Adjustment of Civil Penalties, 29765-29767 [2016-11296]
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Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 93 / Friday, May 13, 2016 / Rules and Regulations
IV. Availability of Documents
interested persons as indicated. For
more information on accessing ADAMS,
The documents identified in the
following table are available to
see the ADDRESSES section of this
document.
ADAMS accession number/
Federal Register citation
Date
Document
August 21, 1986 .................................
Safety Goals for the Operations of Nuclear Power Plants; Policy Statement; Republication.
NUREG–1353, ‘‘Regulatory Analysis for the Resolution of Generic Issue
82, Beyond Design Basis Accidents in Spent Fuel Pools’’.
NUREG–1738, ‘‘Technical Study of Spent Fuel Pool Accident Risk at Decommissioning Nuclear Power Plants’’.
EA–12–049, ‘‘Order Modifying Licenses with Regard to Requirements for
Mitigation Strategies for Beyond-Design-Basis External Events’’.
NEI 12–06, ‘‘Diverse and Flexible Coping Strategies (FLEX) Implementation Guide’’.
JLD–ISG–2012–01, ‘‘Compliance with Order EA–12–049, Order Modifying
Licenses with Regard to Requirements for Mitigation Strategies for Beyond-Design-Basis External Events’’.
Long-Term Cooling and Unattended Water Makeup of Spent Fuel Pools ...
COMSECY–13–0030, ‘‘Staff Evaluation and Recommendation for Japan
Lessons Learned Tier 3 Issue on Expedited Transfer of Spent Fuel’’.
SRM–COMSECY–13–0030, ‘‘Staff Requirements—COMSECY–13–0030—
Staff Evaluation and Recommendation for Japan Lessons-Learned Tier
3 Issue on Expedited Transfer of Spent Fuel’’.
Incoming Petition (PRM–50–108) from Mr. Mark Edward Leyse .................
NUREG–2157, ‘‘Generic Environmental Impact Statement for Continued
Storage of Spent Nuclear Fuel,’’ Volume 2.
NUREG–2161, ‘‘Consequence Study of a Beyond-Design-Basis Earthquake Affecting the Spent Fuel Pool for a U.S. Mark I Boiling-Water Reactor’’.
Notice of Docketing for PRM–50–108 ...........................................................
April 1989 ...........................................
February 2001 ....................................
March 12, 2012 ..................................
August 2012 .......................................
August 2012 .......................................
December 18, 2012 ............................
November 12, 2013 ............................
May 23, 2014 .....................................
June 19, 2014 ....................................
September 2014 .................................
September 2014 .................................
October 7, 2014 .................................
Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 5th day
of May, 2016.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Annette L. Vietti-Cook,
Secretary of the Commission.
[FR Doc. 2016–11212 Filed 5–12–16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590–01–P
PENSION BENEFIT GUARANTY
CORPORATION
29 CFR Parts 4010, 4041, 4071, and
4302
RIN 1212–AB33
Adjustment of Civil Penalties
Pension Benefit Guaranty
Corporation.
ACTION: Interim final rule.
AGENCY:
The Pension Benefit Guaranty
Corporation is amending its regulations
to adjust the penalties provided for in
sections 4071 and 4302 of the Employee
Retirement Income Security Act of 1974.
This action is being taken in accordance
with the Federal Civil Penalties
Inflation Adjustment Act Improvements
Act of 2015 and Office of Management
and Budget memorandum M–16–06.
The regulations being amended are
those on Penalties for Failure to Provide
Certain Notices or Other Material
Information (29 CFR part 4071) and
ehiers on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with RULES
SUMMARY:
VerDate Sep<11>2014
16:59 May 12, 2016
Jkt 238001
Penalties for Failure to Provide Certain
Multiemployer Plan Notices (29 CFR
part 4302). Conforming amendments are
also being made to the regulations on
Annual Financial and Actuarial
Information Reporting (29 CFR part
4010) and Termination of SingleEmployer Plans (29 CFR part 4041).
