[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 229 (Friday, November 28, 1997)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 63274-63277]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-31267]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement
30 CFR Parts 723, 724, 845, and 846
RIN 1029-AB90
Implementation of the Debt Collection Improvement Act of 1996
AGENCY: Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, Interior.
ACTION: Final rule.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: This rule implements the Federal Civil Monetary Penalty
Inflation
[[Page 63275]]
Adjustment Act of 1990, as amended by the Debt Collection Improvement
Act of 1996, by adjusting for inflation, certain civil money penalties
authorized by the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977.
EFFECTIVE DATE: November 28, 1997.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Andy DeVito, Office of Surface Mining
Reclamation and Enforcement, Room 117, South Interior Building, 1951
Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20240; Telephone (202) 208-
2701. E-Mail/Internet: adevito@osmre.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background
A. The Debt Collection Improvement Act of 1996
B. Civil Money Penalties Affected by this Adjustment
II. Procedural Matters
A. Effect in Federal Program States and on Indian Lands
B. Effect on State Programs
C. Administrative Procedure Act
D. Executive Order 12866
E. Regulatory Flexibility Act
F. Unfunded Mandates Reform Act
G. Federal Paperwork Reduction Act
H. National Environmental Policy Act
I. Executive Order 12988 on Civil Justice Reform
I. Background
A. The Debt Collection Improvement Act of 1996
In an effort to maintain the deterrent effect of civil money
penalties (CMPs) and promote compliance with the law, the Federal Civil
Monetary Penalty Inflation Adjustment Act of 1990 (the Act) (Pub. L.
101-410) was amended by the Debt Collection Improvement Act of 1996
(Pub. L. 104-134) to require Federal agencies to regularly adjust
certain CMPs for inflation. As amended, the Act requires each agency to
make an initial inflationary adjustment for all applicable CMPs, and to
make further adjustments at least once every four years thereafter.
Under the amended Act, the inflation adjustment for a CMP is
determined by increasing the CMP by the amount of the cost-of-living
adjustment which is defined as the percentage of each CMP by which the
Consumer Price Index (CPI) for the month of June of the calendar year
preceding the adjustment, exceeds the CPI for the month of June of the
calendar year in which the amount of the CMP was last set or adjusted.
The amended Act further stipulates that any resulting increases in a
CMP due to the calculated inflation adjustments (1) Should apply only
to violations that occur after the date the increase takes effect, and
(2) should not exceed 10 percent of the penalty indicated.
B. Civil Money Penalties Affected By This Adjustment
Section 518 of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of
1977 (SMCRA), 30 U.S.C. 1201 et seq., authorizes the Secretary of the
Interior to assess CMPs for violations of SMCRA. The regulations of the
Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSM) implementing
the CMP provisions of section 518 of SMCRA are located in 30 CFR
723.14, 723.15, 724.14, 845.14, 845.15, and 846.14. Sections 723.14 and
723.15 were promulgated on September 4, 1980 (45 FR 58783), sections
845.14 and 845.15 on August 16, 1982 (47 FR 35640), and sections 724.14
and 846.14 on February 8, 1988 (53 FR 3664). The CMPs have not been
adjusted since the regulations were first issued. Since the cost-of-
living adjustment described above would exceed 10 percent of the CMP,
the adjustments being made to the CMPs by this rule are being limited
to a 10 percent increase as directed by section 7 of the amended Act.
II. Procedural Matters
A. Effect in Federal Program States and on Indian Lands
The rule will apply through cross-referencing to the following
Federal program states: California, Georgia, Idaho, Massachusetts,
Michigan, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee
and Washington. The Federal programs for these States appear at 30 CFR
parts 905, 910, 912, 921, 922, 933, 937, 939, 941, 942 and 947,
respectively. The rule also applies through cross-referencing to Indian
lands under the Federal program for Indian lands as provided in 30 CFR
750.
B. Effect on State Programs
Section 518(i) of SMCRA and 30 CFR 840.13(a) require that the civil
penalty provisions of each State program contain penalties which are
``no less stringent than'' those set forth in SMCRA. Following
promulgation of the final rule, OSM will evaluate State programs
approved under section 503 of SMCRA to determine any changes in those
programs that will be necessary. When OSM determines that a particular
State program provision should be amended in order to be made no less
stringent than the revised Federal regulations, the particular States
will be notified in accordance with the provisions of 30 CFR 732.17.
