[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 4 (Wednesday, January 7, 2009)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 626-629]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-31452]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

40 CFR Part 19

[FRL-8760-4]
RIN 2020-AA46


Civil Monetary Penalty Inflation Adjustment Rule

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Final rule; correction.

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SUMMARY: This action contains a minor correction to the final Civil 
Monetary Penalty Inflation Adjustment Rule, which was published on 
December 11, 2008 (73 FR 75340) and will be effective on January 12, 
2009. As mandated by the Debt Collection Improvement Act (DCIA), the 
rule adjusts for inflation the statutory civil penalties that may be 
assessed for violations of EPA-administered statutes and their 
implementing regulations. A corrected version of Table 1 of the 
regulation appears at the end of this action.

DATES: This correction is effective January 12, 2009.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: David Abdalla, Special Litigation and 
Projects Division (2248A), Office of Civil Enforcement, Office of 
Enforcement and Compliance Assurance, U.S. Environmental Protection 
Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20460, (202) 564-
2413.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Background

    On December 11, 2008, EPA issued the final Civil Monetary Penalty

[[Page 627]]

Inflation Adjustment Rule (``2008 penalty inflation rule'' or 
``rule''), as mandated by the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation 
Adjustment Act of 1990, 28 U.S.C. 2461 note, as amended by the DCIA, 31 
U.S.C. 3701 note, to adjust for inflation the statutory civil penalties 
that may be assessed for violations of EPA-administered statutes and 
their implementing regulations (73 FR 75340). Effective January 12, 
2009, the rule at 40 CFR 19.4 adjusts, in accordance with the formula 
mandated by the DCIA, the maximum and the minimum amounts of each 
statutory civil penalty that can be imposed under EPA-administered 
statutes. Although the current version of 40 CFR 19.4 lists all of the 
penalty assessment authorities and the applicable statutory maximum 
amounts that can be imposed under the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), 
42 U.S.C. 300f-300j, EPA inadvertently deleted four SDWA statutory 
citations and their corresponding penalty amounts in Table 1 of the 
rule published on December 11, 2008.

II. Need for Correction

    As published, the regulatory text in the final rule contains an 
error that, if not corrected, would result in an error in Table 1 of 40 
CFR 19.4 in the next publication of the Code of Federal Regulations. 
Specifically, the rule as published deleted: four citations to penalty 
authorities under the SDWA; the statutory maximum penalties that can be 
assessed under the SDWA, as enacted; and the statutory maximum 
penalties that can be assessed pursuant to the penalty inflation 
adjustment rules published by EPA in 1996, 2004 and 2008 (see 61 FR 
69360 (December 31, 1996); 69 FR 7121 (February 13, 2004); and 73 FR 
75340 (December 11, 2008)).
    The penalty inflation adjustment rules, including the 2008 rule, 
are mandated by the DCIA, which requires each federal agency to apply 
statutorily prescribed formula to calculate inflation-adjusted 
penalties. Section 553(b)(3)(B) of the Administrative Procedures Act 
(APA), 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(3)(B), provides that, when an Agency for good 
cause finds that notice and public comment are impracticable, 
unnecessary, or contrary to the public interest, the Agency may issue a 
rule without providing notice and an opportunity for public comment. In 
the December 11, 2008 notice, EPA found good cause, pursuant to APA 
Section 553(b)(3)(B), that soliciting public comment prior to the 
publication of the final rule was not necessary because EPA is carrying 
out a ministerial, non-discretionary duty pursuant to a mandate from 
Congress under the DCIA. Because the Agency has no discretion under the 
DCIA to vary the amount of any penalty adjustment to reflect any views 
or suggestions provided by public commenters, EPA decided that there 
would be no purpose in providing an opportunity for public comment on 
the 2008 penalty inflation rule.
    This action merely amends Table 1 of 40 CFR 19.4 to reinsert the 
four missing SDWA penalty authorities, together with their 
corresponding statutory maximum penalty amounts since the SDWA was 
originally enacted, and reflect that the penalties in effect after 
January 12, 2009 under these authorities have been adjusted in 
accordance with the DCIA's non-discretionary formula. Accordingly, like 
the 2008 penalty inflation rule, EPA has determined that there is good 
cause for making this action final without prior proposal and 
opportunity for comment because the change to the rule is a minor 
technical correction, is non-controversial, and merely applies the 
formula mandated under the DCIA. Similarly, because this change is 
technical in nature and is consistent with the statutorily mandated 
formula applied in the 2008 penalty inflation rule, EPA has also 
determined that this technical correction rule meets the ``good cause'' 
exception to the effective date requirements of section 553(d) of the 
APA. Consequently, this technical correction will be effective on 
January 12, 2009, the same date the 2008 penalty inflation rule will 
take effect.