DATES: The amendments are effective
August 1, 2016. Also see Applicability,
below.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Deborah C. Murphy, Deputy Assistant
General Counsel for Regulatory Affairs
(murphy.deborah@pbgc.gov), Office of
the General Counsel, Pension Benefit
Guaranty Corporation, 1200 K Street
NW., Washington, DC 20005–4026; 202–
326–4400 extension 3451. (TTY and
TDD users may call the Federal relay
service toll-free at 800–877–8339 and
ask to be connected to 202–326–4400
extension 3451.)
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Executive Summary
Purpose of the Regulatory Action
This rule is needed to carry out the
requirements of the Federal Civil
Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act
Improvements Act of 2015. The rule
adjusts the maximum civil penalties
that PBGC may assess for failure to
provide certain notices or other material
information.
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
29765
51 FR 30028.
ML082330232.
ML010430066.
ML12054A735.
ML12242A378.
ML12229A174.
77 FR 74788.
ML13329A918.
ML14143A360.
ML14195A388.
ML14196A107.
ML14255A365.
79 FR 60383.
PBGC’s legal authority for this action
comes from the Federal Civil Penalties
Inflation Adjustment Act of 1990 as
amended by the Federal Civil Penalties
Inflation Adjustment Act Improvements
Act of 2015 and from sections
4002(b)(3), 4071, and 4302 of the
Employee Retirement Income Security
Act of 1974.
Major Provisions of the Regulatory
Action
This rule adjusts the maximum civil
penalties that PBGC may assess under
sections 4071 and 4302 of ERISA. The
new maximum amounts are $2,063 for
section 4071 penalties and $275 for
section 4302 penalties.
Background
The Pension Benefit Guaranty
Corporation (PBGC) administers title IV
of the Employee Retirement Income
Security Act of 1974 (ERISA). Title IV
has two provisions that authorize PBGC
to assess civil monetary penalties.1
Section 4302, added to ERISA by the
Multiemployer Pension Plan
1 Under the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation
Adjustment Act of 1990, a penalty is a civil
monetary penalty if (among other things) it is for
a specific monetary amount or has a maximum
amount specified by Federal law. Title IV also
provides (in section 4007) for penalties for late
payment of premiums, but those penalties are
neither in a specified amount nor subject to a
specified maximum amount.
E:\FR\FM\13MYR1.SGM
13MYR1
29766
Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 93 / Friday, May 13, 2016 / Rules and Regulations
ehiers on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with RULES
Amendments Act of 1980, authorizes
PBGC to assess a civil penalty of up to
$100 a day for failure to provide a notice
under subtitle E of title IV of ERISA
(dealing with multiemployer plans).
Section 4071, added to ERISA by the
Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of
1987, authorizes PBGC to assess a civil
penalty of up to $1,000 a day for failure
to provide a notice or other material
information under subtitles A, B, and C
of title IV and sections 303(k)(4) and
306(g)(4) of title I of ERISA.
The Federal Civil Penalties Inflation
Adjustment Act of 1990 called for
reports by the President to Congress
about the effect of inflation on civil
penalties and the adjustment of civil
penalties for inflation. The Debt
Collection Improvement Act of 1996
amended the 1990 act to require
agencies to make inflation adjustments
of civil monetary penalties by regulation
in accordance with principles in the
1990 act. On July 10, 1997 (at 62 FR
36993), PBGC published a final rule to
implement the 1996 act. That final rule
added to PBGC’s regulations parts 4071
and 4302, which provided that the
maximum penalty amounts under
sections 4071 and 4302 were $1,100 a
day for section 4071 and $110 a day for
section 4302.
Several of PBGC’s regulations note
that section 4071 penalties may be
assessed for failure to provide notices or
other material information required
under those regulations, but only two
mention the adjusted maximum
amount. The two regulations that do so
are those on Annual Financial and
Actuarial Information Reporting (29
CFR part 4010) and Termination of
Single-Employer Plans (29 CFR part
4041).
