Statement of Administration Policy: S. 455 - Indoor Air Quality Act of 1991

(Senate)
(Mitchell (D) Maine and 4 others)

The Administration strongly opposes enactment of S. 455, as reported out of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. The bill would disrupt a long-standing and effective Federal indoor air quality program. It would create conflicting responsibilities among Federal agencies, and impose duplicative and unnecessary requirements that would undermine Federal priorities.

The Federal government already has a comprehensive indoor air program. Program activities include: research on the causes and effects of indoor air pollution; assessment of mitigation technologies; information dissemination; and, when appropriate, issuance of regulations and guidelines. The Federal program is coordinated by the interagency Committee on Indoor Air Quality. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently issued a plan for an expanded Federal program under existing authority. Substantially increased funding was included in the President's FY 1992 Budget to carry out the plan's recommendations.

The current Federal program is focused on activities that provide the greatest potential for risk reduction. The numerous mandatory actions and deadlines contained in S. 455 would redirect this effort toward repackaging existing information and issuing reports. The Administration is especially concerned that S. 455's chemical-by-chemical approach would replace the Federal program's integrated, comprehensive, risk-based approach. Besides addressing the most significant chemicals, the current program emphasizes practices and technologies that can effectively address all the factors affecting indoor air quality.

S. 455 would disrupt the Federal program by creating conflicting responsibilities and duplicating current activities. The bill would inappropriately give EPA responsibility for developing plans for potential regulatory actions under statutes administered by other agencies. With respect to response plans, the health standard provisions in the bill, differ from the statutory standard administered by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the Consumer Product Safety Commission. The bill's Federal building program would replace an effective General Services Administration/OSHA program that addresses the Federal indoor environment at a fraction of the cost and effort required by S. 455. It Would also unnecessarily duplicate the Department of Energy's indoor air quality and ventilation research and development program.

SCORING FOR THE PURPOSE OF PAYGO AND DISCRETIONARY CAPS

OMB's preliminary scoring estimates of this bill are presented in the table below. Final scoring of this legislation may deviate from these estimates. If S. 455 were enacted, final OMB scoring estimates would be published within five days of enactment, as required by OBRA. The cumulative effects of all enacted legislation on direct spending will be issued in monthly reports transmitted to the Congress.

ESTIMATES FOR PAY-AS-YOU-GO
(dollars in thousands)