United Slates
Environment:!
Agency
Office of
Enforcement
Washington. DC 20460
June 1390
BEN: A Model to Calculate
the Economic  Benefit
of Noncompliance

User's Manual

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BEN USER’S MANUAL
Prepared for:
Program Development and Training Branch (LE-133)
Office of Enforcement Policy
Office of Enforcement
United States Environmental Protection Agency
401 M Street, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20460
(FTS—475—8777)
January 1985
Revised July 1990
Prepared by:
Industrial Economics, Incorporated
2067 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, Massachusetts 02140
617—354—0074
July 1990

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CONTENTS
Paae
I. Introduction.. • I—i
A. Overview. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • . . I—].
B. 1—6
C. How to Use the Manual..................... 1—9
II. Using the ComputerPrograa................ . .......... 11—1
A. Structure of the Program............... .. 11—2
B. Entering the Data.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • . . . . . . . 11—5
1. Introduction.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11—6
2. Format of the Data Entries....... .. 11—8
3. CorrectingTypingErrors.......... 11—9
4. Error Messages. . . . . . . . . . . . 1 1—11
C. Ending Procedures 11—16
III. Data Requirements. . . . . . . . 111—1
A. Required Variables. . . . . . . 111—5
1. Case Name, Environmental Statute, and
Profitability Status 111—5
2. Initial Capital Investment 111—7
3. One-Time Nondepreciable Expenditures 111-10
4. Annual Expenses. . •. . . . ... . • 111—12
5. Noncompliance Date...... ..... 111—13
6. Compliance Date . 111—15
7. Penalty Payment Date ..... 111—16
B. Variables With Standard Values Available 111-17
8. Useful Life of Pollution Control
Equipment. . . . . • . . . . . . . . . . 111—18
9. Marginal Income Tax Rate for 1986 and
Before. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111—2 3.
10. Marginal Income Tax Rate for 1987 and
Beyond . . . . . . . . 111—21
11. Inflation Rate.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111—26
12. Discount Rate. . . • . . . . . . . . • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111—29
13. Low-interest Financing Information 111-30
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CONTENTS (con’ d)
Page
IV. Interpreting Output and Changing Variable
Values. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IV—1
A. Output Options................................. IV—2
1. Selecting Output.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IV—2
2 . Output Option 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IV—4
3. Output Option 2....... . . . . . . .•....... . . . . IV—4
4. Output Option 3....... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IV—7
5. Other Inforination........................ IV—l4
B. ChanginglnputValues......................... IV—16
1. changing Values in the Standard Value
Mode. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IV—17
2. changing Values in the User-Specified
Mode. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IV—21
Appendix A - Technical Appendix: Methodology for Computing
the Economic Benefit of Noncompliance -
Appendix B - Special Cases:
1. Governmental Entities and Not-For-Profit
Organizations
2. One-Time Avoided Cost Calculations
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EXHIBITS
Number Page
I—i Civil Penalty Policy Summary ....... . 1—3
1—2 Inputs for BEN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1—5
1—3 Data Entry for BEN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1—10
11 1-i Effect of Variable Changes on Economic
Benefit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111—2
111—2 BENDataEntryForm.... 111—4
111-3 Standard Value Characteristics: For-
Profit Violators. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111—19
111-4 Standard Value Characteristics: Not-For—
Profit Violators. . . . 111—20
111-5 Total Corporate Marginal Tax Rates by State... 111-24
111-6 Chemical EncUneering Plant Cost Index,
1971—1989 111—28
111-7 Annual Average Yields on Corporate
Bonds, 1975—1989 . 111—34
111-8 Moody’s Corporate Bond Yield Averages,
1977—1989....... . . . 111—35
I V—i Output Option 1. . . . . . IV—5
IV—2 Output Option 2 . . . . . . . . . . ISI—6
IV—3 Output Option 3 . . . . . . . . . . IV—9
IV-4 Input Listing for Calculation Using Standard
Values...... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1V15
July 1990

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BEN USER’S MANUAL
CO)D(ENT FORM
OE is very interested in your comments on this revised BEN
User’s Manual . After you have had a chance to use the manual a few
times, please fill out this conunent form and return it to:
Jonathan Libber, LE-133
U.S. E.P.A.
401 M Street, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20460
If there are any significant errors in the manual, or it needs
to be updated in some fashion, we will mail out revised pages to the
names on our mailing list. Thus, it is important that you add your
name to that list, if it is not already on it.
July 1990

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I. INTRODUCTION
EzceI.le t Satisfactory
Poor 10 Opinion
II. USING THE COMPUTER PROGRAM
Excellent Satisfactory
+
+
Poor lo Opinion
I
III. DATA REQUIREMENTS
Clarity
Usefulness
Additional Comments:
A.
B.
C.
ExceUent Satisfactory Poor In Opini i
A. Clarity
B. Usefulness
C. Additional Comments:
A. Clarity
B. Usefulness
C. Additional Comments:
F
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IV. INTERPRETING OUTPUT AND
CHANGING VARIABLE VALUES
A. Clarity
B. Usefulness
C. Additional Comments:
V. APPENDIX A
A. Clarity
B. Usefulness
C. Additional Comments:
F
Ezc.U t Satisfactory
+
+
Poor So Opinion
+
H
VI. APPENDIX B
Clarity
Usefulness
Additional Comments:
Ezc.U t Satisfactory Poor So Opitiion
I
A.
B.
C.
Kzc.Usnt Satisfactory
Poor Jo Opinion
July 1990

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NAME OF COMMENTER:
Would you like to be placed on the mailing list (Y/N)?
Would you like to acquire a USER ID (Y/N)?
(If yes, to either of these questions
include your address below)
MAILING ADDRESS:
Please mail to: Jonathan Libber, LE-133
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
401 M Street, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20460
July 1990

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CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
A. OVERVIEW
The Agency developed the BEN computer model to calculate the
economic benefit a violator derives from delaying or avoiding
compliance with environmental statutes. In general, the Agency uses
the BEN computer model to assist its own staff in developing
settlement penalty figures. While the primary purpose of the BEN
model is to calculate the economic benefit of noncompliance, the
model may also be used to calculate the after tax net present value
of a pollution prevention or mitigation project and to calculate
“cash outs” in Superfund cases. This document, the BEN User’s
Manual , contains all the formulas that make up the BEN computer
model and is freely available to the public upon request.
Calculating economic benefit using the BEN computer model is
generally the first step in developing a civil penalty figure under
the Agency’s February 16, 1984, generic penalty policy (GM-21 and
GM-22) and the related medium-specific policies developed since then
to implement the 1984 Policy. The BEN computer model has been
developed by the Agency to assist the Agency in fulfilling one of
the main goals of the generic policy. That goal is to recover, at a
minimum, the economic benefit from noncompliance, plus an additional
amount, to ensure that members of the regulated community have a
strong economic incentive to comply on time with environmental laws.
In general, the BEN computer model is used for calculating
economic benefit for purposes of developing a settlement penalty.
The BEN model is generally not intended for use at trial or in an
administrative hearing. If the Agency is going to present economic
benefit testimony at trial or in an administrative hearing, the
Agency will generally rely on an expert to provide an independent
financial analysis of the economic benefit the firm has obtained as
a result of its violations. This independent financial analysis,
while consistent with the principles of the BEN model, may not
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1—2
necessarily be identical to that set forth in the BEN User’s
Manual .
This manual is designed to aid you in providing appropriate
input data for BEN, to describe procedures for entering data, and to
explain the program’s results. A second, enforcement sensitive
guidance document, the BEN User’s Guide , which covers logon
procedures, and discusses some issues that typically arise in
running BEN, will be provided to State and Federal users. This
document is nonreleasable in its entirety.
This manual does not require that you have any formal training
in economics or finance. Appendix A contains a detailed discussion
of the economic rationale and the computational methods used in
calculating the economic benefit from delayed compliance. You do
not have to be familiar with Appendix A to use BEN or this manual.
An outline of general penalty components and adjustment factors
is shown in Exhibit I-i below. The first step in establishing an
appropriate penalty amount involves estimating a preliminary
deterrence figure, which includes an economic benefit component and
a gravity component. BEN can be used to calculate the economic
benefit component when a violator has delayed compliance with an
environmental regulation. BEN is designed to calculate the first
two categories of economic benefits listed in Exhibit 1-1: those
gained from delaying or avoiding required environmental
expenditures. Delayed costs can include capital investments in
pollution control equipment, delayed costs to remove unpermitted
dredged or fill material and restore wetlands, or one—time
expenditures required to comply with environmental regulations
(e.g., the cost of setting up a reporting system, or land
purchases). Avoided costs include operating and maintenance costs,
l For assistance with the selection of an expert on economic benefit, EPA staff
should call Jonathan Libber, the BEN/ABEL coordinator, at FIS/202 475-8777.
July 1990

