![handle is hein.congrec/cbo10922 and id is 1 raw text is: CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE
COST ESTIMATE
November 2, 2012
S. 2279
R.M.S. Titanic Maritime Memorial Preservation Act of 2012
As ordered reported by the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science,
and Transportation on July 3], 2012
S. 2279 would implement an international agreement to provide additional protection for
the R.M.S. Titanic wreck site. The bill would authorize the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to enhance enforcement of laws prohibiting
individuals from engaging in activities, including the recovery of artifacts, that could
damage the wreck site. The bill also would establish civil and criminal penalties for
individuals who violate those laws. Finally, the bill would authorize NOAA to issue
permits to individuals to conduct research, exploration, and recovery activities that are
consistent with the international agreement.
Based on information from NOAA, CBO estimates that implementing S. 2279 would have
no significant net impact on the federal budget. The bill would authorize NOAA to enhance
enforcement of certain laws to protect the R.M.S. Titanic wreck site. Based on information
from the agency, CBO expects that such enforcement would probably be carried out using
satellites to monitor the site. Thus, CBO estimates that any costs associated with additional
monitoring activities would be minimal.
The Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010 establishes budget-reporting and enforcement
procedures for legislation affecting direct spending or revenues. Enacting S. 2279 could
increase revenues (from civil and criminal penalties) and associated direct spending;
therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures would apply. However, CBO estimates that any
increase in revenues from penalties would be less than $500,000 a year and would be offset
by similar increases in direct spending from the Crime Victims Fund (for criminal
penalties) or by NOAA (for civil penalties). In addition, the bill would authorize NOAA to
collect fees for permits issued to individuals who conduct research, exploration, and
recovery activities at the Titanic wreck site. Because the agency could spend those fees to
offset administrative expenses, CBO estimates that implementing such fees would have no
significant net effect on direct spending.
S. 2279 would impose intergovernmental and private-sector mandates, as defined in the
Unfunded Mandates Reform Act, by prohibiting public and private entities from engaging
in some activities related to the R.M.S. Titanic property without a permit from NOAA.](ViewImageLocal?handle=hein.congrec/cbo10922&div=1&collection=&method=preview&ext=.png&size=3)
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