Adjustment of Civil Penalties
On November 2, 2015, the President
signed into law the Federal Civil
Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act
Improvements Act of 2015,2 which
further amended the 1990 act. The 2015
act requires agencies to adjust civil
monetary penalties for inflation and to
publish the adjustments in the Federal
Register. An initial adjustment must be
made by interim final rule published by
July 1, 2016, and effective by August 1,
2016. Subsequent adjustments must be
promulgated by January 15 of each year
after 2016. Adjustments must be based
on changes in the Consumer Price
Index, and the initial adjustment is to be
made from the penalty level most
recently established, other than by an
adjustment under the 1990 act. The
2 Sec.
701, Public Law 114–74, 129 Stat. 599–601
(Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015).
VerDate Sep<11>2014
14:42 May 12, 2016
Jkt 238001
initial adjustment cannot increase a
penalty more than 150 percent over its
level on November 2, 2015. Adjusted
penalties are to be rounded to the
nearest dollar.
On February 24, 2016, the Office of
Management and Budget issued
memorandum M–16–06 on
implementation of the 2015 act.3 The
memorandum provides guidance to
agencies about how to comply with the
act. In particular, the memorandum
includes a table of multipliers to use for
the initial adjustment. The multiplier
for 1980 (when section 4302 was added
to ERISA) is 2.80469. The multiplier for
1987 (when section 4071 was added to
ERISA) is 2.06278. Applying these
multipliers to the enacted maximum
amounts of the two penalties yields new
maximum penalty levels (rounded to
the nearest dollar) of $280 for section
4302 and $2,063 for section 4071. But
applying the 150-percent-maximumincrease rule, the maximum penalty
under section 4302 may not exceed
$275. Accordingly, PBGC is adjusting
the maximum penalty under section
4071 to $2,063 and adjusting the
maximum penalty under section 4302 to
$275.
Given the prospect of annual
adjustments of the maximum section
4071 penalty, PBGC is simply removing
the references in its other regulations to
the maximum amount of section 4071
penalties. Removal of these references
has no substantive effect, since the
operative provision for the maximum
amount is in part 4071; and removal
avoids the need for annual amendments
to these other regulations to track
adjustments in the maximum penalty
level.
Applicability
The increases in the civil monetary
penalties under sections 4071 and 4302
provided for in this rule apply on and
after August 1, 2016.
Compliance With Regulatory
Requirements
PBGC has determined, in consultation
with the Office of Management and
Budget, that this rule is not a
‘‘significant regulatory action’’ under
Executive Order 12866.
PBGC has determined that notice and
public comment on this interim final
rule are unnecessary because the
adjustment of civil penalties
implemented in the rule is required by
law. See 5 U.S.C. 553(b).
Because no general notice of proposed
rulemaking is required for this rule, the
3 https://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/
omb/memoranda/2016/m-16-06.pdf.
PO 00000
Frm 00006
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
Regulatory Flexibility Act of 1980 does
not apply. See 5 U.S.C. 601(2).
List of Subjects
29 CFR Part 4010
Penalties, Pension insurance,
Pensions, Reporting and recordkeeping
requirements.
29 CFR Part 4041
Penalties, Pension insurance,
Pensions, Reporting and recordkeeping
requirements.
29 CFR Part 4071
Penalties.
29 CFR Part 4302
Penalties.
In consideration of the foregoing,
PBGC amends 29 CFR parts 4010, 4043,
4071, and 4302 as follows:
PART 4010—ANNUAL FINANCIAL AND
ACTUARIAL INFORMATION
REPORTING
1. The authority citation for part 4010
continues to read as follows:
■
Authority: 29 U.S.C. 1302(b)(3), 1310.
§ 4010.14
[Amended]
2. In § 4010.14, the words ‘‘of up to
$1,100 a day for each day that the
failure continues’’ are removed.
■
PART 4041—TERMINATION OF
SINGLE-EMPLOYER PLANS
3. The authority citation for part 4041
continues to read as follows:
■
Authority: 29 U.S.C. 1302(b)(3), 1341,
1344, 1350.