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1—3
EXHIBIT I-I.
CIVIL PENALTY POLICY SUMMARY
I. ECONOMIC BENEFIT COMPONENT
• Benefit from delayed costs
• Benefit from avoided costs
• Benefit from competitive advantage
II. GRAVITY COMPONENT
• Actual or possible environmental harm
• Importance to regulatory scheme
• Size of violator
III. ADJUSTMENT FACTORS
Degree of willfulness and/or negligence
Degree of cooperation/noncooperation
History of noncompliance
Ability to pay
Other unique factors
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1—4
off—site disposal of fluids from injection wells, or other recurring
costs. BEN does not calculate the third category of benefits; i.e.,
those related to the competitive advantage gained by a violator. 2
BEN can be used in all cases where there is a measurable
benefit from delaying compliance, except for Clean Air Act Section
120 actions, which require the application of a Section 120 specific
computer model. BEN is easy to use, and has been designed for
people with no background in economics, financial analysis, or
computers. Because the program contains standard values for many of
the variables needed to calculate the economic benefit, BEN can be
run with only a small number of inputs. The program also provides
the opportunity to use values other than the standard values.
Exhibit 1-2 presents a listing of the inputs to BEN. The optional
inputs listed in Exhibit 1-2 are those for which BEN has standard
values. -
BEN can be used to estimate econoxnic’benef its for any type of
organization: corporations, partnerships, sole proprietorships,
not—for—profit organizations, municipalities, and so forth. There
are two sets of standard values in BEN: one applied to for-profit
business violators, and the other applies to not—for—profit
organizations. In either case, care must be taken in selecting
input values other than the standard values. Part 1 of Appendix B
discusses the special issues of BEN calculations for governmental
entities and not—for—profit organizations.
2 Competitive-advantage benefits occur, for example, when a company earns a profit
by selling its goods and services, possibly at prices lower than those of its
complying competitors, before it obtains an EPA permit or pesticide registration
number, or after EPA has prohibited the sale of those goods and services.
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1—5
E IBIT 1—2
INPUTS FOR BEN
Reauired Inputs
1) Case Name, Environmental Statute, and Profit Status
2) Capital Investment
3) One-Time Nondepreciable Expenditure
4) Annual Expenses
5) Date of Noncompliance
6) Date of Compliance
7) Date of Penalty Payment
Optional Inputs 3
8) Useful Life of Pollution Control Equipment
9) Marginal Income Tax Rate for 1986 and Before
10) Marginal Income Tax Rate for 1987 and Beyond
11) Inflation Rate
12) Discount Rate
13) Low-interest Financing
These are inputs for which Standard Values are available.
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1—6
B. NATURE OF THE BENEFIT
An organization’s decision to comply with environmental
regulations usually implies a commitment of financial resources;
both initially, in the form of a capital investment or one-time
expenditure, and over time, in the form of annual, continuing
expenses. 4 These expenditures might result in better protection of
public health or environmental quality; however, they are unlikely
to yield any direct economic benefit (i.e., net gain) to the organ-
ization. If these financial resources were not used for compliance,
they presumably would be invested in projects with an expected
direct economic benefit to the organization. This concept of
alternative investment; that is, the amount the violator would
normally expect to make by not investing in pollution control, is
the basis for calculating the economic benefit of noncompliance.
As part of the Civil Penalty Policy, EPA uses the Agency’s
penalty authority to remove or neutralize the economic incentive to
violate environmental regulations. In the absence of enforcement
and appropriate penalties, it is usually in an organization’s best
economic interest to delay the conunitinent of funds for compliance
with environmental regulations and to avoid certain other associated
costs, such as operating and maintenance expenses.
The economic benefit from delaying compliance might have any or
all of the following three components: (1) the return a violator
can earn by delaying the capital costs of pollution control equip-
ment, (2) the return earned by delaying a one—time expenditure, and
Under the Clean Water Act §404 program, a decision to comply with regulations means
delaying project start up until the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers issues a permit,
which may contain mitigation requirements. BEN does not calculate the economic
benefit from completing a development project sooner as a result of avoiding the
Corps’ permitting process, but the Agency may still choose to recapture this
benefit. The Agency calculates the benefit from, for example, delaying the costs
of mitigation requirements if the Corps issues an after-the-fact permit or delaying
the restoration costs if no permit is issued.
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1—7
(3) the incremental annual or One—time costs a violator avoids by
not complying on time and the return earned on these avoided costs.
The first two components arise because violators have the
opportunity to invest their funds in projects other than those
required to comply with environmental regulations. These other
investments are normally expected to yield a monetary return at the
violator’s marginal rate of return on capital, whereas environmental
expenditures typically yield no direct economic benefit. Thus, by
delaying compliance, the violator benefits by the amount of earnings
that could be expected from alternative investments.
The third component of the benefit from delayed compliance is
based on the annual continuing expenses that a violator would have
incurred if the facility had complied with environmental regulations
on time. These expenses include the costs of labor, raw materials,
energy, lease payments and any other expenditures directly
associated with the operation and maintenance- of-the pollution
control equipment. Unlike capital and one—time expenditures, which
are only postponed, delaying compliance allows annual expenditures
to be avoided altogether. The resulting benefits to the violator
are the total avoided annual costs as well as the return that could
be expected on these avoided costs. 5
When calculating the economic benefit from delay, it is
necessary to take into account indirect financial impacts associated
with environmental expenditures. For example, one important
indirect impact of these expenditures is a reduction in income tax
liability. 6 Also, depending upon the tax year, the original
purchase of equipment might have resulted in an investment tax
‘ On occasion, violator may avoid an one-time expenditure or a capital expense, as
well, gaining the benefit of the avoided cost and the return earned on the avoided
expenditure. These special cases are discussed in Appendix B, Part 2.
‘ Depreciation and annual expenditures serve to reduce taxable income, thereby
reducing income taxes. -
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1—8
credit. To account for these indirect tax effects, BEN calculates
the economic benefit using after—tax cash flows.
Another indirect impact relates to the timing of the cash
flows, since cash flows occurring in different years are not
directly comparable. A basic concept of financial theory is
“present value.” This concept is based on the principle that: “A
dollar today is worth more than a dollar a year from now,” because
today’s dollar can be invested immediately to earn a return over the
coming year. Therefore, the earlier a cost (or benefit) is
incurred, the greater its economic impact. BEN accounts for this
“time value of money” effect by reducing all estimated future cash
flows to their “present value” equivalents. This widely—used
technique is known as “discounting.” Appendix A contains a more
detailed discussion of discounting and the concept of present value.
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1—9
C. HOW TO USE THE MANUAL
This manual provides step-by-step instructions for using BEN.
These instructions illustrate operation of the program by using a
hypothetical violator as an example. Exhibit 1-3 is a printout
illustrating the order and procedure for entering data. The inputs
for the example are in bold print to distinguish user entries from
the information and prompts provided by BEN.
Chapter II describes how to use BEN, but must be used in
conjunction with the BEN User’s Guide , an internal, enforcement
sensitive, guidance document which covers logori procedures and
discusses several issues that typically arise in running BEN.
Chapter III defines each of the inputs you will need to calculate
the economic benefit. Chapter IV describes the results and output
from BEN, and explains how to change input values for subsequent
runs.
If you are already familiar with the program, you might only
need to scan Exhibit 1-3 before proceeding. Help information is
available in the program if you need the definition of a variable,
sources of information, or the format required for an input entry.
To access help for a specific variable, type HELP or H after the
prompt for that variable. After the explanation, BEN will prompt
you again for that same variable. If you need assistance in
operating the program, understanding the results, or other guidance
in effectively using BEN, contact the Program Development and
Training Branch at 202—475—8777 or FTS—475-8777.
July 1990

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I — 10
EXHIBIT 1—3
DATA ENTRY FOR BEN
Welcome to BEN. Would you like an introduction? (Y/N)
N
ENTER TODAY’S DATE (e.g., JUNE 1, 1990)
JUNE 30, 1990
1A. PLEASE ENTER THE CASE NAME:
COMPANY X EXAMPLE
lB. PLEASE IDENTIFY THE STATUTE INVOLVED IN YOUR
CASE. IF YOUR CASE INVOLVES MORE THAN ONE
STATUTE, PLEASE PICK THE MOST IMPORTANT ONE.
1. CLEAN AIR ACT - STATIONARY SOURCE
2. CLEAN AIR ACT - MOBILE SOURCE
3. CLEAN WATER ACT - 404
4. CLEAN WATER ACT - NPDES
5. FIFRA
6. UST (UNDERGROUND STORAGE TANK)
7. RCRA (OTHER THAN UST)
8. SAFE DRINKING WATER ACT - UIC
9. SAFE DRINKING WATER ACT - PWS
10. SUPERFUND
11. TSCA
12. OTHER
ENTER THE NUMBER OF THE STATUTE YOU HAVE SELECTED:
2
1C. PLEASE ENTER THE PROFIT STATUS OF THIS ENTITY:
1 FOR-PROFIT
2 NOT-FOR PROFIT
PROFIT STATUS:
1
2. INITIAL CAPITAL INVESTMENT IN POLLUTION CONTROL =
(FOLLOW WITH DOLLAR-YEAR SEPARATED BY BLANK; e.g., 100000
1990)
(ENTER 0 IF THIS COST CATEGORY IS NOT APPLICABLE)
105000 1989
IS THE INITIAL INVESTMENT ONE-TIME OR RECURRING?
1. ONE-TIME
2. RECURRING
PLEASE ENTER THE APPROPRIATE CODE:
2
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I — 1].
EXHIBIT 1-3
DATA ENTRY FOR BEN
(continued)
3. ONE-TIME NONDEPRECIABLE EXPENDITURE =
(FOLLOW WITH DOLLAR-YEAR SEPARATED BY BLANK; e.g., 100000 1990)
(ENTER 0 IF THIS COST CATEGORY IS NOT APPLICABLE)
210000 1989
IS THE ONE-TIME EXPENSE TAX-DEDUCTIBLE? (Y/N)
[ NOTE: MOST EXPENSES ARE TAX-DEDUCTIBLE]
Y
4. ANNUAL EXPENSE =
(FOLLOW WITH DOLLAR-YEAR SEPARATED BY BLANK; e.g., 100000
1990)
(ENTER 0 IF THIS COST CATEGORY IS NOT APPLICABLE)
15750 1989
5. MONTH AND YEAR WHEN NONCOMPLIANCE BEGAN (e.g., 1,1988)
10,1987
6. MONTH AND YEAR WHEN COMPLIANCE ACHIEVED (e.g., 1,1990)
6, 1990
7. MONTH AND YEAR WHEN PENALTY PAID (e.g., 8,1990)
9, 1990
BEN will use this information to estimate the economic
benefit. If you select standard values for the remaining
six variables, these standard values will be printed in
your output. You also have the option of entering your
own values for the remaining variables after Item 7.
HOW DO YOU WISH TO TREAT REMAINING VARIABLES?
(1 = USE STANDARD VALUES, 2 = ENTER OWN VALUES)
2
8. USEFUL LIFE OF POLLUTION CONTROL EQUIPMENT IN YEARS (e.g.,
15)=
10 -
9. MARGINAL INCOME TAX RATE FOR 1986 AND BEFORE (e.g., 49.6) =
49.6
10. MARGINAL INCOME TAX RATE FOR 1987 AND BEYOND (e.g., 38.4) =
38.4
11. ANNUAL INFLATION RATE (e.g., 4.1) =
3.5
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I — 12
EXHIBIT 1—3
DATA ENTRY FOR BEN
(continued)
12. DISCOUNT RATE: CORPORATE EQUITY RATE (e.g.,
18.1) =
17.5
13. ANOUNT OF LOW-INTEREST FINANCING =
(FOLLOW WITH YEAR-DOLLARS SEPARATED BY BLANK; e.g., 100000
1990)
(ENTER 0 IF THIS COST CATEGORY IS NOT APPLICABLE)
105000 1989
LOW INTEREST RATE (e.g., 9) =
(ENTER 0 IF YOU WANT THIS RATE CALCULATED.)
10
CORPORATE DEBT RATE (e.g., 12) =
(ENTER 0 IF YOU HAVE PROVIDED A LOW INTEREST
RATE AND YOU WANT THE DEBT RATE CALCULATED.)
12

