Adjustments to the Minimum and Maximum Civil Monetary Penalties for Violations of Federal Railroad Safety Laws or Federal Railroad Administration Safety Regulations

To comply with the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act of 1990, FRA is adjusting the minimum civil monetary penalty that it will apply when it assesses a civil penalty for a violation of a railroad safety statute or regulation under its authority. FRA is also adjusting its ordinary maximum and aggravated maximum penalties to incorporate the new maximum civil penalty amounts authorized by the Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008. In particular, FRA is increasing the minimum civil penalty per violation from $550 to $650, while the ordinary maximum civil penalty per violation will be increased from $16,000 to $25,000 and the aggravated maximum civil penalty per violation where a grossly negligent violation or pattern of repeated violations has created an imminent hazard of death or injury ("grossly negligent violation") will be increased from $27,000 to $100,000.