§ 4041.6
[Amended]
4. In § 4041.6, the words ‘‘of up to
$1,100 a day for each day that the
failure continues’’ are removed.
■
PART 4071—PENALTIES FOR
FAILURE TO PROVIDE CERTAIN
NOTICES OR OTHER MATERIAL
INFORMATION
5. The authority citation for part 4071
is revised to read as follows:
■
Authority: 28 U.S.C. 2461 note, as
amended by sec. 701, Pub. L. 114–74, 129
Stat. 599–601; 29 U.S.C. 1302(b)(3), 1371.
§ 4071.3
[Amended]
6. In § 4071.3, the figures ‘‘$1,100’’ are
removed and the figures ‘‘$2,063’’ are
added in their place.
■
E:\FR\FM\13MYR1.SGM
13MYR1
29767
Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 93 / Friday, May 13, 2016 / Rules and Regulations
PART 4302—PENALTIES FOR
FAILURE TO PROVIDE CERTAIN
MULTIEMPLOYER PLAN NOTICES
7. The authority citation for part 4302
is revised to read as follows:
■
Authority: 28 U.S.C. 2461 note, as
amended by sec. 701, Pub. L. 114–74, 129
Stat. 599–601; 29 U.S.C. 1302(b)(3), 1452.
§ 4302.3
[Amended]
8. In § 4302.3, the figures ‘‘$110’’ are
removed and the figures $275’’ are
added in their place.
■
Issued in Washington, DC, this 5 day of
May, 2016.
W. Thomas Reeder,
Director, Pension Benefit Guaranty
Corporation.
[FR Doc. 2016–11296 Filed 5–12–16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7709–02–P
PENSION BENEFIT GUARANTY
CORPORATION
29 CFR Part 4022
Benefits Payable in Terminated SingleEmployer Plans; Interest Assumptions
for Paying Benefits
Pension Benefit Guaranty
Corporation.
ACTION: Final rule.
AGENCY:
This final rule amends the
Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation’s
regulation on Benefits Payable in
Terminated Single-Employer Plans to
prescribe interest assumptions under
the regulation for valuation dates in
June 2016. The interest assumptions are
used for paying benefits under
terminating single-employer plans
covered by the pension insurance
system administered by PBGC.
DATES: Effective June 1, 2016.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Deborah C. Murphy (Murphy.Deborah@
pbgc.gov), Deputy Assistant General
SUMMARY:
Counsel for Regulatory Affairs, Pension
Benefit Guaranty Corporation, 1200 K
Street NW., Washington, DC 20005,
202–326–4024. (TTY/TDD users may
call the Federal relay service toll-free at
1–800–877–8339 and ask to be
connected to 202–326–4024.)
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: PBGC’s
regulation on Benefits Payable in
Terminated Single-Employer Plans (29
CFR part 4022) prescribes actuarial
assumptions—including interest
assumptions—for paying plan benefits
under terminating single-employer
plans covered by title IV of the
Employee Retirement Income Security
Act of 1974. The interest assumptions in
the regulation are also published on
PBGC’s Web site (https://www.pbgc.gov).
PBGC uses the interest assumptions in
Appendix B to Part 4022 to determine
whether a benefit is payable as a lump
sum and to determine the amount to
pay. Appendix C to Part 4022 contains
interest assumptions for private-sector
pension practitioners to refer to if they
wish to use lump-sum interest rates
determined using PBGC’s historical
methodology. Currently, the rates in
Appendices B and C of the benefit
payment regulation are the same.
The interest assumptions are intended
to reflect current conditions in the
financial and annuity markets.
Assumptions under the benefit
payments regulation are updated
monthly. This final rule updates the
benefit payments interest assumptions
for June 2016.1
The June 2016 interest assumptions
under the benefit payments regulation
will be 0.75 percent for the period
during which a benefit is in pay status
and 4.00 percent during any years
preceding the benefit’s placement in pay
status. In comparison with the interest
assumptions in effect for May 2016,
these interest assumptions represent a
decrease of 0.25 percent in the
immediate annuity rate and are
otherwise unchanged.