III. Corrections to Publication

    In FR Doc. E8-29380 appearing on page 75345 in the Federal Register 
of December 11, 2008, the following correction is made:

Table 1 of Section 19.4 [Corrected]

    Beginning on page 75345, Table 1 of Section 19.4--Civil Monetary 
Penalty Inflation Adjustments, is corrected to read as follows:


Sec.  19.4  Penalty adjustment and table.

* * * * *

                      Table 1--of Section 19.4 Civil Monetary Penalty Inflation Adjustments
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                     Penalties
                                                                     Penalties       effective
                                                     Statutory       effective      after March      Penalties
      U.S. code citation          Environmental   penalties,  as   after January     15, 2004        effective
                                     statute          enacted        30, 1997         through     after  January
                                                                   through March    January 12,      12, 2009
                                                                     15, 2004          2009
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
7 U.S.C. 136l.(a)(1)..........  FEDERAL                   $5,000          $5,500          $6,500          $7,500
                                 INSECTICIDE,
                                 FUNGICIDE, AND
                                 RODENTICIDE ACT
                                 (FIFRA).
7 U.S.C. 136l.(a)(2)..........  FIFRA...........       500/1,000       550/1,000       650/1,100       750/1,100
15 U.S.C. 2615(a)(1)..........  TOXIC SUBSTANCES          25,000          27,500          32,500          37,500
                                 CONTROL ACT
                                 (TSCA).
15 U.S.C. 2647(a).............  TSCA............           5,000           5,500           6,500           7,500
15 U.S.C. 2647(g).............  TSCA............           5,000           5,000           5,500           7,500
31 U.S.C. 3802(a)(1)..........  PROGRAM FRAUD              5,000           5,500           6,500           7,500
                                 CIVIL REMEDIES
                                 ACT (PFCRA).
31 U.S.C. 3802(a)(2)..........  PFCRA...........           5,000           5,500           6,500           7,500
33 U.S.C. 1319(d).............  CLEAN WATER ACT           25,000          27,500          32,500          37,500
                                 (CWA).
33 U.S.C. 1319(g)(2)(A).......  CWA.............   10,000/25,000         11,000/   11,000/32,500   16,000/37,500
                                                                          27,500
33 U.S.C. 1319(g)(2)(B).......  CWA.............  10,000/125,000  11,000/137,500  11,000/157,500  16,000/177,500
33 U.S.C. 1321(b)(6)(B)(i)....  CWA.............   10,000/25,000  11,000 /27,500   11,000/32,500   16,000/37,500
33 U.S.C. 1321(b)(6)(B)(ii)...  CWA.............  10,000/125,000  11,000/137,500  11,000/157,500  16,000/177,500
33 U.S.C. 1321(b)(7)(A).......  CWA.............    25,000/1,000    27,500/1,100    32,500/1,100    37,500/1,100
33 U.S.C. 1321(b)(7)(B).......  CWA.............          25,000          27,500          32,500          37,500
33 U.S.C. 1321(b)(7)(C).......  CWA.............          25,000          27,500          32,500          37,500

[[Page 628]]

