Calculation of the Economic Benefit of Noncompliance in EPA's Civil Penalty Enforcement Cases

Résumé

The Environmental Protection Agency (``EPA'') requests comment on how it calculates the economic benefit obtained by regulated entities as a result of violating environmental requirements. In particular, the Agency is seeking comment on three categories of issues: The most effective mechanism for recapturing economic benefit; the methodology and assumptions incorporated in the economic benefit (``BEN'') computer model used by the Agency to calculate that benefit; and the model's precision and user-friendliness. After the comment period closes, the Agency plans to review all the comments and revise its benefit recapture approach as appropriate.