39 



Having some long-term vision that can help us shape the immedi- 

 ate term, in terms of the choices we make, is a good idea. 



Senator Lieberman. Thank you. 



Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 



Chairman Glenn. Thank you. 



Senator Cochran. 



Senator Cochran. Mr. Chairman, thank you. 



In connection with a question I asked about the additional costs 

 that could be expected to be incurred as a result of elevating the 

 agency to department level, you mentioned the $30,000 that the 

 CBO said would be required because of increases in salaries, and I 

 was looking at the other parts of the bill, too. One thing that we 

 probably ought not to overlook is that the bill before us, which was 

 passed by the Senate in the last Congress, requires other things to 

 be done, besides just elevating the agency to department level, such 

 as establishing the Bureau of Environmental Statistics, encourag- 

 ing an international meeting that would be sponsored by various 

 departments, and establishing a Commission on Improving Envi- 

 ronmental Protection. 



CBO looked at these requirements and estimated, according to 

 the committee report from two years ago, that $2.8 million would 

 be required in the first year after enactment, $5.4 million in the 

 second year, and such sums as necessary in subsequent years for 

 just the Bureau of Environmental Statistics. 



If an international meeting is held, it could cost as much as $5 

 million, according to the committee report, but since the bill does 

 not require the meeting to be held, the CBO did not really include 

 that in their letter to the Committee on costs. 



Then the Commission on Improving Environmental Protection: 

 the bill authorizes an appropriation of $3 million in the first year 

 and $5 million in the second year to support the Commission's ac- 

 tivities. 



It seems that if we pass the bill as drafted, there will be substan- 

 tial additional costs other than just adding to the salaries of the 

 Secretary and the Assistant Secretary and the new Assistant Secre- 

 tary position. 



Had you taken another look at that? These are old data, and I 

 wonder whether or not this is something that will be reviewed by 

 your agency and a new response given to us about what the in- 

 creases, if any, in the cost of these additional items would be, given 

 inflation and other things that might have happened since then. 



Ms. Browner. Senator, the agency has begun to look at those 

 other issues that you mention in the bill. We can certainly provide 

 you all with that information. I do not know if the Congressional 

 Budget Office is also revisiting those issues, but obviously that is 

 something that we can determine. 



Senator Cochran. Is all of this other really necessary, in your 

 judgment, or can the department handle it internally, without the 

 direction of a statute telling you how to do your job? 



Ms. Browner. Well, there are several issues. If you would not 

 mind, I will try and get through them quickly. 



The Bureau of Environmental Statistics is an important creation. 

 There is a need to have one place in Government where environ- 

 mental statistics are collected and analyzed. We would not propose 