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II — 1
CHAPTER II
USING THE COMPUTER PROGRAM
BEN is an interactive computer program designed to operate in a
time-sharing mode. This chapter is a detailed description of
procedures for using BEN in your economic benefit calculations. For
an in—depth description of each variable and the recommended sources
of information, see Chapter III.
Chapter II is divided into three sections. Section A describes
how the computer program is structured, and provides an overview of
the choices that BEN presents during program execution. Section B
provides data format requirements and additional helpful hints for
entering data at your computer terminal. This section also
illustrates the error messages provided by BEN if you fail to enter
data properly. Section C explains the procedure for receiving a
printed copy of the program output and for logging of f of the
computer when you finish your calculations.
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II — 2
A. STRUCTURE OP THE PROGRAM
BEN provides you with a number of choices for running the
model. The first choice is whether to read an introduction to BEN.
This introduction explains what BEN does, how it will prompt you for
information, and the format for data inputs to the program.
A series of prompts for your input values follows the
introductory question. You enter the requested information after
each prompt. The economic benefit calculation involves a total of
13 variables, which are numbered 1 through 13. You must initially
provide a name and some descriptive information for the penalty
case, the first variable, and the values of variables 2 through 7,
which concern the costs of compliance with environmental regulations
and the dates for the period of noncompliance. BEN then gives you a
choice between entering case—specific data for the remaining six
variables, or using the standard values available in BEN. If you
choose to enter case—specific values, the program automatically
prompts for variables 8 through 13. When you are finished entering
data, BEN then calculates the economic benefit of noncompliance.
To access an explanation of the information required for a
particular variable, simply type the word HELP, or the letter H,
after the prompt for that variable. BEN will print a few sentences
which define the variable, give sources of information, and a brief
reminder of the format required. This information aids the user who
has not read chapters II and III of the user manual, or does not
have access to a copy of the manual for reference during program
operation.
After the complete help explanation has been printed, BEN will
prompt you again for the variable entry. - You can then enter the
required information.
July 1990

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II — 3
When you have made all of your input selections, you can then
choose from among three output options, each of which provides a
different level of detail. No matter which output option you
choose, BEN will print as part of the output a list of the values
used in the calculation. A fourth option enables you to omit the
output printing altogether and change any incorrect data entries.
On subsequent calculations, BEN presents only a very brief
description of the available output options or you can review the
detailed description of the output choices provided during the first
run by selecting option five.
BEN displays the results of your economic benefit calculation
at your terminal, and also temporarily saves the output in a
computer file for printing. When you are finished with a
calculation, you can choose to run the program again, or end the
program session. If you run the program again, you can change one
or more of your entries from the previous run. You can then
recalculate the economic benefit without having to reenter all
variable values. The procedure for making changes depends on
whether you used standard values in the previous calculation, and
whether you plan to use standard values in the new calculation.
These procedures are described in more detail in Chapter IV.
After all variable changes have been made, BEN allows you to
list the current values of all the variables so that you can verify
that your changes have been made correctly. You are then given
another chance to make changes.
When you have finished performing economic benefit calculations
and have ended the program session, BEN gives you the opportunity to
order a printed copy of your output. This output includes the
results and the input values from all of the calculations in your
session.
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11—4
If you want to obtain a copy of your output and are at EPA
Headquarters, you can pick up your copy from your bin after
indicating the bin number. You can obtain a bin and a bin number
from the Washington Information Center (WIC) in the lower level of
Waterside Mall (where the bins are located). The output will
usually be delivered to your bin within an hour after you end your
session. If you are not in Washington, your copy will be mailed to
you at the address of record associated with your EPA computer user
ID, after you indicate your mail box number. Your mail box number
is simply your user identification number preceded by the letter M.
You should receive your output in three to five days.
As of this printing (July 1990), these output procedures were
being revised to allow regional users to receive output from local
printers. If you wish to receive a printout locally and you are not
in Washington, D.C., contact your local ADP coordinator for local
printer procedures. -
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II — 5
B. ENTERING THE DATA
BEN is an interactive computer program. The terminal prints or
displays a question and then waits for you to type an answer.
Sometimes the prompt for information will be a description of the
data to be entered instead of a question. In both cases, the cursor
(or print head) returns to the beginning of the next line after
printing each prompt. 7
Be aware that there might be slight hesitations in the
computer’s response because of the time—sharing mode. Messages sent
to and from the computer are interspersed with messages to and from
other time—sharing users in your local area. A higher number of
users puts a greater time demand on the transmission facilities
because more terminals are sending messages over the same local
telephone line. The incidence of many long hesitations indicates
that there are-more local users than usual using the time—sharing
mode of the IBM computer. You will have to be patient in waiting
for the entire prompt to be displayed before entering data. 8
Also note that BEN is different from most PC software programs
(such as Lotus 123, or Wordperfect) in that its user interaction is
linear , as opposed to page—oriented. This characteristic of BEN
means that you cannot “back—up,” or move around the screen, in order
to edit an entry which you have already made.
If you are using a TTY, you should wait until the entire prompt is printed and
the print head has returned to the next line before entering data.
‘ Another type of delay can occur if you have not used the program in the previous
two weeks. In this case, the mainframe will need to pull information from
archives, and you will be put “on hold” until this procedure is completed. The
computer will let you know that this is occurring by giving you a prompt preceded
by “ARC.”
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1. Introduction
Welcome to BEN. Would you like an introduction? (Y/N)
You need only type Y to represent yes, or N to represent no.
BEN will also recognize your answer if you type the full word for
your response. If you answer N, BEN will skip the introduction and
take you to the next step in the program.
The introduction contains four video—screen size pages. To aid
PC users in reading, BEN stops printing at the end of each page.
Press the carriage return (or enter key) to read the next page. The
introduction screens read as follows:
This program calculates the economic benefit an entity gains by
delaying expenditures necessary for compliance with environmental
regulations or permits. This economic benefit is one component of
a civil penalty.
The economic benefit calculation involves 13 variables. You must
provide a name for the penalty case and respond to six prompts
for information about compliance costs and the dates involved
in the case. BEN then gives you a choice between providing values
for the remaining six variables yourself or allowing BEN to use
standard values.
BEN contains two sets of standard values: One for for—profit
entities (e.g., privately-hel4 and publicly-held corporations),
and one for not-for—profit entities (e.g., governmental agencies
and municipalities). When you use BEN to calculate the economic
benefit for a case, you will identify the type of entity involved,
BEN can then select the appropriate set of standard values.
Press the carriage return (or enter key) for the next page of text.
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After each economic benefit calculation, you can change some or
all of the values you provide and perform another calculation
without leaving the program.
If you need additional information, call EPA Headquarters:
FTS—475—8777 or 202—475—8777
BEN allows only certain data formats for numerical values and
dates: Numerical values (costs, rates, percentages, years)
should be entered without commas, dollar signs, or percent
signs. For example, enter a $10,000 cost as 10000 and enter
20% as 20. Use decimals only for fractional values, such as
10000.50 dollars, or 20.1 percent. Be careful to use only the
number keys. A common mistake is typing the lowercase letter
L instead of the number 1. Another error is typing the letter
o instead of the number 0.
Press the carriage return (or enter key) for the next page of text.
Dates entered for compliance and payment periods should be in
numerical form, with the month separated from the year by a comma,
as in: 6,1984. Note that the year must contain four digits.
Shown below is one example of a data prompt, and a response
in the correct format. Notice that BEN gives you an example
of the required format for data entry following the data prompt,
enclosed in parentheses. Also note that the response (1,1988)
begins at the left margin.
5. MONTH AND YEAR WHEN NONCOMPLIANCE BEGAN (e.g., 1,1988)
1,1988
You can obtain help in entering any of the variables 1 through 13
by typing HELP or simply the letter H after BEN prompts you
for the variable. The help statements in BEN include a defini-
tion of the variable, possible sources for related information,
and the format required for entry. After providing the HELP
explanation, BEN will prompt you again for the same variable.
Press the carriage return (or enter key) for the next page of text.
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II — 8
Before you enter any of the input values for your first cal-
culation, you will enter today’s date. BEN prints this date
and the penalty case name at the top of the output for each
calculation. This date may be entered in any format (e.g.,
Sept. 1, 1989; 9/1/89; or 1 September 1989; and so on). The case
name can be up to 40 characters long, including spaces.
You may leave the BEN program without leaving the main computer
system at any point during the input process. To do this, simply
type “QUIT” (without the quotation marks) in response to any
prompt. BEN will warn you that quitting the program will mean
losing all work done in that session (i.e., your output will not be
printed), and will ask you if you are sure you want to “QUIT.”
Answering “Y” (yes) will terminate the program immediately, and
take you back to the main computer system.
Press the carriage return (or enter key) when you are ready
to begin.
2. Format of the Data Entries
BEN data entries require specific data formats. Numerical
values should be entered without commas, dollar signs, or percent
signs. For example, a $10,000 capital investment in pollution
control equipment is entered as 10000. The same is true for all
other cost inputs. Each cost entry must include both the dollar
amount and the year in which the dollars are expressed. Throughout
this manual and in BEN itself, we refer to the year of the dollars
in which an expenditure is expressed as the “dollar—year.” 9 The
dollar—year must contain four digits. If you do not enter a year,
BEN assumes costs are expressed as of the compliance date. Rates or
percentages should be entered as a number without a percent symbol,
e.g., enter 20 to represent 20 percent. Decimal numbers need only
‘ In calculating the economic benefit, BEN converts alidollar inputs (initial
capital investment, one-time expenditure, annual expenses, and amount of low-
interest financing) into dollars of the year in which noncompliance began. This
dollar-year conversion is necessary to make the costs comparable.
July 1990

