Overview
Title
To prohibit Federal agencies from considering, in taking any action, the social cost of carbon, the social cost of methane, the social cost of nitrous oxide, or the social cost of any other greenhouse gas, unless compliant with Office of Management and Budget guidance, and for other purposes.
ELI5 AI
The bill wants to make sure that when the government thinks about how pollution from carbon and other gases affects us, they have to follow special rules. It also wants the government to tell Congress how they've been doing this since 2009.
Summary AI
H.R. 9970, titled the "Transparency and Honesty in Energy Regulations Act of 2024," aims to prevent Federal agencies from factoring the social cost of carbon and other greenhouse gases into their decision-making processes unless they adhere to specific guidelines from the Office of Management and Budget. The bill specifies that these considerations should not be part of cost-benefit analyses, rulemaking, or other agency actions unless compliant. Additionally, it requires federal agencies to submit a report to Congress detailing past uses of social cost estimates in regulations since January 2009.
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AnalysisAI
General Summary
The proposed bill, known as the "Transparency and Honesty in Energy Regulations Act of 2024," aims to limit the consideration of environmental costs associated with greenhouse gases in federal agency decision-making. Specifically, it restricts federal agencies from considering the social costs of carbon, methane, nitrous oxide, and other greenhouse gases unless they adhere to guidance from the Office of Management and Budget. Additionally, it requires federal agencies to report on the historical use of these social cost metrics in rulemaking processes since 2009.
Significant Issues
One central issue with the bill is the prohibition on federal agencies considering social costs related to greenhouse gases in their analyses and decision-making. This restriction might pose significant challenges to environmental accountability, potentially limiting the ability of agencies to fully assess the environmental impacts of their actions. Further, it may hinder comprehensive cost-benefit analyses that are crucial for informed regulatory decision-making.
The bill also relies on complex terminology and numerous references to external documents to define key terms like "social cost of carbon." This complexity can lead to confusion and accessibility problems for the general public. Moreover, the lack of clearly defined consequences for failing to submit the required reports to Congress may weaken compliance with the bill's provisions.
Another concern is the broad timeframe required for reporting past activities, extending back to 2009. This requirement may create significant workload pressures on federal agencies and demand extensive record-keeping that is not readily accessible.
Impact on the Public
The bill could have broad implications for the public. By limiting the consideration of social costs of greenhouse gases, the bill might reduce the effectiveness of environmental protections, potentially leading to increased greenhouse gas emissions and their associated negative impacts on public health and the environment. This could affect air quality and contribute to climate change, which would have widespread consequences for communities, especially those already vulnerable to environmental stressors.
Impact on Specific Stakeholders
For federal agencies, the restriction on considering social costs might simplify some regulatory processes by removing a layer of analysis. However, this could also lead to less informed decision-making and potentially increase the risk of legal challenges to agency actions.
Environmental advocacy groups are likely to view the bill negatively, as it undermines efforts to incorporate comprehensive environmental cost assessments in regulatory processes. This could be seen as a step backward in addressing climate change and environmental sustainability.
On the other hand, industries that may be regulated for their greenhouse gas emissions might view this bill favorably. It potentially reduces the regulatory burdens associated with accounting for the social costs of emissions in their operations, potentially lowering compliance costs.
In summary, while the bill might ease some regulatory requirements for certain sectors, it raises significant concerns about environmental accountability and the ability of federal agencies to craft well-informed, balanced regulations. These changes occur amidst broader discussions about climate change, sustainability, and public health, making the bill's potential impacts wide-ranging and significant.
Issues
The prohibition in Section 3 on considering the social cost of greenhouse gases, including carbon, methane, and nitrous oxide, in federal agency processes could lead to significant environmental accountability concerns. By restricting agencies from considering these costs, the bill may limit comprehensive cost-benefit analyses, potentially impeding informed decision-making and affecting future environmental regulations.
In Section 2, the reliance on complex terminology and numerous external documents for defining 'social costs' could cause confusion and accessibility issues for the general public. The definitions are not straightforward, which may result in ambiguity, especially if these external references are revised or updated.
The lack of outlined consequences in Section 4 for failing to submit required reports to Congress within the 120-day deadline poses a potential issue. Without penalties or enforcement mechanisms, compliance with the reporting requirement may be weak, undermining the bill's effectiveness.
The absence of a clear definition for 'Federal agency' in Section 2, which merely references another section of the United States Code, could create legal ambiguity. This lack of clarity may complicate the implementation and interpretation of the bill's provisions.
The bill, particularly in Sections 3 and 4, utilizes terms such as 'Executive Order 12866' without providing sufficient context for those unfamiliar with existing governmental rules and regulations. This may hinder public understanding and reduce transparency.
The broad timeframe mandated by Section 4 for federal agencies to report on activities since January 2009 could impose a significant workload and necessitate comprehensive records, which might not be easily accessible, further complicating compliance efforts.
Sections
Sections are presented as they are annotated in the original legislative text. Any missing headers, numbers, or non-consecutive order is due to the original text.
1. Short title Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The first section of this Act states that it can be referred to as the “Transparency and Honesty in Energy Regulations Act of 2024”.
2. Definitions Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
In this section of the bill, several key terms are defined. A Federal agency is defined as per a specific section of U.S. law. The social cost of carbon and social cost of greenhouse gases refer to the estimated financial impact of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions based on several government documents and any future related documents. The terms social cost of methane and social cost of nitrous oxide similarly refer to the estimated financial impacts of methane and nitrous oxide emissions, as detailed in specific reports and potential future documents.
3. Prohibition on considering the social cost of greenhouse gases, including the social cost of carbon, the social cost of methane, and the social cost of nitrous oxide Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The section prohibits any federal agency from considering the social costs related to carbon, methane, nitrous oxide, or greenhouse gases in their decision-making processes. This includes not using these social costs in cost-benefit analyses, rulemaking, issuing guidance, or justifying any agency actions.
4. Report to Congress Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The section mandates that the leader of each Federal agency must send a report to specific Congressional committees within 120 days after this Act becomes law. The report should detail the agency's recent use of social cost metrics, like the social cost of carbon, in rulemaking or cost-benefit analyses since January 2009.