[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 245 (Friday, December 21, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Page 65757]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-27659]


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NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION

RIN 3145-AA58


Notice on Penalty Inflation Adjustments for Civil Monetary 
Penalties

AGENCY: National Science Foundation.

ACTION: Notice announcing updated penalty inflation adjustments for 
civil monetary penalties for 2019.

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SUMMARY: The National Science Foundation (NSF or Foundation) is 
providing notice of its adjusted maximum civil monetary penalties, 
effective January 15, 2019. These adjustments are required by the 
Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Improvements Act of 
2015 (the 2015 Act).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bijan Gilanshah, Assistant General 
Counsel, Office of the General Counsel, National Science Foundation, 
2415 Eisenhower Avenue, Alexandria, VA 22314. Telephone: 703.292.5055.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On June 27, 2016, NSF published an interim 
final rule amending its regulations to adjust, for inflation, the 
maximum civil monetary penalties that may be imposed for violations of 
the Antarctic Conservation Act of 1978 (ACA), as amended, 16 U.S.C. 
2401 et seq., and the Program Fraud Civil Remedies Act of 1986 (PFCRA), 
31 U.S.C. 3801, et seq. These adjustments are required by the 2015 Act 
(Sec. 701 of Pub. L. 114-74). The 2015 Act also requires agencies to 
make subsequent annual adjustments for inflation. Pursuant to OMB 
guidance dated December 14, 2018, the cost-of-living adjustment 
multiplier for 2019 is 1.02522. Accordingly, the 2019 annual inflation 
adjustments for the maximum penalties under the ACA are $17,278 
($16,853 x 1.02522) for violations and $29,239 ($28,520 x 1.02522) for 
knowing violations of the ACA. Finally, the 2019 annual inflation 
adjustment for the maximum penalty for violations under PFCRA is 
$11,463 ($11,181 x 1.02522).

    Dated: December 18, 2018.
Suzanne Plimpton,
Reports Clearance Officer, National Science Foundation.
[FR Doc. 2018-27659 Filed 12-20-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 7555-01-P