H.R. 610 would authorize the appropriation of $25 million annually over the 2022-2026 period for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to establish and operate the San Francisco Bay Program Office. The office would identify annual priorities and would provide grants for projects and activities that support and protect the San Francisco Bay. The bill also would require the office to ensure the San Francisco Bay’s current management plan, approved under EPA’s National Estuary Program, is revised at least every five years. Under the bill, up to 5 percent of the appropriated funds could be used to pay for the San Francisco Bay Program Office’s administrative costs.
CBO estimates that implementing the bill would cost $109 million over the 2021-2026 period and $16 million after 2026, assuming appropriation of the specified amounts. Estimated outlays are based on spending patterns for similar programs, though estimated spending in the first year is lower to account for the time required to establish the office. The costs of the legislation, detailed in Table 1, fall within budget function 300 (natural resources and environment).