C. Administrative Procedure Act
This final rule has been issued without prior public notice or
opportunity for public comment. The Administrative Procedure Act (APA)
(5 U.S.C. 553) provides an exception to the notice and comment
procedures when an agency finds there is good cause for dispensing with
such procedures on the basis that they are impracticable, unnecessary
or contrary to the public interest. OSM has determined that under 5
U.S.C. 553(b)(3)(B) good cause exists for dispensing with the notice of
proposed rulemaking and public comment procedures for this rule.
Specifically, this rulemaking is consistent with the statutory
authority set forth in the Debt Collection Improvement Act of 1996. In
that Act, Congress required that the agency issue the inflation
adjustment amendments contained in this rule and provided no discretion
to the agency regarding either their substance or their issuance. These
same reasons also provide OSM with good cause under 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3)
of the APA to have the regulation become effective on a date that is
less than 30 days after the date of publication in the Federal
Register.
D. Executive Order 12866
This rule is not considered a significant regulatory action under
the provisions of Executive Order 12866. The rule adjusts OSM's CMPs
according to the formula contained in the law. OSM has no discretion in
making the adjustments. Further, most coal mining operations subject to
these regulations do not engage in prohibited activities and practices,
and, as a result, OSM believes that the aggregate economic impact of
these revised regulations will be minimal, affecting only those who may
engage in prohibited behavior in violation of SMCRA. Consequently, the
amount of the CMPs assessed under the revised schedule are not expected
to exceed the threshold contained in Executive Order 12866 for an
economically significant rule.
E. Regulatory Flexibility Act
The Department of the Interior certifies that this proposed
revision would not have a significant economic impact on a substantial
number of small entities under the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C.
601 et seq.). While some penalties may have an impact on small
entities, it is the nature of the violation and not the size of the
entity that will result in issuance of a violation notice and the
assessment of a CMP. The aggregate economic impact of this rulemaking
on small business entities
[[Page 63276]]
should be minimal, affecting only those who violate the provisions of
SMCRA.
F. Unfunded Mandates Reform Act
For purposes of compliance with the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of
1995, this rule does not impose any obligations that individually or
cumulatively would require an aggregate expenditure of $100 million or
more by State, local, and Tribal governments and the private sector in
any given year.
G. Federal Paperwork Reduction Act
This rule does not contain collections of information which require
approval by the Office of Management and Budget under 44 U.S.C. 3501 et
seq.
H. National Environmental Policy Act
This rule has been reviewed by OSM and it has been determined to be
categorically excluded from the requirement to prepare an environmental
document under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969. This
determination was made in accordance with the Departmental Manual (516
DM 2, Appendix 1.10).
I. Executive Order 12988 on Civil Justice Reform
The Department of the Interior has determined that this rule meets
the requirements of sections (3)(a) and 3(b)(2) of Executive Order
12988, Civil Justice Reform (61 FR 4729).
List of Subjects
30 CFR Part 723
Administrative practice and procedure, Penalties, Surface mining,
Underground mining.
30 CFR Part 724
Administrative practice and procedure, Penalties, Surface mining,
Underground mining.
30 CFR Part 845
Administrative practice and procedure, Law enforcement, Penalties,
Reporting and recordkeeping requirements, Surface mining, Underground
mining.
30 CFR Part 846
Administrative practice and procedure, Penalties, Surface mining,
Underground mining.
Dated: October 28, 1997.
Sylvia V. Baca,
Acting Assistant Secretary, Land and Minerals Management.
For the reasons set out in the preamble, 30 CFR parts 723, 724,
845, and 846 are amended as follows.
PART 723--CIVIL PENALTIES
1. The authority citation for Part 723 is revised to read as
follows:
Authority: 30 U.S.C. 1201 et seq., Pub. L. 100-34, Pub. L. 101-
410, and Pub. L. 104-134.
2. Section 723.14 is amended by revising the table to read as
follows:
Sec. 723.14 Determination of amount of penalty.
