SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

On June 27, 2016, NSF published an interim final rule amending its regulations to adjust, for inflation, the maximum civil monetary penalties that may be imposed for violations of the Antarctic Conservation Act of 1978 (ACA), as amended, 16 U.S.C. 2401 et seq., and the Program Fraud Civil Remedies Act of 1986 (PFCRA), 31 U.S.C. 3801, et seq. These adjustments are required by the 2015 Act. The 2015 Act also requires agencies to make subsequent annual adjustments for inflation. Pursuant to OMB guidance dated December 15, 2021, the cost-of-living adjustment multiplier for 2022 is 1.06222. Accordingly, the 2022 annual inflation adjustments for the maximum penalties under the ACA are $18,898 ($17,791 × 1.06222) for violations and $31,980($30,107 × 1.06222) for knowing violations of the ACA. Finally, the 2022 annual inflation adjustment for the maximum penalty for violations under PFCRA is $12,537 ($11,803 × 1.06222).