Availability of Report on the Costs and Benefits of Smoking Restrictions: An Assessment of the Smoke-Free Environment Act of 1993

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-4883-7]

Availability of Report on the Costs and Benefits of Smoking

Restrictions: An Assessment of the Smoke-Free Environment Act of 1993

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is announcing the

availability of and opportunity to comment on a report, ``The Costs and

Benefits of Smoking Restrictions: An Assessment of the Smoke-Free

Environment Act of 1993 (H.R. 3434)''.

DATES: Written comments on this report must be submitted on or before

August 11, 1994.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be mailed to Cost/Benefit Analysis, Indoor

Air Division (6607J), Office of Air and Radiation, U.S. Environmental

Protection Agency, 401 M Street, SW., Washington, DC. 20460.

Copies of the report are available from the EPA Indoor Air Quality

Information Clearinghouse, P.O. Box 37133, Washington, DC 20013-7133.

1-800-438-4318.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

David H. Mudarri, Indoor Air Division, (6607J), Office of Air and

Radiation, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 401 M Street, SW.,

Washington, DC 20460. 202-233-9030.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In compliance with the ``Radon Gas and

Indoor Air Quality Research Act of 1986'', under which the

Environmental Protection Agency is directed to conduct research and

disseminate information on all aspects of indoor air quality, this

notice announces that the report described below is available for

public review.

The Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Energy

and Commerce Subcommittee on Health and the Environment requested that

the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency analyze (quantitatively where

possible) the compliance costs and the health and economic benefits of

H.R. 3434. Specifically, the Agency was requested to assess the cost of

compliance including provisions for smoking lounges; the value of

benefits resulting from reduced exposure to environmental tobacco smoke

and changes in smoking behavior including the value of lives saved; the

value of increased productivity and reduced absenteeism; savings from

reduced operation and maintenance costs; and savings in fire related

injuries and property damage.

The Smoke-Free Environment Act of 1993 (H.R. 3434) would require

that all residential buildings regularly entered by ten or more persons

in the course of a week that bans smoking inside the building or

restricts smoking to separately ventilated smoking rooms. The proposed

legislation provides for enforcement actions in the United States

District Courts by an individual, government or other aggrieved entity

and allows for fines of up to $5,000 per day.

The report presents EPA's analysis and findings of the costs and

benefits of implementing national legislation that would establish

policies that would prohibit smoking indoors in specified buildings

and/or provide for separately ventilated smoking lounges.

Dated: April 19, 1994.

Mary D. Nichols,

Assistant Administrator for Air and Radiation.

[FR Doc. 94-11695 Filed 5-12-94; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6560-50-M