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PA ECONOMIC BENEFIT OF NON-COMPLIANCE

Release Date: 10/24/96
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PA ECONOMIC BENEFIT OF NON-COMPLIANCE

FOR RELEASE: FRIDAY, OCTOBER 18, 1996

EPA ISSUES FEDERAL REGISTER NOTICE REGARDING THE ECONOMIC BENEFIT OF NON-COMPLIANCE

On Oct. 9, EPA's Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance issued a Federal Register Notice that initiates a public comment period on how it calculates the "economic benefit of non-compliance," i.e., the amount of money a violator saves as a result of its noncompliance with environmental laws or regulations. The "economic benefit of non-compliance" then becomes the Agency's minimum civil penalty in that case. The Federal Register Notice identifies three categories of issues for which the Agency is seeking comment: 1) what is the most effective mechanism for recapturing the economic benefit of non-compliance; 2) the methodology and assumptions incorporated into the Agency's BEN computer model; and 3) the BEN model's precision and user-friendliness. Written comments must be received by Jan. 1, 1997, and should be submitted in triplicate to: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance, Economic Benefit Docket Clerk, Mail Code 2248-A, 401 M St. S.W., Washington, D.C. 20460.

The comments should reference this docket. During this review period, the Agency will hold two public meetings in which interested parties may offer oral comments. The first one will be held in EPA's Education Center at 401 M St. S.W., Washington, D.C. on Nov. 6. The second public meeting will be held in San Francisco, Calif., at the Holiday Inn Golden Gateway at 1500 Van Ness Ave., on Nov. 13. Both meetings will run from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Copies of the BEN computer model and the BEN Users Manual may be obtained from the National Technological Information Service by calling 703-487-4650. Callers should request order number PB95-502514INC. Electronic copies of these items are also downloadable through the Internet's World Wide Web (ttp://es.inel.gov/oeca/models/index.html). For further information, contact Jonathan Libber, Office of Regulatory Enforcement, Multimedia Enforcement Division at 202-564-6011.

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