PHMSA-06-17
Tuesday, April 25, 2017

News Digest

PHMSA Adjusts Maximum and Minimum Civil Penalties for Inflation. The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) issued a Final Rule to revise its regulations and increase the maximum civil penalty amount for violations of the Federal hazardous materials safety law. Under the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Improvements Act of 2015, which further amended the Federal Civil Penalties, Inflation Adjustment Act of 1990, federal agencies are required to adjust their civil monetary penalties each year to account for changes in inflation. The maximum civil penalty for a knowing violation is now $78,376, except that the maximum civil penalty is $182,877 for a violation that results in death, serious illness, or severe injury to any person or substantial destruction of property. In addition, the minimum civil penalty amount of $471 applies to a violation relating to training. Federal agencies are required to adjust their civil monetary penalties effective August 1, 2016, and then annually thereafter, to account for changes in inflation. Contact for media: Darius Kirkwood (202) 366-4831.