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II — 9
be used where fractional values occur, such as 10000.50 dollars or
20.1 percent.
Be careful to use only number keys to enter numerical values.
A common mistake is typing the lowercase letter L instead of a
number 1. Another error occurs when the letter 0 is typed instead
of the number 0 (zero).
Dates entered for compliance and payment periods must be in
numerical form, with the month separated from the year by a comma,
e.g., 6,1989. The year must contain four digits.
An example of the required format for data entry follows each
data prompt, enclosed in parentheses. If the exact format is not
followed, BEN prints an explanatory error message and then reprolnpts
you for the correct entry. After your entry has been correctly
typed, press the carriage return (or enter key) to transmit the data
and signal to the computer that you are ready for the next prompt.
3. correcting Typing Errors
After typing your entry you might discover that you have typed
an incorrect letter or number. If you have not yet pressed the
carriage return (or enter key), correcting the mistake is
straightforward. Simply press the backspace key for each character
that you wish to delete, and type in the correct information. For
example, if you had typed 10,234 and wanted to delete the comma, you
would press the backspace key four times, type 234, press the space
bar once to delete the extra 4, and then press the carriage return
(or enter key). If you are using a PC, the cursor will erase each
figure as you press the backspace key, and your corrected entry will
July 1990

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II — 10
appear on the screen. 1 ° Since you corrected the mistake before
hitting the carriage return (or enter key), the terminal sends 10234
to the computer, instead of the 10,234 entry that you originally
typed.
If you discover the error after you have pressed the carriage
return (or enter key), the terminal will send the incorrect entry to
the computer. If your entry contains an unacceptable character, BEN
will print an error message and reprompt you for a corrected input.
BEN will not detect an error if you simply enter an incorrect value.
For instance, if you type 10244 instead of the intended value of
10234, your calculation will be based on an erroneous input. In
this case, after you have completed your data entry, BEN will ask if
you would like to review your inputs.
DO YOU WISH TO SEE A LISTING OF CURRENT VALUES? (Y/N)
.Y
If you are unsure of an entry or want to correct a mistake, answer
Y. BEN will show you the data you have entered and give you an
opportunity to make changes. (See Chapter IV.B. for more
information on changing input values.)
If you are using a TTY, the print head will move one space backwards each time
you press the backspace key. Since the original entry is already typed on paper,
the backward movement will not erase figures that are being deleted. Rather,
your corrected entry will be typed on top of the original entry.
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4. Error Messages
Occasionally, you might forget to follow the format rules when
typing data entries, or you might select an option number that does
not exist. In such instances, rather than continuing with the
calculation, BEN temporarily interrupts the regular prompting
sequence to print an error message alerting you to the mistake.
After displaying the error message, BEN reprompts you for the
correct information f or that variable.
Error messages can be general or variable—specific. General
messages apply to all prompts. Variable—specific errors occur for a
particular variable when BEN checks for the correct relationships
between variables, and for logical errors. Variable—specific
messages are fully described in the case example which is covered in
Chapter III.
There are three general types of mistakes that generate error
messages —— out—of—range input values, format errors, and illegal
characters. BEN’S error messages will help you locate the mistyped
character, and allow you to re—enter the data before proceeding with
your next input or beginning calculation. Each of these error
messages is described below. Examples from BEN sessions illustrate
each error message, and its related correction procedure. User
entries are shown in bold-face print.
The error—checking mechanism will not recognize the types of
errors caused by mistyping; for example, a 3 instead of-a 2,
misspelling the case name, or entering the wrong date in response to
the “today’s date” prompt. Therefore, you should write down each
input before running BEN, and then carefully check the typed data
against each item on your written list. To do this, you can use the
BEN Data Entry Form (see Exhibit 111-2).
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a. Unavailable or Out—of—Range
The first type of error involves choosing an option that was
either not presented, or not in the allowable range. In the former
case, BEN simply reprompts you for another value without printing an
error message. In the latter case, BEN prints a message telling you
that your entry is not in the range of allowable values for that
input.
For example, the choice between printing an introduction to BEN
or skipping over the introduction requires a yes (Y) or no (N)
answer. In the following example, the user mistakenly typed 1 to
indicate the first letter choice instead of simply typing the letter
Y to signify yes.
Welcome to BEN. Would you like an introduction? (YIN)
1
ERROR: ENTRY 1 IS NOT AN AVAILABLE OPTION. ENTER AGAIN:
Welcome to BEN. Would you like an introduction? (Y/N)
Y
BEN recognizes the error, prints an error message that repeats
the incorrect entry value, and reprompts the user for the correct
information with the same question. The user then correctly typed
Y, which is one of the available response options, and execution of
the program continued as usual. The error message shown will appear
whenever you type anything other than Y or N to the above question.
The following example illustrates a response which is out-of—
range because the user asks to change Variable 14, when in fact
there are only variables 1 through 13. The same error message
appears.
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TYPE NUMBER OF VARIABLE TO BE CHANGED
(TYPE 0 FOR NO CHANGE)
14
ERROR: ENTRY 14 Is NOT AN AVAILABLE OPTION. ENTER AGAIN:
The next response is out—of-range because BEN will not accept a
negative value for the initial capital investment. In cases such as
this one, BEN simply reprompts for the value without printing an
error message.
2. INITIAL CAPITAL INVESTMENT IN POLLUTION CONTROL =
(FOLLOW WITH DOLLAR-YEAR SEPARATED BY BLANK; e.g., 100000 1990)
(ENTER 0 IF THIS COST CATEGORY IS NOT APPLICABLE)
—150000 -
2. INITIAL CAPITAL INVESTMENT IN POLLUTION CONTROL =
(FOLLOW WITH DOLLAR-YEAR SEPARATED BY BLANK; e.g., 100000 1990)
(ENTER 0 IF THIS COST CATEGORY IS NOT APPLICABLE)
A special out-of—range error message appears during the first
calculation in a BEN session if you press the carriage return (or
enter key) without entering any data in response to a variable
prompt.” BEN prints the following error message, and reprompts you
for the variable:
BEN allows you to press the carriage return without entering data when changing
variable values. This means that the program will use the existing value in the
next calculation. See Section B of Chapter IV for a further explanation. -
July 1990

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II — 14
ERROR: YOU
CA
MUST
LCULATI
ENTER
ON.
A
TRY
VALUE
AGAIN
FOR THE FIRST
b. Format Error
The second type of general error message involves a format
error. After each data prompt, BEN provides an example of the
format in which the data should be entered. These format examples
are enclosed in parentheses. If you enter the data in an
unacceptable format, an error message results. The user in the
example below incorrectly typed commas in the cost input:
YOU HAVE ENTERED THE FOLLOWING: 100,000
ERROR: NUMERICAL VALUES SHOULD BE INPUT
WITHOUT COMMAS (e.g., 10000 TO REPRESENT 10, 000).
ENTER AGAIN.
In the next example, the user entered a slash (I) to separate
the month from the year instead of the recpiired comma.
YOU HAVE ENTERED THE FOLLOWING: 9/1989
ERROR: MONTH SHOULD BE SEPARATED FROM YEAR
BY A COMMA (e.g., 6,1985).
ENTER AGAIN.
c. Illeaal Character -
The third general error message indicates that you have entered
an illegal character. In this case, you have typed a character that
July 1990

