49 CFR §599.515

1. (a)A party may appeal the Hearing Officer's order assessing civil penalties over $100,000.00 to the Administrator within 21 days of the date of the issuance of the Hearing Officer's order.
2. (b)The Administrator will affirm the decision of the Hearing Officer unless the Administrator finds that the Hearing Officer's decision was unsupported by the record as a whole.
3. (c)If the Administrator finds that the decision of the Hearing Officer was unsupported, in whole or in part, then the Administrator may:
   1. (1)Assess or modify a civil penalty;
   2. (2)Rescind the Notice of Violation; or
   3. (3)Remand the case back to the Hearing Officer for new or additional proceedings.
4. (d)In the absence of a remand, the decision of the Administrator in an appeal is a final agency action.