WASHINGTON (September 21, 2011) – The House is expected to take up a bill today, called the TRAIN Act, which would waste $2 million of taxpayer money by mandating redundant cost-benefit analyses of environmental and health regulations. Where applicable, these analyses are already required by existing laws and in most cases already have been done, according to the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS).

Below is a statement by Rachel Cleetus, UCS economist.

“The TRAIN Act is a colossal waste of money. To mandate that high level officials from virtually every government department complete duplicative analyses of Envionmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations is a massive bureaucratic boondoggle. 

“Let’s be real – this is simply a backdoor attempt to delay regulations critical for protecting our health from dangerous industrial pollution, including toxic mercury that can adversely affect a baby's growing brain and nervous system, and particulate matter and soot that can enter people’s lungs and cause serious health problems, including premature death.

“Not only are EPA regulations critical to protect our health, but multiple cost benefit analyses have shown them to be incredibly cost effective. In its most recent annual report to Congress, the Office of Management and Budget concluded that the benefits of major EPA regulations far exceeded their costs. Between October 1, 2000 and September 30, 2010 estimated total annual benefits ranged from $82 to $551 billion, while costs ranged from $23 to $29 billion. 

“Such a cynical assault on our health is at direct odds with the best interests of Americans and is a cave-in to industrial polluters. Congress should not pass the TRAIN Act.”

The Union of Concerned Scientists is the leading U.S. science-based nonprofit organization working for a healthy environment and a safer world. Founded in 1969, UCS is headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and also has offices in Berkeley, Chicago and Washington, D.C.