For plans with a valuation date
On or after
Before
Immediate
annuity rate
(percent)
*
6–1–16
*
7–1–16
0.75
Rate set
*
*
272 ................................................................
3. In appendix C to part 4022, Rate Set
272, as set forth below, is added to the
table.
ehiers on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with RULES
■
VerDate Sep<11>2014
16:59 May 12, 2016
Jkt 238001
List of Subjects in 29 CFR Part 4022
Employee benefit plans, Pension
insurance, Pensions, Reporting and
recordkeeping requirements.
In consideration of the foregoing, 29
CFR part 4022 is amended as follows:
PART 4022—BENEFITS PAYABLE IN
TERMINATED SINGLE-EMPLOYER
PLANS
1. The authority citation for part 4022
continues to read as follows:
■
Authority: 29 U.S.C. 1302, 1322, 1322b,
1341(c)(3)(D), and 1344.
2. In appendix B to part 4022, Rate Set
272, as set forth below, is added to the
table.
■
Appendix B to Part 4022—Lump Sum
Interest Rates for PBGC Payments
*
*
*
*
*
Deferred annuities
(percent)
i1
i2
i3
n1
4.00
*
4.00
4.00
7
*
n2
*
Appendix C to Part 4022—Lump Sum
Interest Rates for Private-Sector
Payments
*
1 Appendix B to PBGC’s regulation on Allocation
of Assets in Single-Employer Plans (29 CFR part
4044) prescribes interest assumptions for valuing
PBGC has determined that notice and
public comment on this amendment are
impracticable and contrary to the public
interest. This finding is based on the
need to determine and issue new
interest assumptions promptly so that
the assumptions can reflect current
market conditions as accurately as
possible.
Because of the need to provide
immediate guidance for the payment of
benefits under plans with valuation
dates during June 2016, PBGC finds that
good cause exists for making the
assumptions set forth in this
amendment effective less than 30 days
after publication.
PBGC has determined that this action
is not a ‘‘significant regulatory action’’
under the criteria set forth in Executive
Order 12866.
Because no general notice of proposed
rulemaking is required for this
amendment, the Regulatory Flexibility
Act of 1980 does not apply. See 5 U.S.C.
601(2).
*
*
*
*
benefits under terminating covered single-employer
plans for purposes of allocation of assets under
PO 00000
Frm 00007
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
ERISA section 4044. Those assumptions are
updated quarterly.
E:\FR\FM\13MYR1.SGM
13MYR1
8
Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 93 (Friday, May 13, 2016)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 29765-29767]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-11296]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
PENSION BENEFIT GUARANTY CORPORATION
29 CFR Parts 4010, 4041, 4071, and 4302
RIN 1212-AB33
Adjustment of Civil Penalties
AGENCY: Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation.
ACTION: Interim final rule.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation is amending its
regulations to adjust the penalties provided for in sections 4071 and
4302 of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974. This
action is being taken in accordance with the Federal Civil Penalties
Inflation Adjustment Act Improvements Act of 2015 and Office of
Management and Budget memorandum M-16-06. The regulations being amended
are those on Penalties for Failure to Provide Certain Notices or Other
Material Information (29 CFR part 4071) and Penalties for Failure to
Provide Certain Multiemployer Plan Notices (29 CFR part 4302).
Conforming amendments are also being made to the regulations on Annual
Financial and Actuarial Information Reporting (29 CFR part 4010) and
Termination of Single-Employer Plans (29 CFR part 4041).
DATES: The amendments are effective August 1, 2016. Also see
Applicability, below.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Deborah C. Murphy, Deputy Assistant
General Counsel for Regulatory Affairs (murphy.deborah@pbgc.gov),
Office of the General Counsel, Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation,
1200 K Street NW., Washington, DC 20005-4026; 202-326-4400 extension
3451. (TTY and TDD users may call the Federal relay service toll-free
at 800-877-8339 and ask to be connected to 202-326-4400 extension
3451.)
