The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Regulatory Policy Council oversees regulatory planning by the Agency. In this capacity, the Council establishes analytical procedures on risk management issues to ensure that high quality and consistent practices are followed in accordance with Federal and Agency regulatory procedures. In early 1996, the conduct and consistency of economic analyses prepared in support of regulatory actions were identified as areas in need of updated and more specific guidance than was presently available in the Agency. The Regulatory Policy Council assembled a group economists and policy analysts serving in offices throughout the EPA to serve on an Economic Consistency Workgroup. The Council instructed the Workgroup to develop a series of issue papers to assess important economic analytical issues facing the Agency. After discussing the results of the findings in the issue papers, the Council charged the Workgroup with preparing a guidance document to assist in the preparation of economic analyses used for regulatory development and policy evaluation conducted by the Agency. This document is part of a continuing effort by the EPA to develop improved guidance on the preparation and use of sound science in support of the decision making process. The EA Guidelines provide guidance on analyzing the benefits, costs, and economic impacts of regulations and policies.

Revises and updates EPA-230-84-003 "Guidelines for performing regulatory impact analyses." "September 2000"--Cover. "EPA 240-R-00-003"--Cover. Includes bibliographical references.