Description:
S. 1934 would require the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to revise regulations for certain internal combustion engines used in remote areas of Alaska to allow those engines to emit higher levels of particulate matter compared to current standards. The bill also would require EPA to report to the Congress on options for the federal government to assist remote areas in Alaska with meeting their energy needs in an affordable and reliable manner. Using information from EPA about current activities related to emissions standards for those engines, CBO estimates that the costs of implementing the bill would be less than $500,000. That amount includes costs for personnel and contracts required to develop and issue a proposal, to receive and respond to public comments, to issue a final rule for the revision, and to produce the report required by the bill. Enacting S. 1934 would not affect direct spending or revenues; therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures do not apply. CBO estimates that enacting S. 1934 would not increase net direct spending or on-budget deficits in any of the four consecutive 10-year periods beginning in 2029. S. 1934 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act.
