H.R. 4256 would reauthorize the appropriation of $4 million each year from 2026 through 2030 for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to operate the Digital Coast program. Under that program, NOAA makes geospatial data, decision-support tools, training, and best practices regarding the management of coastal areas available on a public website. Under current law, that authority expired at the end of fiscal year 2025.
The bill also would extend the authority for NOAA to collect and spend fees for training, workshops, and conferences related to the program. The authority to collect those fees and the subsequent spending would be subject to appropriation. CBO estimates that the net effect of those collections and spending would be negligible, because the collections probably would be spent soon after they are received.
CBO assumes that the bill will be enacted early in fiscal year 2026 and that the authorized amounts will be provided in each year. Based on historical spending patterns for similar activities, CBO estimates that implementing H.R. 4256 would cost $17 million over the 2026-2030 period.
The costs of the legislation, detailed in Table 1, fall within budget function 300 (natural resources and environment).
Table 1.
Estimated Increases in Spending Subject to Appropriation Under H.R. 4256
By Fiscal Year, Millions of Dollars
2026
2027
2028
2029
2030
2026-2030
Authorization
4
4
4
4
4
20
Estimated Outlays
2
3
4
4
4
17
The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Emilia Oliva. The estimate was reviewed by H. Samuel Papenfuss, Deputy Director of Budget Analysis.