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Executive Summary
Purpose of the Regulatory Action
This rule is needed to carry out the requirements of the Federal
Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Improvements Act of 2015. The
rule adjusts the maximum civil penalties that PBGC may assess for
failure to provide certain notices or other material information.
PBGC's legal authority for this action comes from the Federal Civil
Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act of 1990 as amended by the Federal
Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Improvements Act of 2015 and
from sections 4002(b)(3), 4071, and 4302 of the Employee Retirement
Income Security Act of 1974.
Major Provisions of the Regulatory Action
This rule adjusts the maximum civil penalties that PBGC may assess
under sections 4071 and 4302 of ERISA. The new maximum amounts are
$2,063 for section 4071 penalties and $275 for section 4302 penalties.
Background
The Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) administers title
IV of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA).
Title IV has two provisions that authorize PBGC to assess civil
monetary penalties.\1\ Section 4302, added to ERISA by the
Multiemployer Pension Plan
[[Page 29766]]
Amendments Act of 1980, authorizes PBGC to assess a civil penalty of up
to $100 a day for failure to provide a notice under subtitle E of title
IV of ERISA (dealing with multiemployer plans). Section 4071, added to
ERISA by the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1987, authorizes PBGC
to assess a civil penalty of up to $1,000 a day for failure to provide
a notice or other material information under subtitles A, B, and C of
title IV and sections 303(k)(4) and 306(g)(4) of title I of ERISA.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Under the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act
of 1990, a penalty is a civil monetary penalty if (among other
things) it is for a specific monetary amount or has a maximum amount
specified by Federal law. Title IV also provides (in section 4007)
for penalties for late payment of premiums, but those penalties are
neither in a specified amount nor subject to a specified maximum
amount.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act of 1990 called
for reports by the President to Congress about the effect of inflation
on civil penalties and the adjustment of civil penalties for inflation.
The Debt Collection Improvement Act of 1996 amended the 1990 act to
require agencies to make inflation adjustments of civil monetary
penalties by regulation in accordance with principles in the 1990 act.
On July 10, 1997 (at 62 FR 36993), PBGC published a final rule to
implement the 1996 act. That final rule added to PBGC's regulations
parts 4071 and 4302, which provided that the maximum penalty amounts
under sections 4071 and 4302 were $1,100 a day for section 4071 and
$110 a day for section 4302.
Several of PBGC's regulations note that section 4071 penalties may
be assessed for failure to provide notices or other material
information required under those regulations, but only two mention the
adjusted maximum amount. The two regulations that do so are those on
Annual Financial and Actuarial Information Reporting (29 CFR part 4010)
and Termination of Single-Employer Plans (29 CFR part 4041).
Adjustment of Civil Penalties
On November 2, 2015, the President signed into law the Federal
Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Improvements Act of 2015,\2\
which further amended the 1990 act. The 2015 act requires agencies to
adjust civil monetary penalties for inflation and to publish the
adjustments in the Federal Register. An initial adjustment must be made
by interim final rule published by July 1, 2016, and effective by
August 1, 2016. Subsequent adjustments must be promulgated by January
15 of each year after 2016. Adjustments must be based on changes in the
Consumer Price Index, and the initial adjustment is to be made from the
penalty level most recently established, other than by an adjustment
under the 1990 act. The initial adjustment cannot increase a penalty
more than 150 percent over its level on November 2, 2015. Adjusted
penalties are to be rounded to the nearest dollar.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\2\ Sec. 701, Public Law 114-74, 129 Stat. 599-601 (Bipartisan
Budget Act of 2015).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
On February 24, 2016, the Office of Management and Budget issued
memorandum M-16-06 on implementation of the 2015 act.\3\ The memorandum
provides guidance to agencies about how to comply with the act. In
particular, the memorandum includes a table of multipliers to use for
the initial adjustment. The multiplier for 1980 (when section 4302 was
added to ERISA) is 2.80469. The multiplier for 1987 (when section 4071
was added to ERISA) is 2.06278. Applying these multipliers to the
enacted maximum amounts of the two penalties yields new maximum penalty
levels (rounded to the nearest dollar) of $280 for section 4302 and
$2,063 for section 4071. But applying the 150-percent-maximum-increase
rule, the maximum penalty under section 4302 may not exceed $275.
