49 CFR Part 229 - RAILROAD LOCOMOTIVE SAFETY STANDARDS

To comply with the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act of 1990, as amended by the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Improvements Act of 2015, FRA is adjusting the minimum, maximum, and aggravated maximum penalties it will apply when assessing a civil penalty for a violation of a railroad safety statute, regulation, or order under its authority. FRA is also adjusting the minimum penalty, ordinary maximum penalty, and aggravated maximum penalty that it will apply when assessing a civil monetary penalty for a knowing violation of the Federal hazardous material transportation laws or a regulation, special permit, order, or approval issued under those laws. The aggravated maximum penalty under the hazardous material transportation laws is available only for a violation that results in death, serious illness, or severe injury to any person or substantial destruction of property.

To comply with the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act of 1990, as amended by the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Improvements Act of 2015, FRA is adjusting the minimum, maximum, and aggravated maximum penalties that it will apply when assessing a civil penalty for a violation of a railroad safety statute, regulation, or order under its authority. In particular, FRA is increasing the minimum civil penalty per violation from $650 to $839, the ordinary maximum civil penalty per violation from $25,000 to $27,455, and the aggravated maximum civil penalty ( i.e., the maximum civil penalty per violation where a grossly negligent violation or a pattern of repeated violations has created an imminent hazard of death or injury or has caused death or injury) from $105,000 to $109,819.

This document responds to eight petitions for reconsideration received in relation to FRA's final rule, published on April 9, 2012, which revised the existing regulations containing safety standards for locomotives. In response to the petitions, this document amends and clarifies certain sections of the final rule.

To comply with the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act of 1990, FRA is adjusting the aggravated maximum penalty that it will apply when assessing a civil penalty for a violation of a railroad safety statute, regulation, or order under its authority. In particular, FRA is increasing the aggravated maximum civil penalty ( i.e., the maximum civil penalty per violation where a grossly negligent violation or a pattern of repeated violations has created an imminent hazard of death or injury or has caused death or injury) from $100,000 to $105,000. The current minimum civil penalty per violation of $650 and the current ordinary maximum civil penalty per violation of $25,000 remain the same.

FRA is notifying the public that the correct docket number for the Locomotive Safety Standards final rule is FRA-2009-0094. The final rule issued on April 9, 2012, incorrectly identified docket number FR-2009-0095 as the public docket for this rulemaking proceeding. FRA is requesting that all petitions for reconsideration and all comments on any petitions for reconsideration related to this proceeding be submitted to FRA-2009-0094.