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II — 15
does not belong to the same alphanumeric category as the rest of the
entry. For example, typing $10000 as a cost entry generates the
error message because a dollar sign is not an acceptable numerical
digit. Similarly, typing 20% to enter “20 percent” is not
acceptable because 20% contains the nonnumeric percent sign. A very
common mistake is to type the lowercase letter L instead of the
number 1 when entering numeric values. The related error message
will repeat your entry to show your error as follows:
YOU HAVE ENTERED THE FOLLOWING: 120000
ERROR: AN ILLEGAL CHARACTER EXISTS IN THE ABOVE ENTRY.
ENTER AGAI1J.
Another common mistake is typing the letter 0 instead of the
number 0 (zero) when entering numeric values. As in the above
example, the incorrect entry is repeated with the error message
before BEN reprompts for the correct information.
YOU HAVE ENTERED THE FOLLOWING: 120000
ERROR: AN ILLEGAL CHARACTER EXISTS IN THE ABOVE ENTRY.
ENTER AGAIN.
The illegal character message occurs whenever the entry to any
question contains a character that is nonnumeric in response to a
prompt for a numeric value, including cases when a key might have
been pressed by mistake, and a numeric entry suddenly contains an
asterisk, bracket, quotation mark, or other non—alphanumeric symbol.
July 1990

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C. ENDING PROCEDURES
Once BEN has completed a calculation and directed the output
for printing, you can either end the session, or continue with
further calculations. See Chapter IV for an explanation of the
procedures for changing variables and making additional
calculations. If you have completed your BEN calculations, typing 0
(zero) ends the session:
DO YOU WISH TO DO ANOTHER ECONOMIC SAVINGS CALCULATION?
(O=NO; 1=YES, USING STANDARD VALUES; 2=YES, USING OWN INPUTS)
0
DO YOU REALLY WANT TO LEAVE BEN?
(O=NO; l=YES)
1
After you type 0 (zero), and confirm termination by typing 1,
BEN will notify you that output from all of the calculations in the
session has been saved temporarily in a computer file, and that you
have the opportunity to receive a printed hardcopy. This point in
the session is your only opportunity to request a copy of the
output, and the output will be automatically deleted when you finish
using BEN. If you are using a PC that is not connected to a
printer, you will probably want to receive a copy. If you do,
simply respond to the prompt by typing I to indicate yes:
July 1990

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- 11—17
ALL OF YOUR OUTPUT HAS BEEN SAVED IN A FILE. DO YOU WISH TO
RECEIVE A PRINTED COPY OF THIS OUTPUT? (Y=YES, N=NO)
y
BEN then asks you for additional information. If you are in
Washington, BEN will ask you for your bin number:
PLEASE SUPPLY THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION:
ARE YOU WORKING AT A TERMINAL IN THE WASHINGTON D.C. AREA?
(Y=YES, N=NO)
Y
ENTER YOUR BIN NUMBER
(THE FORMAT SHOULD BE A LETTER D FOLLOWED BY
THREE NUMBERS. E.G., D099)
DO 99
You can obtain a bin (and number) at the Washington Information
Center (WIC) in the lower level of Waterside Mall. The output will
generally be delivered to your bin within half an hour. If you are
outside Washington, BEN will ask for your mailing box number:
ENTER YOUR MAILING BOX NUMBER
(THE FORMAT SHOULD BE YOUR USER IDENTIFICATION NUMBER
PRECEDED BY THE LETTER M, e.g. MXXX.)
Mxxx
This number is your user identification number preceded by the
letter M, e.g., MXXX. Your output will be mailed to you at the
July 199C ,

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II — 18
address recorded with your account information. You should receive
your output in three to five days.’ 2
BEN will then notify you that your output will be printed and
delivered or mailed:
YOUR OUTPUT WILL BE PRINTED AT THE COMPUTER CENTER AND ROUTED TO
YOUR BIN OR MAILED TO YOU.
You are out of the BEN program when the computer returns you to
the Legal Research Systems screen. You can then log of f by
selecting the exit choice (L) from the menu. You are then asked if
you wish to stay on the computer. You answer N to be logged of f.
Turn off the terminal, modem, and printer, and the session is over.
If you don’t get the Legal Research Systems screen, you will instead
get a READY prompt. You then log of f the IBM System by typing
LOGOFF, followed by a carriage return (or enter key). Turn of f the
terminal, modem, and printer, and the session is over.’ 3
12 If you are using a TTY and already have a paper copy of the output, you
probably do not want to receive another copy. In this case you simply type N for
no when BEN asks if you want to receive a printed copy. BEN then ceases to ask
you further questions.
‘ If you fail to log yourself off, the mainframe will automatically do so for
you, 15 to 20 minutes later. Note, however, that user charges will continue to
accrue during this period. And, if you try to log back on during this period,
the computer will inform you that your user ID is in use, and will not let you
log on.
July 1990

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III — 3 .
CHAPTER III
DATA REQUIREMENTS
BEN calculates the benefit a violator accrues from delaying a
capital investment, delaying a one—time expenditure, and avoiding
any annual costs over the period of noncompliance. BEN requires
thirteen data items to calculate the economic benefit of delay,
including the case name and certain other information about the case
(see Exhibit 1—2 in Chapter I). You must supply the case name and
inputs two through seven. For the remaining six variables, you can
either use standard values or specify your own values. Standard
values for these remaining six variables are contained in BEN for
both for—profit companies and not—for—profit organizations such as
municipalities, and should be used for your computation if you do
not have data specific to your violator. You should change a
standard value only if you have reliable information substantiating
the change. The economic benefit calculation is performed in the
same manner whether you use the standard values or specify your own
values for the six optional inputs.
The rest of this chapter explains each of the variables, in the
order in which you enter them in BEN. Examples for a hypothetical
“Company X” accompany the explanation. The examples follow the
prompting sequence, item by item, as it appears on your computer
screen when you run BEN. An example of a prompt and response
follows each variable title, in a shaded box. The response is shown
in bold print. The explanations include a brief description of the
criteria you should use in developing the first six input values,
and the- basis for each of the standard values. Each explanation
also contains a statement regarding how a change in the value of
each variable will affect the economic benefit of delay (e.g.,
increase it or decrease it). Exhibit 111—I summarizes these effects
by showing the direction of the change in economic benefit caused by
a change in each variable, holding all other variables constant.
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EXHIBIT 1 1 1—1
EPPECT OP V RI BLE CIM GE8 ON ECONOMIC BENEPIT’
Direction of Change in
VariableName Variable Chanae Economic Benefit
2. Initial Capital
Investment:
— Recurring Increase Increase
— Non—recurring Increase Increase
3. One Time Nondepreciable Increase Increase
Expenditure
- Tax Deductible :s Decrease
4. Annual Expenses Increase Increase
5. Date of Noncompliance Later Decrease
6. Date of Compliance Later Increase
7. Date of Penalty Payment Later Increase
8. Useful Life of Pollution
Control Equipment Increase Decreas
9. Marginal Income Tax Rate
1986 and Before Increase Decrease
10. Marginal Income Tax Rate
1987 and Beyond Increase Decrease’ 6
11. Inflation Rate Increase Decrease’ 7
12. Discount Rate Increase Increase
13. Low—Interest Financing Increase Decrease
Low—Interest Rate Increase Increase 18
Corporate Debt Rate Increase Decrease
‘ Holding all other variables constant.
15 Tax deductibility of the one-time expense will reduce the economic benefit from
what it would be if the expense is not tax deductible.
Except in cases as outlined in footnote 26 on p. 111-14.
‘ ‘ With rare exceptions, as explained under Inflation Rate.
“ Only if both rates are supplied.
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To simplify and aid your data entry to BEN, you might find it
helpful to use the Data Entry Form at Exhibit 111-2. The form
provides space for organizing multiple BEN runs, thus allowing you
to plan in advance which inputs you will want to vary. To
facilitate future BEN analyses, we suggest that you reproduce this
page so that you will have a sufficient supply when the need arises.
Before you input the thirteen data items, BEN asks you to enter
the current date:
ENTER TODAY’S DATE (e.g., JUNE 1, 1990)
JUNE 30, 1990
Any format may be used. For example, BEN accepts 6/30/90 just
as easily as June 30, 1990 or Jun. 30, 1990. This date will be
printed on each page of the results, for each calculation you make.
You enter the date only once each time you execute BEN, even if you
make economic benefit estimates for several cases during a single
session. If you use the program more than once during the same day,
you can add the time of day after the date to differentiate between
sessions. Be sure to press the carriage return (or enter key) after
correctly typing your entry.
BEN then begins prompting you to enter data specific to the
penalty case you are analyzing.
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III — 4
EXHIBIT 111-2
BEN DATA ENTRY FORX
1. A. Case Name _________
B. Statute _____________
C. Profitability Status: _____ For Profit _____ Not-for-Profit
Initial Run 2nd Run 3rd Run
2. Initial Capital Investment
Dollar -year ________ ________ ________
One-Time or Recurring? ________ ________ ________
3. One-Time Nondepreciable _______ _______ _______
Expenditure
Dollar-year ________ ________ ________
Tax Deductible? ________ ________ ________
4. Annual Expenses ________ ________ ________
Dollar-year ________ ________ ________
5. Month, Year of Noncompliance —,_____ —,_____ —,____
6. Month, Year of Compliance —,_____ —, _____ _____
7. Month, Year of Penalty Payment , _____ , _____ —, _____
USE STANDARD VALUES? (Yes/No) ________ ________ ________
If No, complete following:
8. Useful Life of Capital
Investment (years)
9. Marginal Tax Rate in
1986 and Before
10. Marginal Tax Rate in
1987 and Beyond ________ ________ ________
11. Inflation Rate ________ ________ ________
12. Discount Rate _______ _______ _______
13. A. Amount of Low-
Interest Financing ________ ________ ________
B. Low-Interest Rate _______ _______ _______
C. Corporate Debt Rate ________ ________ ________
BEN RZSULT _______ _______ _______
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A. REQUIRED VARIABLES
1. • Case Name, Environmental Statute and Profitability Status
a. Case Name
1A. PLEASE ENTER THE CASE NAME:
COMPANY X EXAMPLE
BEN first asks for the penalty case name. This name can
contain up to 40 characters, including spaces, and will appear along
with the date on each page of the results. Since its sole purpose
is for your own documentation, this label can be anything you
choose. The label can reflect the violator’s name; the name of a
specific source, pollution control project, or environmental
requirement; or a characteristic of the specific BEN run (e.g.,
“Compliance in January 1989”). If you are doing multiple runs for
the same case, you might find it helpful to vary the case name for
each run so that you can more easily distinguish among the various
runs. For example, you might title your runs “ABC Corp.: Outfall
1”; “ABC Corp.: Outfall 2”; etc.
If you enter nothing for the case name, blanks will be printed
where the label normally appears on your results. Be sure to check
for misspellings or incorrect dates before pressing the carriage
return (or enter key), since BEN will accept and print whatever you
type for this label.
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III — 6
b. Statut.
lB. PLEASE IDENTIFY THE STATUTE INVOLVED IN YOUR
CASE. IF YOUR CASE INVOLVES MORE THAN ONE
STATUTE, PLEASE PICK THE MOST IMPORTANT ONE.
1. CLEAN AIR ACT - STATIONARY SOURCE
2. CLEAN AIR ACT - MOBILE SOURCE
3. CLEAN WATER ACT - 404
4. CLEAN WATER ACT - NPDES
5. FIFRA
6. UST (UNDERGROUND STORAGE TANK)
7. RCRA (OTHER THAN UST)
8. SAFE DRINKING WATER ACT - UIC
9. SAFE DRINKING WATER ACT - PWS
10. SUPERFUND
11. TSCA
12. OTHER
ENTER THE NUMBER OF THE STATUTE YOU HAVE SELECTED:
2
Select the statute under which you are citing the violator. If
your violator is affected by more than one statute, select the most
important one. For example, in this case, the violation occurred
under the Clean Air Act (Mobile Sources), and you would enter “2”.
July 1990