 
33 U.S.C. 1321(b)(7)(D).......  CWA.............   100,000/3,000   110,000/3,300   130,000/4,300   140,000/4,300
33 U.S.C. 1415(a).............  MARINE            50,000/125,000  55,000/137,500  65,000/157,500  70,000/177,500
                                 PROTECTION,
                                 RESEARCH, AND
                                 SANCTUARIES ACT
                                 (MPRSA).
33 U.S.C. 1414b(d)(1) \1\.....  MPRSA...........             600             660             760             860
33 U.S.C. 1901 note (see        CERTAIN ALASKAN    10,000/25,000     \2\ 10,000/   10,000/25,000   11,000/27,500
 1409(a)(2)(A)).                 CRUISE SHIP                              25,000
                                 OPERATIONS
                                 (CACSO).
33 U.S.C. 1901 note (see        CACSO...........  10,000/125,000  10,000/125,000  10,000/125,000  11,000/137,500
 1409(a)(2)(B)).
33 U.S.C. 1901 note (see        CACSO...........          25,000          25,000          25,000          27,500
 1409(b)(1)).
42 U.S.C. 300g-3(b)...........  SAFE DRINKING             25,000          27,500          32,500          37,500
                                 WATER ACT
                                 (SDWA).
42 U.S.C. 300g-3(g)(3)(A).....  SDWA............          25,000          27,500          32,500          37,500
42 U.S.C. 300g-3(g)(3)(B).....  SDWA............    5,000/25,000    5,000/25,000    6,000/27,500    7,000/32,500
42 U.S.C. 300g-3(g)(3)(C).....  SDWA............          25,000          25,000          27,500          32,500
42 U.S.C. 300h-2(b)(1)........  SDWA............          25,000          27,500          32,500          37,500
42 U.S.C. 300h-2(c)(1)........  SDWA............  10,000/125,000  11,000/137,500  11,000/157,500  16,000/177,500
42 U.S.C. 300h-2(c)(2)........  SDWA............   5,000/125,000   5,500/137,500   6,500/157,500   7,500/177,500
42 U.S.C. 300h-3(c)...........  SDWA............    5,000/10,000    5,500/11,000    6,500/11,000    7,500/16,000
42 U.S.C. 300i(b).............  SDWA............          15,000          15,000          16,500          16,500
42 U.S.C. 300i-1(c)...........  SDWA............   20,000/50,000     \3\ 22,000/        100,000/        110,000/
                                                                          55,000       1,000,000       1,100,000
42 U.S.C. 300j(e)(2)..........  SDWA............           2,500           2,750           2,750           3,750
42 U.S.C. 300j-4(c)...........  SDWA............          25,000          27,500          32,500          37,500
42 U.S.C. 300j-6(b)(2)........  SDWA............          25,000          25,000          27,500          32,500
42 U.S.C. 300j-23(d)..........  SDWA............    5,000/50,000    5,500/55,000    6,500/65,000    7,500/70,000
42 U.S.C. 4852d(b)(5).........  RESIDENTIAL LEAD-         10,000          11,000          11,000          16,000
                                 BASED PAINT
                                 HAZARD
                                 REDUCTION ACT
                                 OF 1992.
42 U.S.C. 4910(a)(2)..........  NOISE CONTROL             10,000          11,000          11,000          16,000
                                 ACT OF 1972.
42 U.S.C. 6928(a)(3)..........  RESOURCE                  25,000          27,500          32,500          37,500
                                 CONSERVATION
                                 AND RECOVERY
                                 ACT (RCRA).
42 U.S.C. 6928(c).............  RCRA............          25,000          27,500          32,500          37,500
42 U.S.C. 6928(g).............  RCRA............          25,000          27,500          32,500          37,500
42 U.S.C. 6928(h)(2)..........  RCRA............          25,000          27,500          32,500          37,500
42 U.S.C. 6934(e).............  RCRA............           5,000           5,500           6,500           7,500
42 U.S.C. 6973(b).............  RCRA............           5,000           5,500           6,500           7,500
