. 300j(e)(2) SDWA 3,750 3,750 2,750 2,750 2,500
42 U.S.C. 300j-4(c) SDWA 37,500 37,500 32,500 27,500 25,000
42 U.S.C. 300j-6(b)(2) SDWA 32,500 32,500 27,500 25,000 25,000
42 U.S.C. 300j-23(d) SDWA 7,500/75,000 7,500/70,000 6,500/65,000 5,500/55,000 5,000/50,000
42 U.S.C. 4852d(b)(5) RESIDENTIAL LEAD-BASED PAINT HAZARD REDUCTION ACT OF 1992 16,000 16,000 11,000 11,000 10,000
42 U.S.C. 4910(a)(2) NOISE CONTROL ACT OF 1972 16,000 16,000 11,000 11,000 10,000
42 U.S.C. 6928(a)(3) RESOURCE CONSERVATION AND RECOVERY ACT (RCRA) 37,500 37,500 32,500 27,500 25,000
42 U.S.C. 6928(c) RCRA 37,500 37,500 32,500 27,500 25,000
42 U.S.C. 6928(g) RCRA 37,500 37,500 32,500 27,500 25,000
42 U.S.C. 6928(h)(2) RCRA 37,500 37,500 32,500 27,500 25,000
42 U.S.C. 6934(e) RCRA 7,500 7,500 6,500 5,500 5,000
42 U.S.C. 6973(b) RCRA 7,500 7,500 6,500 5,500 5,000
42 U.S.C. 6991e(a)(3) RCRA 37,500 37,500 32,500 27,500 25,000
42 U.S.C. 6991e(d)(1) RCRA 16,000 16,000 11,000 11,000 10,000
42 U.S.C. 6991e(d)(2) RCRA 16,000 16,000 11,000 11,000 10,000
42 U.S.C. 7413(b) CLEAN AIR ACT (CAA) 37,500 37,500 32,500 27,500 25,000
42 U.S.C. 7413(d)(1) CAA 37,500/320,000 37,500/295,000 32,500/270,000 27,500/220,000 25,000/200,000
42 U.S.C. 7413(d)(3) CAA 7,500 7,500 6,500 5,500 5,000
42 U.S.C. 7524(a) CAA 3,750/37,500 3,750/37,500 2,750/32,500 2,750/27,500 2,500/25,000
42 U.S.C. 7524(c)(1) CAA 320,000 295,000 270,000 220,000 200,000
42 U.S.C. 7545(d)(1) CAA 37,500 37,500 32,500 27,500 25,000
42 U.S.C. 9604(e)(5)(B) COMPREHENSIVE ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSE, COMPENSATION, AND LIABILITY ACT (CERCLA) 37,500 37,500 32,500 27,500 25,000
42 U.S.C. 9606(b)(1) CERCLA 37,500 37,500 32,500 27,500 25,000
42 U.S.C. 9609(a)(1) CERCLA 37,500 37,500 32,500 27,500 25,000
42 U.S.C. 9609(b) CERCLA 37,500/117,500 37,500/107,500 32,500/97,500 27,500/82,500 25,000/75,000
42 U.S.C. 9609(c) CERCLA 37,500/117,500 37,500/107,500 32,500/97,500 27,500/82,500 25,000/75,000
42 U.S.C. 11045(a) EMERGENCY PLANNING AND COMMUNITY RIGHT-TO-KNOW ACT (EPCRA) 37,500 37,500 32,500 27,500 25,000
42 U.S.C. 11045(b)(1)(A) 4 EPCRA 37,500 37,500 32,500 27,500 25,000
42 U.S.C. 11045(b)(2) EPCRA 37,500/117,500 37,500/107,500 32,500/97,500 27,500/82,500 25,000/75,000
42 U.S.C. 11045(b)(3) EPCRA 37,500/117,500 37,500/107,500 32,500/97,500 27,500/82,500 25,000/75,000
42 U.S.C. 11045(c)(1) EPCRA 37,500 37,500 32,500 27,500 25,000
42 U.S.C. 11045(c)(2) EPCRA 16,000 16,000 11,000 11,000 10,000
42 U.S.C. 11045(d)(1) EPCRA 37,500 37,500 32,500 27,500 25,000
42 U.S.C. 14304(a)(1) MERCURY-CONTAINING AND RECHARGEABLE BATTERY MANAGEMENT ACT (BATTERY ACT) 16,000 16,000 11,000 10,000 10,000
42 U.S.C. 14304(g) BATTERY ACT 16,000 16,000 11,000 10,000 10,000
1 Note that 33 U.S.C. 1414b (d)(1)(B) contains additional penalty escalation provisions that must be applied to the penalty amounts set forth in this Table 2. The amounts set forth in this Table 2 reflect an inflation adjustment to the calendar year 1992 penalty amount expressed in section 104B(d)(1)(A), which is used to calculate the applicable penalty amount under MPRSA section 104B(d)(1)(B) for violations that occur in any subsequent calendar year.
3 The original statutory penalty amounts of $20,000 and $50,000 under section 1432(c) of the SDWA, 42 U.S.C. 300i-1(c), were subsequently increased by Congress pursuant to section 403 of the Public Health Security and Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Act of 2002, Public Law 107-188 (June 12, 2002), to $100,000 and $1,000,000, respectively. The EPA did not adjust these new penalty amounts in its 2004 Civil Monetary Penalty Inflation Adjustment Rule (“2004 Rule”), published on February 13, 2004, because they had gone into effect less than two years prior to the 2004 Rule.
4 Consistent with how the EPA's other penalty authorities are displayed under this section, this Table 2 now delineates, on a subpart-by-subpart basis, the penalty authorities enumerated under section 325(b) of EPCRA, 42 U.S.C. 11045(b) (i.e., 42 U.S.C. 11045(b)(1)(A), (b)(2), and (b)(3)).
1. The Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act of 1990, Public Law 101-410, 28 U.S.C. 2461 note, defines “civil monetary penalty” as any penalty, fine, or other sanction that—(1)(i) is for a specific monetary amount as provided by Federal law; or (ii) has a maximum amount provided for by Federal law; and (2) is assessed or enforced by an agency pursuant to Federal law; and (3) is assessed or enforced pursuant to an administrative proceeding or a civil action in the Federal courts.
4. Current and historical CPI-U's can be found on the Bureau of Labor Statistics' website here: https://www.bls.gov/​cpi/​tables/​supplemental-files/​historical-cpi-u-201910.pdf.
5. With this rule, for ease of reference, the order of the Tables and the columns within each Table are now presented in reverse chronological order.
6. Section 5(b) of the 2015 Act provides that the term “cost-of-living adjustment” means the percentage (if any) for each civil monetary penalty by which—
(1) the Consumer Price Index for the month of October preceding the date of the adjustment, exceeds
(2) the Consumer Price Index for the month of October 1 year before the month of October referred to in paragraph (2).
Because the CPI-U for October 2019 is 257.346 and the CPI-U for October 2018 is 252.885, the cost-of-living multiplier is 1.01764 (257.346 divided by 252.885).
[FR Doc. 2019-28019 Filed 1-10-20; 8:45 am]