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III — 7
c. Profitability 8tatus
1C. PLEASE ENTER THE PROFIT STATUS OF THIS ENTITY:
1 FOR-PROFIT (e.g., A BUSINESS)
2 NOT-FOR-PROFIT (e.g., A MUNICIPALITY)
PROFIT STATUS:
1
Enter 2. if the violator is a profit-making entity or 2 if the
violator is not—for—profit. Profit—making organizations can be
corporations, partnerships or sole proprietorships. Typical not—
for-prof it entities include towns, school districts, sewer or water
districts, or counties. Your determination will direct BEN’S
application of tax rates and the discount factor.
2. Initial Capital Investment
a. Cost Data
2. INITIAL CAPITAL INVESTMENT IN POLLUTION CONTROL =
(FOLLOW WITH YEAR-DOLLARS SEPARATED BY BLANK; e.g., 100000 1990)
(ENTER 0 IF THIS COST CATEGORY IS NOT APPLICABLE)
105000 2.989
Enter the initial capital investment in pollution control
equipment, without commas or dollar signs. The cost should be
followed by a blank, and the year in which the dollars are
expressed. Express the dollar—year in four digits. If you do not
enter a dollar-year the first time through the program, BEN assumes
the cost is in compliance—year dollars (i.e., the year compliance
July 1990

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III — 8
was achieved). Enter a zero if there is no initial capital
investment.
There is an eight-character limit on cost amounts BEN will
accept. If your entry exceeds this limit, BEN prints the
following error message and reprompts you for a correct input:
ERROR: INPUT VALUE EXCEEDS THE 8-DIGIT LIMIT. ENTER AGAIN.
In the unlikely case that your costs are greater than
$99,999,999 dollars, you should give BEN all of your costs divided
by a factor of 1,000 and rounded to the nearest whole number. You
can then multiply the BEN result by 1,000 to determine the total
economic benefit.’ 9
The initial capital investment should include all depreciable
investment outlays necessary to achieve compliance with the
environmental regulations or permit. Depreciable capital
investments are usually made for buildings, equipment, or other
long—lived assets. 2 ° Typical environmental capital investments
include ground—water monitoring wells, stack scrubbers, and
wastewater treatment systems.
Sources for the capital investment figure include EPA
engineering estimates, quotations from manufacturers, and reported
This result will not be exact, but will be sufficiently precise given BEN’s
rounding constraints.
a Land is not a depreciable capital investment. Land costs should be input as a
one-time non-depreciable cost (Item 3).
July 1990

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actual expenditures or estimates made by the violator. 2 ’ The total
investment should include: (1) the direct purchase cost (including
sales tax), (2) the cost of site preparation and engineering design
work, and (3) shipping and installation costs.
You also must provide the dollar-year for the investment. If
you do not provide a dollar—year, BEN will assume that the costs are
in compliance—year dollars (see Input 6). If you have investment
costs with different dollar—years, you should do separate
calculations for each.
Holding all other inputs constant, the economic benefit from
delay will be greater for larger capital investment outlays (See
Exhibit 111-1). In general, increases in the cost of compliance
also increase the benefit from delay.
b. Type of Costs
IS THE INITIAL INVESTMENT ONE-TIME OR RECURRING?
1. ONE-TIME
2. RECURRING
PLEASE ENTER THE APPROPRIATE CODE:
2
BEN next asks you whether the investment is one—time or
recurring. Enter 2. if the capital expenditure is a one—time cost,
or 2 if the cost is recurring (i.e., will be repeated at the end of
the asset’s useful life). Examples of one—time depreciable
expenditures include groundwater monitoring wells or purchase of
One very useful source of information can be the plant’s “daily operations
log.” The log contains reports of upsets, other problems and recommendations for
fixing the problems.
July 1990

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III — 10
other equipment to close a RCRA site. In identifying equipment as
one-time purchase, you should be convinced that the eq 1ipment will
not require future replacement. -
Water and air pollution—control equipment are capital
investments that are typically assumed to be replaced at the end of
their useful lives, since this equipment generally is needed to
support the entity’s manufacturing activities for the foreseeable
future. Recurring capital costs will result in higher BEN results
than will one—time capital costs, if all other inputs are the same.
If some of your capital investments are one—time and others are
recurring, you will need to categorize them as such, and make
separate BEN calculations for the two categories. You can then add
together the results from the two calculations to determine the
total economic benefit.
3. One-Time Nondepreciable Expenditures
a. Cost Data
3. ONE-TIME NONDEPRECIABLE EXPENDITURE =
(FOLLOW WITH YEAR—DOLLARS SEPARATED BY BLANK; e.g., 100000 1990)
(ENTER 0 IF THIS COST CATEGORY IS NOT APPLICABLE)
210000 1989
Enter one—time, nondepreciable expenditures followed by the
appropriate dollar-year. Enter a zero if there is no one-time
expenditure.
Your entry for this variable should include any one—time non-
depreciable expenditures made by the violator to comply with the
environmental regulation or permit. Such an expenditure could be
July 1990

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III — 11
for purchasing land, setting up a record—keeping system, removing
illegal discharges of dredged and fill material, disposing of soil
from a hazardous—waste site, or initial training of employees. 22
BEN assumes that this expenditure will not be repeated in the
future. As in the case of the initial capital investment, BEN will
use the compliance year if you do not provide a dollar—year. The
economic benefit increases as the value for this variable increases
because the violator has delayed paying a larger amount of money.
b. Tax Deductibility
BEN then asks whether the one—time non-depreciable expenditure
is tax deductible:
IS THE ONE-TIME EXPENSE TAX-DEDUCTIBLE? (1/N)
(NOTE: MOST EXPENSES ARE TAX-DEDUCTIBLE]
I
You should answer yes (Y) or no (N). Most one—time
expenditures are tax-deductible; with the primary exception being
purchases of land. 23
For any expenditure amo ,int, the economic benefit will be
smaller if the expenditure is tax-deductible (see Exhibit 111-1).
If training or recordkeeping must occur over time and regularly, rather than a
one-time effort, these costs should be included in Variable 4, Annual Costs rather
than here.
Land is an asset and, therefore, cannot be deducted as an expense from taxable
income.
July 1990

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4. Annual Expenses
4. ANNUAL EXPENSE =
(FOLLOW WITH YEAR-DOLLARS SEPARATED BY BLANK; e.g., 100000 1990)
(ENTER 0 IF THIS COST CATEGORY IS NOT APPLICABLE)
15750 1989
Enter the annual, recurring costs associated with operating and
maintaining the required pollution control equipment, followed by
the year in which the dollars are expressed. Enter a zero if there
are no annual costs. If no dollar—year is entered the first time
through the program, BEN assumes that the costs are in compliance-
year dollars. The same format and eight character limitation apply
to the annual expenditure as to the other cost inputs.
The annual, recurring expense is an estimate of the average
annual incremental cost of operating and/or maintaining the required
environmental control measures. These costs should include any
changes in the cost of labor, power, water, raw materials and
supplies, recurring training of employees and any change in annual
property taxes. 24
The value of operating and maintenance (O&M) credits should
also be considered in estimating the incremental annual costs. O&M
credits may represent actual O&M cost savings: heat recovery,
product or byproduct recovery, and so forth. For example, the
‘ In the case of underground injection wells, the cost of alternative disposal of
injection fluids is the avoided operation cost. Similarly, the required treatment,
storage or disposal of PCB5 or other toxic wastes is the avoided operation cost.
The avoided costs must be equal for each year of the violation in order to enter
them into BEN as an annual continuing expense. If the avoided costs are differer
for each year of violation, they should be treated as avoided one-ti
nondepreciable costs according to the methodology set out in Part II of Appendix B.
In this situation, you should perform separate calculations for each year of avoided
costs.
July 1990

