CBO releases Cost Estimate for S.878

The Congressional Budget Office has released its cost estimate for the Senate version of the Clean Coastal Environment and Public Health Act of 2009, S.878.

S. 878 would authorize the appropriation of $60 million a year over the 2010-2013 period for the water quality program that benefits coastal states under the Clean Water Act. Under this program, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) provides grants to state or local governments to support their efforts to monitor the quality of coastal waters and notify the public when beach water does not meet established standards. This legislation also would authorize the appropriation of such sums as necessary for EPA to manage the program through 2013.

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Assuming appropriation of the authorized funds (including amounts necessary for administrative costs), CBO estimates that implementing S. 878 would cost $244 million over the 2010-2014 period. Enacting the bill would not affect direct spending or revenues.

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Read the entire report at the CBO.[PDF]

The CBO had previously released its cost estimate for the House version H.R.2093 on June 10.[PDF]