In Shift, EPA Adopts 'Media Specific' Approach For Cost-Benefit Overhaul

摘要

EPA appears to be deciding against across-the-board changes to its cost-benefit methods but is instead moving ahead with "media-specific" changes, an approach that appears to continue its plan for more "consistency" in cost-benefit reviews but also take into account that requirements for such analysis vary across environmental statutes. Administrator Andrew Wheeler in a May 13 memo to assistant administrators writes that he is instructing the heads of the air, chemical safety, emergency management and water offices to develop reforms that "outline how benefit cost considerations will be applied in areas that are in need of greater clarity, transparency and consistency." Wheeler further indicates that such reforms will include "notice and comment rulemakings," and states that such rulemaking "should not forestall near-term benefit cost-methodological changes for individual regulatory actions." The memo follows a June 2018 advance notice of proposed rulemaking that sought input on "inconsistency" and lack of "transparency" in how the agency conducts cost-benefit reviews, an effort the agency had initially described as a way to reconsider the cost of its rules. The effort spawned skepticism from some experts as to why EPA - rather than the Office of Management & Budget - would implement such changes and how EPA could implement such consistency without conflicting with different environmental statutes.