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III — 13
installation of new pollution control equipment may reduce certain
costs (such as sludge disposal) that were associated with operations
during the period of noncompliance. If the resulting incremental
O&M cost is negative (i.e., there is a net cost savings from the new
pollution control equipment), the negative figures may be used in
BEN. Credit is only given for annual, recurring expenses that were
both paid and legal (e.g. no credit is given for costs associated
with illegal disposal of hazardous waste).
The annual costs should also reflect any annual lease payments
for pollution control equipment. However, the annual costs should
not include annualized capital recovery, interest payments, or
depreciation.
The economic benefit figure increases with greater avoided
annual, recurring costs (See Exhibit Ill-i).
5. Noncompliance Date
5. MONTH AND YEAR WHEN NONCOMPLIANCE BEGAN (e.g., 1,1988)
10,1987
The noncompliance date is the date when the first violation of
the environmental requirement began. You should type in a month and
a year, separated by a comma. The month is a number between 1 and
12, and. cannot be omitted. The year must contain four digits (e.g.,
do not shorten the input to read 87 instead of 1987). If you fail
July 1990

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III — 14
to enter four digits for the year the following error message
occurs:
YEAR MUST BE 4 DIGITS.
There is one more limitation on all year entries: BEN will not
accept years before 1971. The error message generated if the
noncompliance year entered is earlier than 1971 is as follows: 25
YEAR MUST BE 1971 OR LATER.
If you vary the date of noncompliance (holding all other
variables constant), BEN automatically adjusts the cost of complying
as of the new noncompliance date, by discounting the costs to the
revised date. The benefit from delayed and/or avoided expenditures
generally increases with the length of the delay period. An earlier
noncompliance date (holding the compliance date constant) or a later
compliance date (holding the noncompliance date constant) will, in
most cases, increase the benefit figure. 26
Although there may be an applicable statute of limitations in your case, it
will only affect the maximum penalty you can assess (i.e., the statutory cap).
Since you are only trying to calculate the amount the violator gained by
violating the law, you can go beyond any statute of limitations, as long as you
do not exceed the statutory cap. Should your case go to trial or hearing, you
should consult your legal staff before going forward with a benefit amount based
on the earlier violations.
In cases where the delay period straddles January 1, 1987, lengthening the
period of noncompliance will decrease and possibly eliminate the benefit. This
phenomenon is due to the change in the tax code effective in 1987. Because tax
rates are lower in 1987 (and onward) than they were through 1986, the cost of
delayed compliance is greater than it would have been if the tax rates had stayed
the same.
July 1990

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III — 15
6. Compliance Date
6. MONTH AND YEAR WHEN COMPLIANCE ACHIEVED (e.g., 1,1990)
6,1990
Enter the date when the violator was in compliance with
environmental requirements or the date you expect the violator to
achieve compliance. Note that the date when the equipment was
installed is not sufficient; the violator needs to be in compliance .
The format and range limitations which apply to the noncompliance
date also apply to the compliance date. In addition, the compliance
date must occur after the noncompliance date (otherwise, -there is no
violation). BEN checks for the possibility that you have switched
the two dates. If this error has been made, BEN prints an error
message before reprompting you for both the compliance and
noncompliance dates. The error message below occurred when the
noncompliance and compliance dates entered in the examples above
were switched:
ERROR: THE NONCOMPLIANCE DATE 6,1990 DOES NOT OCCUR
PRIOR TO THE COMPLIANCE DATE 10,1987 ENTER BOTh DATES
AGAIN:
Remember that BEN assumes that dollar amounts for Inputs 2, 3
and 4 are in compliance-year dollars if you do not enter the dollar—
year along with the amount. If you have not entered a specific
dollar-year and you vary the compliance date, BEN will automatically
change the dollar—year for the cost inputs. In general, it is best
to include the dollar-year with your cost inputs.
July 1990

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7. Penalty Payment Date
7. MONTH AND YEAR WHEN PENALTY PAID (e.g., 8,1990)
9,1990
Enter the date the violator is expected to pay the civil
penalty. Keep in mind that there often is a considerable time lag
between when the violator signs the consent decree and when it
actually pays the penalty. As with the previous dates, the month
should be entered with the year, separated by a comma. The year
must contain four digits. The penalty payment date may be before,
after, or the same as the expected compliance date.
BEN states the economic benefit figure as of the penalty
payment date and assumes that the violator earns a return on the
benefit until that date. Therefore, the benefit figure increases
for later penalty payment dates, holding all other variables
constant (see Exhibit 111—1).
July 1990

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B • VARIABLES WITH STABDARD VALUES
BEN uses• 13 inputs to calculate the economic benefit of delayed
compliance. At this point in the program you have already entered
seven of the inputs. BEN offers two methods for supplying values
for the remaining six variables. The first time you run the
program, BEN prints a short message outlining the choices available.
BEN then asks you to choose between using standard values and
providing your own values:
BEN will use this information to estimate the econoijic
benefit. If you select standard values for the remaining
six variables, these standard values will be printed in
your output. You also have the option of entering your
own values for the remaining variables after Item 7.
HOW DO YOU WISH TO TREAT REMAINING VARIABLES?
(1 = USE STANDARD VALUES, 2 = ENTER OWN VALUES)
2
If you select the first choice, BEN will use the standard
values that it has stored in its memory. You need only to type 1
followed by a carriage return (or enter key), and BEN will calculate
the economic benefit using these stored standard values.
The standard values in BEN are updated from year to year to
reflect changes in interest rates, tax law, and so forth. While
these values are updated, the assumptions upon which they are based
remain the same. If the case you are analyzing is significantly
different from that represented by the standard values, you might
wish to specify values for some of the optional inputs. In
particularly complicated cases, you might also want to consult a
financial analyst or an economist.
July 1990

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The standard variables are numbered from 8 to 13. (Recall that
variables 1 through 7 are the case name and the six inputs discussed
in the previous section.) Exhibit 111—3 lists the assumptions that
support the standard values for for-profit companies. Exhibit 111-4
lists the assumptions that support the standard values for not-f or—
prof it companies. Additional information regarding not-for-profit
calculations can be found in Appendix B, Section 1.
If you want to enter your own values for variables 8 through
13, type 2 followed by a carriage return (or enter key). BEN then
prompts, you, beginning with Variable 8, for each nonstandard
variable value. 27
8. Useful Life
8. USEFUL LIFE OF POLLUTION CONTROL EQUIPMENT IN YEARS (e.g., 15) =
10
Enter the useful life in years followed by a carriage return
(or enter key). The useful life is the number of years that the
equipment can be operated before it must be replaced. The program
only accepts integer values, and will not accept a zero. A
fractional value, such as 15.6 years, must be rounded to the nearest
integer value (i.e., 16). If compliance does not involve investment
in equipment, use the standard value. 28 Do not enter a useful life
If you select standard values on your first BEN calculation of a session, and
decide to use a nonstandard value for your second calculation, you will still be
prompted for each variable, 8 through 13. As a shortcut, for each variable you
want to keep standard, simply hit the carriage return (or. Enter key) to tell the
computer to use the same standard value for the second calculation.
The useful life value does not affect the economic benefit result if you:
calculation does not involve a capital expenditure. This choice does, however,
define the number of years of data presented in Output Option 3.
July 1990

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EXHIBIT 111-3
STANDARD VALUE CHARACTERISTICS
FOR- PROFIT VIOLATORS
Variable
Characteristic Assumed
for Standard Value
8. Useful Life
9. Marginal Tax Rate
1986 and Before
10. Marginal Tax Rate
1987 and Beyond
]l. Inflation Rate
12. Discount Rate
13. Low-Interest Financing
The violator is installing typical pollution control
equipment, for example: air pollution control equipment.
including an electrostatic precipitator, FGD scrubber,
fabric filter, solvent recovery system, and incinerator;
or water pollution treatment systems including, activated
sludge, screening, filtration, chemical treatment, and
aerated lagoons. The standard value for useful life is
15 years.
The for-profit violator’s income is taxed on the margin
at the highest corporate income tax rate (federal and
state). The model assumes that the violator is located
in a state whose marginal corporate income tax rate is
equal to the average across all states. BEN uses two
tax rates, one for 1986 and before and the second for
1987 and beyond, to take into account the major change in
the federal marginal corporate income tax rate made by
the Congress in 1986.
The rate of increase in the violator’s cost of compliance
is equal to the average annual rate of increase in the
Chemical Engineering Plant Cost Index over the most
recent ten-year period.
The discount rate is based on the cost of capital for
pollution control investments. The model assumes that
pollution control investment is of average risk, and
financed by equity capital. The standard value is equal
to the corporate long term equity cost of capital average
over the past ten years. The model further assumes that
entity earned a return on these delayed and avoided costs
at this same rate.
BEN assumes that the company did not use an industrial
development bond, or any other government sponsored low-
interest financing mechanism, to finance its pollution
control investment.
July 1990

