[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 153 (Monday, December 16, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E2148-E2149]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      COST ESTIMATE FOR H.R. 4840

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JAMES V. HANSEN

                                of utah

                    in the house of representatives

                       Monday, December 16, 2002

  Mr. HANSEN. Mr. Speaker, I request that the attached cost estimate 
for H.S. 4840 be submitted for the Record under General Leave.

                                                    U.S. Congress,


                                  Congressional Budget Office,

                                Washington, DC, November 15, 2002.
     Hon. James V. Hansen,
     Chairman, Committee on Resources, House of Representatives, 
         Washington, DC.
       Dear Mr. Chairman: The Congressional Budget Office has 
     prepared the enclosed cost estimate for H.R. 4840, the Sound 
     Science for Endangered Species Act Planning Act of 2002.
       If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be 
     pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Megan 
     Carroll.
           Sincerely,
                                                  Steven Lieberman
                                   (For Dan L. Crippen, Director).
       Enclosure.
     H.R. 4840--Sound Science for Endangered Species Act Planning 
         Act of 2002
       Summary: Under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), certain 
     species of plants and animals are listed as threatened or 
     endangered based on assessments of the risk of their 
     extinction. H.R. 4840 would amend the ESA to clarify the role 
     of science as the basis for making certain decisions under 
     that act.
       CBO estimates that implementing H.R. 4840 would cost $94 
     million over the 2003-2007 period, assuming appropriation of 
     the necessary amounts. The bill would not affect direct 
     spending or revenues. H.R. 4840 contains no intergovernmental 
     or private-sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded 
     Mandates Reform Act (UMRA) and would impose no costs on 
     state, local, or tribal governments.
       Estimated cost to the Federal Government: The estimated 
     budgetary impact of H.R. 4840 is shown in the following 
     table. the costs of this legislation fall within budget 
     function 300 (natural resources and environment).

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                         By fiscal year, in millions of
                                                   dollars--
                                      ----------------------------------
                                        2003   2004   2005   2006   2007
------------------------------------------------------------------------
            CHANGES IN SPENDING SUBJECT TO APPROPRIATION \1\
 
Estimated authorization level........     18     18     19     19     20
Estimated outlays....................     18     18     19     19     20
------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ In fiscal year 2002, federal agencies received about $65 million for
  consultation and administrative expenses under the ESA. The Congress
  has not yet provided a full-year appropriation for such activities for
  the current year.

       Basis of estimate: Under the ESA, the Secretary of the 
     Interior and the Secretary of Commerce maintain a list of 
     species that are threatened or endangered. The ESA outlines a 
     multistage process of review and public participation that 
     the two secretaries must follow in making decisions to list 
     or unlist a species and develop plans for its recovery.
       H.R. 4840 would amend the ESA to clarify the role of 
     science as the basis for certain decisions under that act. 
     Specifically, the bill would:
       Authorize the Secretaries of the Interior and Commerce to 
     appoint independent scientific review boards to review 
     particularly controversial ESA decisions before they become 
     final;

[[Page E2149]]

       Direct the secretaries to solicit and consider information 
     from state agencies, landowners, and others who might be 
     affected by decisions under the ESA;
       Require the secretaries to promulgate regulations 
     establishing criteria that scientific and commercial studies 
     must meet in order to serve as the basis for decisions under 
     the act; and
       Direct the secretaries to give greater weight to studies 
     that use empirical or field-tested data.
       Based on information from the Department of the Interior 
     and the National Marine Fisheries Service, CBO estimates that 
     funding scientific review boards would cost $15 million in 
     2003 and $79 million over the 2003-2007 period, assuming 
     appropriation of the necessary amounts. That estimate assumes 
     that the secretaries would appoint 200 panels each year at an 
     average cost of $75,000. Based on information from the 
     agencies, we also estimate that meeting new requirements 
     under H.R. 4840 would increase administrative costs by 
     roughly $3 million annually, assuming the availability of 
     appropriated funds.
       Intergovernmental and private-sector impact: H.R. 4840 
     contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as 
     defined in UMRA and would impose no costs on state, local, or 
     tribal governments.
       Estimate prepared by: Federal costs: Megan Carroll; impact 
     on state, local and tribal governments: Marjorie Miller; 
     impact on the private sector: Jean Talarico.
       Estimate approved by: Peter H. Fontaine, Deputy Assistant 
     Director for Budget Analysis.

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