42 U.S.C. 6991e(a)(3).........  RCRA............          25,000          27,500          32,500          37,500
42 U.S.C. 6991e(d)(1).........  RCRA............          10,000          11,000          11,000          16,000
42 U.S.C. 6991e(d)(2).........  RCRA............          10,000          11,000          11,000          16,000
42 U.S.C. 7413(b).............  CLEAN AIR ACT             25,000          27,500          32,500          37,500
                                 (CAA).
42 U.S.C. 7413(d)(1)..........  CAA.............  25,000/200,000  27,500/220,000  32,500/270,000  37,500/295,000
42 U.S.C. 7413(d)(3)..........  CAA.............           5,000           5,500           6,500           7,500
42 U.S.C. 7524(a).............  CAA.............    2,500/25,000    2,750/27,500    2,750/32,500    3,750/37,500
42 U.S.C. 7524(c)(1)..........  CAA.............         200,000         220,000         270,000         295,000
42 U.S.C. 7545(d)(1)..........  CAA.............          25,000          27,500          32,500          37,500
42 U.S.C. 9604(e)(5)(B).......  COMPREHENSIVE             25,000          27,500          32,500          37,500
                                 ENVIRONMENTAL
                                 RESPONSE,
                                 COMPENSATION,
                                 AND LIABILITY
                                 ACT (CERCLA).
42 U.S.C. 9606(b)(1)..........  CERCLA..........          25,000          27,500          32,500          37,500
42 U.S.C. 9609(a)(1)..........  CERCLA..........          25,000          27,500          32,500          37,500
42 U.S.C. 9609(b).............  CERCLA..........   25,000/75,000   27,500/82,500   32,500/97,500  37,500/107,500
42 U.S.C. 9609(c).............  CERCLA..........   25,000/75,000   27,500/82,500   32,500/97,500  37,500/107,500
42 U.S.C. 11045(a)............  EMERGENCY                 25,000          27,500          32,500          37,500
                                 PLANNING AND
                                 COMMUNITY RIGHT-
                                 TO-KNOW ACT
                                 (EPCRA).
42 U.S.C. 11045(b)............  EPCRA...........   25,000/75,000   27,500/82,500   32,500/97,500  37,500/107,500
42 U.S.C. 11045(c)(1).........  EPCRA...........          25,000          27,500          32,500          37,500
42 U.S.C. 11045(c)(2).........  EPCRA...........          10,000          11,000          11,000          16,000
42 U.S.C. 11045(d)(1).........  EPCRA...........          25,000          27,500          32,500          37,500
42 U.S.C. 14304(a)(1).........  MERCURY-                  10,000          10,000          11,000          16,000
                                 CONTAINING AND
                                 RECHARGEABLE
                                 BATTERY
                                 MANAGEMENT ACT
                                 (BATTERY ACT).

[[Page 629]]

 
42 U.S.C. 14304(g)............  BATTERY ACT.....          10,000          10,000          11,000          16,000
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\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 1. The amounts set forth in this Table 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.
\2\ CACSO was passed on December 21, 2000 as part of Title XIV of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2001,
  Public Law 106-554, 33 U.S.C. 1901 note.
\3\ The original statutory penalty amounts of 20,000 and 50,000 under section 1432(c) of the Safe Drinking Water
  Act, 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 No. 107-188 (June 12, 2002), to
  100,000 and 1,000,000, respectively. EPA did not adjust these new penalty amounts in its 2004 Civil Monetary
  Penalty Inflation Adjustment Rule (``2004 Rule''), 69 FR 7121 (February 13, 2004), because they had gone into
  effect less than two years prior to the 2004 Rule.


    Dated: December 30, 2008.
Catherine R. McCabe,
Principal Deputy Assistant Administrator, Office of Enforcement and 
Compliance Assurance.
[FR Doc. E8-31452 Filed 1-6-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P