#47

300 Natural Resources & Environment:Lease or Sell Underused EPA Space

Savings in Millions of Dollars
  • 2016
    22
  • 2017
    22
  • 2018
    22
  • 2019
    22
  • 2020
    22
  • 2021
    22
  • 2022
    22
  • 2023
    22
  • 2024
    22
  • 2025
    22
  • 2016-2020
    110
  • 2016-2025
    220

Sources

The EPA estimates that it can save $21.6 million annually from releasing underused space, found on page 6 of U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, “EPA Can Further Reduce Space in Under-Utilized Facilities,” 
February 20, 2013.

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Technical Notes on Scoring

CBO Baseline

Unless otherwise noted, calculations for savings for each recommendation relies on the most recent Congressional Budget Office baseline, as found in “An Update to the Budget and Economic Outlook: 2014 to 2024,” published August 27, 2014, has been used.

Savings “Totals”

While totals for the five and 10 year savings are provided by section and for the complete set of recommendations, there are two reasons they should not be viewed as representing total savings for The Budget Book.

First, as noted in the introduction, The Heritage Foundation would recommend that the savings realized in the Function 050 Defense section would stay within the Department of Defense to strengthen the nation’s defense capabilities.

Second, the numbers cannot be deemed to represent the realized savings if every single recommendation were adopted because policy changes made in one program can impact spending levels in other programs.  Thus, the numbers in the table do not reflect any potential interactions between the various policy changes affecting spending or savings.

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Heritage Recommendation:

Space not currently used by the Environmental Protection Agency should be leased. This proposal saves $21 million annually, and $216 million over 10 years.

Rationale:

Why is the EPA spending money on unneeded space? Save $216 million by leasing or selling it!

The EPA has been leasing unneeded space since 2007, achieving over $12 million in savings. According to a 2013 EPA Inspector General report, the agency could save an additional $21 million every year by leasing all remaining underutilized space. The EPA should maximize use of public space and faithfully steward taxpayer resources.

Why is the EPA spending money on unneeded space? Save $216 million by leasing or selling it!

Contributing Expert

Nicolas (Nick) Loris, an economist, focuses on energy, environmental and regulatory issues as the Herbert and Joyce Morgan fellow at The Heritage Foundation.

See publications by Nicolas Loris

Nicolas (Nick) LorisHerbert and Joyce Morgan Fellow

Heritage Experts

Jack Spencer oversees Heritage Foundation research on a wide range of domestic economic issues as director of the Roe Institute for Economic Policy Studies. Those topics include federal spending, taxes, energy and environment, regulation and retirement savings.

See publications by Jack Spencer

Jack SpencerVice President for the Institute for Economic Freedom and Opportunity

Katie Tubb is a Research Associate and Coordinator in the Thomas A. Roe Institute for Economic Policy Studies

See publications by Katie Tubb

Katie TubbResearch Associate and Coordinator

Additional Reading