* * * * *
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Points Dollars
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1......................................................... 22
2......................................................... 44
3......................................................... 66
4......................................................... 88
5......................................................... 110
6......................................................... 132
7......................................................... 154
8......................................................... 176
9......................................................... 198
10......................................................... 220
11......................................................... 242
12......................................................... 264
13......................................................... 286
14......................................................... 308
15......................................................... 330
16......................................................... 352
17......................................................... 374
18......................................................... 396
19......................................................... 418
20......................................................... 440
21......................................................... 462
22......................................................... 484
23......................................................... 506
24......................................................... 528
25......................................................... 550
26......................................................... 660
27......................................................... 770
28......................................................... 880
29......................................................... 990
30......................................................... 1,100
31......................................................... 1,210
32......................................................... 1,320
33......................................................... 1,430
34......................................................... 1,540
35......................................................... 1,650
36......................................................... 1,760
37......................................................... 1,870
38......................................................... 1,980
39......................................................... 2,090
40......................................................... 2,200
41......................................................... 2,310
42......................................................... 2,420
43......................................................... 2,530
44......................................................... 2,640
45......................................................... 2,750
46......................................................... 2,860
47......................................................... 2,970
48......................................................... 3,080
49......................................................... 3,190
50......................................................... 3,300
51......................................................... 3,410
52......................................................... 3,520
53......................................................... 3,630
54......................................................... 3,740
55......................................................... 3,850
56......................................................... 3,960
57......................................................... 4,070
58......................................................... 4,180
59......................................................... 4,290
60......................................................... 4,400
61......................................................... 4,510
62......................................................... 4,620
63......................................................... 4,730
64......................................................... 4,840
65......................................................... 4,950
66......................................................... 5,060
67......................................................... 5,170
68......................................................... 5,280
69......................................................... 5,390
70......................................................... 5,500
------------------------------------------------------------------------
3. In Section 723.15, paragraph (b) is revised by changing the
dollar amount ``$750'' to ``$825.''
PART 724--INDIVIDUAL CIVIL PENALTIES
4. The authority citation for Part 724 is revised to read as
follows:
Authority: 30 U.S.C. 1201 et seq., Pub. L. 100-34, Pub. L. 101-
410, and Pub. L. 104-134.
5. Section 724.14 is amended by revising the first sentence of
paragraph (b) to read as follows:
Sec. 724.14 Amount of individual civil penalty.
* * * * *
(b) The penalty shall not exceed $5,500 for each violation. * * *
PART 845--CIVIL PENALTIES
6. The authority citation for Part 845 is revised to read as
follows:
Authority: 30 U.S.C. 1201 et seq., Pub. L. 100-34, Pub. L. 100-
202, Pub. L. 100-446, Pub. L. 101-410, and Pub. L. 104-134.
7. Section 845.14 is amended by revising the table to read as
follows:
Sec. 845.14 Determination of amount of penalty.
* * * * *
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Points Dollars
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1.......................................................... 22
2.......................................................... 44
3.......................................................... 66
4.......................................................... 88
5.......................................................... 110
6.......................................................... 132
7.......................................................... 154
8.......................................................... 176
9.......................................................... 198
10......................................................... 220
11......................................................... 242
12......................................................... 264
13......................................................... 286
14......................................................... 308
15......................................................... 330
16......................................................... 352
17......................................................... 374
18......................................................... 396
19......................................................... 418
20......................................................... 440
21......................................................... 462
22......................................................... 484
[[Page 63277]]
23......................................................... 506
24......................................................... 528
25......................................................... 550
26......................................................... 660
27......................................................... 770
28......................................................... 880
29......................................................... 990
30......................................................... 1,100
31......................................................... 1,210
32......................................................... 1,320
33......................................................... 1,430
34......................................................... 1,540
35......................................................... 1,650
36......................................................... 1,760
37......................................................... 1,870
38......................................................... 1,980
39......................................................... 2,090
40......................................................... 2,200
41......................................................... 2,310
42......................................................... 2,420
43......................................................... 2,530
44......................................................... 2,640
45......................................................... 2,750
46......................................................... 2,860
47......................................................... 2,970
48......................................................... 3,080
49......................................................... 3,190
50......................................................... 3,300
51......................................................... 3,410
52......................................................... 3,520
53......................................................... 3,630
54......................................................... 3,740
55......................................................... 3,850
56......................................................... 3,960
57......................................................... 4,070
58......................................................... 4,180
59......................................................... 4,290
60......................................................... 4,400
61......................................................... 4,510
62......................................................... 4,620
63......................................................... 4,730
64......................................................... 4,840
65......................................................... 4,950
66......................................................... 5,060
67......................................................... 5,170
68......................................................... 5,280
69......................................................... 5,390
70......................................................... 5,500
------------------------------------------------------------------------
8. In Section 845.15, paragraph (b) is revised by changing the
dollar amount ``$750'' to ``$825.''
PART 846--INDIVIDUAL CIVIL PENALTIES
9. The authority citation for Part 846 is revised to read as
follows:
Authority: 30 U.S.C. 1201 et seq., Pub. L. 100-34, Pub. L. 101-
410, and Pub. L. 104-134.
10. Section 846.14 is amended by revising the first sentence of
paragraph (b) to read as follows:
Sec. 846.14 Amount of individual civil penalty.
* * * * *
(b) The penalty shall not exceed $5,500 for each violation. * * *
[FR Doc. 97-31267 Filed 11-26-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-05-M
