H.R. 2817 would require $150 million of the receipts earned from oil and gas development on the Outer Continental Shelf to be credited each year, through 2023, to the Historic Preservation Fund (HPF). The HPF is permanently authorized to spend any amounts deposited in the fund if they are subsequently appropriated. The National Park Service (NPS) uses appropriations from the HPF to make grants to state, local, and tribal governments; nonprofit organizations; and other entities to support the conservation of historic and cultural sites and assets. The bill also would establish a process for federal agencies to nominate properties for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places.
If the legislation was enacted, transfers into the fund, as well as the amounts available for appropriation, would increase. In 2016, the NPS received an appropriation of $65 million from the HPF to make grants and carry out other activities under the National Historic Preservation Act. At the end of 2015, the HPF had unappropriated balances of $3.3 billion. Assuming appropriations from the fund are provided at historical levels, the fund has sufficient balances to cover appropriations for the next five years. On that basis, CBO estimates that authorizing the transfer of OCS receipts to the HPF would not affect spending subject to appropriation over the 2017-2021 period.
Enacting the legislation would not affect direct spending or revenues; therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures do not apply.
CBO estimates that enacting H.R. 2817 would not increase net direct spending or on-budget deficits in any of the four consecutive 10-year periods beginning in 2027.
H.R. 2817 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act and would benefit state, local, and tribal governments by authorizing federal grants for conservation of historic and cultural sites and assets. Any costs incurred by those entities, including cost-sharing contributions, would result from participation in a voluntary federal program.