Accordingly, PBGC is adjusting the maximum penalty under section 4071
to $2,063 and adjusting the maximum penalty under section 4302 to $275.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\3\ https://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/omb/memoranda/2016/m-16-06.pdf.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Given the prospect of annual adjustments of the maximum section
4071 penalty, PBGC is simply removing the references in its other
regulations to the maximum amount of section 4071 penalties. Removal of
these references has no substantive effect, since the operative
provision for the maximum amount is in part 4071; and removal avoids
the need for annual amendments to these other regulations to track
adjustments in the maximum penalty level.
Applicability
The increases in the civil monetary penalties under sections 4071
and 4302 provided for in this rule apply on and after August 1, 2016.
Compliance With Regulatory Requirements
PBGC has determined, in consultation with the Office of Management
and Budget, that this rule is not a ``significant regulatory action''
under Executive Order 12866.
PBGC has determined that notice and public comment on this interim
final rule are unnecessary because the adjustment of civil penalties
implemented in the rule is required by law. See 5 U.S.C. 553(b).
Because no general notice of proposed rulemaking is required for
this rule, the Regulatory Flexibility Act of 1980 does not apply. See 5
U.S.C. 601(2).
List of Subjects
29 CFR Part 4010
Penalties, Pension insurance, Pensions, Reporting and recordkeeping
requirements.
29 CFR Part 4041
Penalties, Pension insurance, Pensions, Reporting and recordkeeping
requirements.
29 CFR Part 4071
Penalties.
29 CFR Part 4302
Penalties.
In consideration of the foregoing, PBGC amends 29 CFR parts 4010,
4043, 4071, and 4302 as follows:
PART 4010--ANNUAL FINANCIAL AND ACTUARIAL INFORMATION REPORTING
0
1. The authority citation for part 4010 continues to read as follows:
Authority: 29 U.S.C. 1302(b)(3), 1310.
Sec. 4010.14 [Amended]
0
2. In Sec. 4010.14, the words ``of up to $1,100 a day for each day
that the failure continues'' are removed.
PART 4041--TERMINATION OF SINGLE-EMPLOYER PLANS
0
3. The authority citation for part 4041 continues to read as follows:
Authority: 29 U.S.C. 1302(b)(3), 1341, 1344, 1350.
Sec. 4041.6 [Amended]
0
4. In Sec. 4041.6, the words ``of up to $1,100 a day for each day that
the failure continues'' are removed.
PART 4071--PENALTIES FOR FAILURE TO PROVIDE CERTAIN NOTICES OR
OTHER MATERIAL INFORMATION
0
5. The authority citation for part 4071 is revised to read as follows:
Authority: 28 U.S.C. 2461 note, as amended by sec. 701, Pub. L.
114-74, 129 Stat. 599-601; 29 U.S.C. 1302(b)(3), 1371.
Sec. 4071.3 [Amended]
0
6. In Sec. 4071.3, the figures ``$1,100'' are removed and the figures
``$2,063'' are added in their place.
[[Page 29767]]
PART 4302--PENALTIES FOR FAILURE TO PROVIDE CERTAIN MULTIEMPLOYER
PLAN NOTICES
0
7. The authority citation for part 4302 is revised to read as follows:
Authority: 28 U.S.C. 2461 note, as amended by sec. 701, Pub. L.
114-74, 129 Stat. 599-601; 29 U.S.C. 1302(b)(3), 1452.
Sec. 4302.3 [Amended]
0
8. In Sec. 4302.3, the figures ``$110'' are removed and the figures
$275'' are added in their place.
Issued in Washington, DC, this 5 day of May, 2016.
W. Thomas Reeder,
Director, Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation.
[FR Doc. 2016-11296 Filed 5-12-16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7709-02-P