On December 23, 2020, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published its annual
civil monetary penalty adjustments in the
Federal Register. The Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act of 2015 requires all federal agencies to make annual inflation adjustments. This year’s inflation multiplier is 1.01182.
The cost of non-compliance keeps getting steeper. The increased amounts apply to every major environmental law, including the Clean Air Act (CAA), the Clean Water Act (CWA), the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), and the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA). For these programs, the civil penalty amounts increased as follows for each violation and each day that it occurred:
- CAA penalties increased to $102,638 (from $101,439)
- CWA penalties increased to $56,460 (from $55,800)
- SDWA penalties increased to $59,017 (from $58,328)
- RCRA penalties increased to $76,764 (from $75,867)
- TSCA penalties increased to $41,056 (from $40,576)
- EPCRA penalties increased to $59,017 (from $58,328)
The adjusted amounts will apply to penalties assessed on or after December 23, 2020.
When environmental civil penalties rise, so does the value of compliance. Cornerstone can help ensure your business remains in-compliance with applicable regulations. Contact our environmental experts today at info@corner-enviro.com or on our website
https://www.cornerstone-ehs.com/contact-us/.