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E IBIT 111-4
STARDARD VALUE CHARACTERISTICS
NOT - FOR- PROFIT VIOLATORS
Variable Characteristic Assumed
for Standard Value
8. Useful Life The violator is installing typical pollution control
equipment, such as a water pollution treatment system,
including activated sludge, screening, filtration,
chemical treatment, and aerated lagoons. The standard
value for useful life is 15 years. -
9. Marginal Tax Rate The not-for-profit violator does not pay taxes; therefore
1986 and Before its marginal tax rate is 0 percent.
10. Marginal Tax Rate
1987 and Beyond
11. Inflation Rate The rate of increase in the violator’s cost of compli
is equal to the average annual rate of increase in th
Chemical Engineering Plant Cost Index over the most
recent ten year period.
12. Discount Rate The discount rate is equal to the average annual cost of
debt to municipalities over the last ten years.
13. Low-Interest Financing BEN assumes that the not-for-profit entity did not use
any low-interest financing mechanism to finance its
pollution control investment.
July 1990

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greater than 50 years or BEN will print the following error message
and then reprompt you:
ERROR: USEFUL LIFE CANNOT EXCEED 50 YEARS.
ENTER AGAIN.
BEN uses the useful life figure to calculate the total cost of
investing in, and maintaining pollution control equipment over
future replacement cycles. Equipment with a long useful life is
replaced less frequently than equipment with a short useful life.
Assuming the same investment cost per replacement cycle of each, the
total present value of the costs of continual replacement for the
longer-lived equipment would be lower (since you would have to buy
fewer of them, with each subsequent investment occurring later).
Therefore, a longer useful life reduces the benefit of delaying
compliance, holding all other inputs constant (see Exhibit 111-1).
9. Marginal Income Tax Rate for 2986 and Before
10. Marginal Income Tax Rat. for 1987 and Beyond
9. MARGINAL INCOME TAX RATE IN 1986 AND BEFORE (e.g., 49.6) =
49.6
July 1990

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Enter the marginal income tax rates in percentage terms
followed by a carriage return (or enter key). The program will
accept any value less than 100.00 percent, including 0.00 percent.
BEN has two tax—rate inputs because of the major changes to the tax
code made by Congress in 1986. These changes substantially reduced
the marginal federal corporate tax rate from 46% in 1986, to 34% in
1987 and onward. The standard values reflect the highest marginal
federal rate and the average marginal state tax rate.
The marginal income tax rate is the fraction of the last dollar
of taxable income that a violator should pay to federal, state, and
local governments. It is the statutory tax rate, and it reflects
the amount by which taxes would increase or decrease if taxable
income were to increase or decrease. It is important to use the
marginal tax rate, not the averaae tax rate (i.e., total tax divided
by total taxable income), because the marginal tax rate is the rate
which applies to incremental changes in the violator’s tax—
deduct ible expenses.
State and local income taxes do not include sales tax,
inventory tax, charter tax, or taxes on property. One time tax
payments, such as taxes on the purchase of equipment, should be
included in the investment cost. If the tax recurs regularly, then
it should be included in the annual expenditures. For example, as
mentioned above, sales tax is included in the investment outlay
while property tax is included in annual expenses.
When there is a state or local income tax, the state and local
tax rates must be adjusted to reflect the fact that state and local,
income taxes are deductible expenses in computing federal taxes.
The standard values for these variables will produce a reasonable
July 1990

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111 — 23
result. However, the preferable approach is to use state-specific
Values in place of the standard values in your BEN runs. The total
corporate marginal tax rates are calculated for you by state in
Exhibit III_5.29 Select the values for the state where the
affected facility is located.
BEN uses the marginal tax rate to account for the tax effects
of compliance expenditures. Because tax-deductible expenses and
depreciation associated with capital investments reduce taxable
income, they result in tax savings. A lower marginal tax rate
reduces this tax savings, thereby increasing the cost of compliance.
Thus, a lower tax rate results in a higher benefit from delay (see
Exhibit 1111) •30 The standard value, calculated according to the
above formula, is based on the highest federal marginal tax rate,
and the average of all marginal corporate tax rates imposed by
states.
The adjustment is made by multiplying the state rates by a factor equal to one
minus Lhe marginal federal tax :ate. as shown in the following formula:
MTR - MTRFW ,JLI + [ MTR A x ( 1 - MTRffDEI )]
where: MTR D DA — the marginal tax rate at the federal level; and
MTRSTATh — the marginal tax rate at the state level
Therefore, if you were to calculate the total marginal, tax rate for 1987
and beyond, based on a marginal state tax rate of 10% for example, the result
would be 40.6 percent. This computation is shown below:
— .34 + [ .10 x (1 - .34)1
— .34 + (.10 x .66)
— .34 + .066
— .406
— 40.6%
As mentioned above, the tax rate changes may cause a lower than expected BEN
value, especially if the noncompliance and compliance dates straddle the date of
the tax code changes. BEN values may be lower than expected because lower tax
rates reduce the tax savings (and i.rcrease the cost) associated with delayed
compliance.
July 1990

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EXHIBIT 111—5
Total Corporate Marginal Tax Rates by State
(Percent)
1986 and Before 3 ’ 1987 and Beyond 32
Alabama 48.7 37.3
Alaska 51.1 40.2
Arizona 51.7 40.9
Arkansas 49.2 38.0
California 51.2 40.1
Colorado 49.2 38.0
Connecticut 52.2 41.6
Delaware 50.7 39.7
Florida 49.0 37.6
Georgia 49.2 38.0
Hawaii 49.5 38.2
Idaho 50.2 39.3
Illinois 48.2 38.3
Indiana 47.6 39.2
Iowa 52.5 41.9
Kansas 49.6 37.0
Kentucky 49.9 38.8
Louisiana 50.3 39.3
Maine 50.8 40.6
Maryland 49.8 38.6
Massachusetts 51.1 40.3
Michigan 47.3 34.0
Minnesota 52.5 40.3
Mississippi 48.7 37.3
Missouri 48.7 37.3
3’ Based on a federal marginal tax rate of 46% and 1986 State corporate marginal
tax rates from the 1986/1987 All States Handbook .
3’ Based on a marginal Federal tax rate of 34% and State marginal corporate tax
rates for 1988, from the 1988-89 edition of The Book of the States .
July 1990

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E IBIT 1 1 1 -5 (con’d)
Total Corporat. Xarqinal Tax Rats. by stat.
- (P.ra.nt)
1986 and Before 1987 and Beyond
Montana 49.6 38.5%
Nebraska 49.6 38.4
Nevada 46.0 34.0
New Hampshire 50.3 39.3
New Jersey 50.9 39•9
New Mexico 50.1 39.0
New York 51.4 39.9
North Carolina 49.2 38.6
North Dakota 51.7 40.9
Ohio 51.0 39.9
Oklahoma 48.7 37.3
Oregon 50.1 38.4
Pennsylvania 51.1 39.6
Rhode Island 50.3 39.3
South Carolina 49.2 38.0
South Dakota 46.0 34.0
Tennessee 49.2 38.0
Texas 46.0 34.0
Utah 48.7 37.3
Vermont 50.9 39.4
Virginia 49.2 38.0
Washington 46.0 34.0
West Virginia 51.3 40.4
Wisconsin 50.3 39.2
Wyoming 46.0 34.0
Standard Valus 49. 5 39.4
July 1990

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21. InflittbnRate
11. ANNUAL INFLATION RATE (e.g., 4.1) =
3.5
Enter the inflation rate as a percent, followed by a carriage
return (or enter key). Be certain that you enter an annual rate and
not a monthly or semiannual rate.
The inflation rate variable in BEN is the annual rate at which
the costs of environmental control measures have, and are expected
to grow over time. These cost increases are the result of various
factors affecting supply and demand for particular products and
services, as well as general inflationary pressures in the economy.
BEN uses the inflation rate to adjust the cost of compliance
into noncompliance—year dollars, and then into future—year costs.
When the inflation rate is higher, the costs increase more quickly
over time. An increase in the future cost of pollution controls
reduces the economic benefit of delaying compliance, because the
equipment would have cost less had it been purchased on time. Thus,
in general, the economic benefit figure decreases for higher
inflation rates (see Exhibit 111-1). There are rare exceptions to
this relationship, depending on the year in which annual costs are
expressed and the relative size of annual expenditures to capital
and one—time expenditures.
The standard value of the inflation rate in BEN is an average
of inflationary trends over the last ten years, as reported by the
“Plant Cost Index” (PCI) published in Chemical Enaineerina
July 1990

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III — 27
magazine. 33 The Chemical Enaineering Plant Cost Index is used
rather than another index (e.g., the Consumer Price Index, or the
GNP Deflator) because it more accurately reflects the costs of
activities associated with pollution-control expenditures. The PCI
is based on cost changes in typical components of pollution control,
including equipment, construction labor, buildings, and engineering
and supervision. Exhibit 111—6 presents the annual Plant Cost Index
for 1971 through 1989. Over the ten-year period between 1979 and
1989, inflation related to plant costs averaged 4.1 percent. 34
This value is reasonable for most BEN calculations. If you
have some reason to believe that a better inflation forecast for
your purposes is available, contact your local BEN expert to discuss
the use of a nonstandard input. -
Chemical Engineering , McGraw Hill, Inc., biweekly issues. The Plant Cost Index
is normally located on the page labeled “Economic Indicators.”
In general, an annual inflation rate is calculated as follows:
r Index in final yearn u N
It — ljx 100
\ ndex in initial yearJ J
Where: N — Final year - Initial year
To obtain the standard value, the index values for 1989 and 1979 (355.4 and
238.7, respectively) were used to calculate the ten-year average. The
calculation is:
rr 355 . 4 i 1
ii I - lix 100
LL238.7J J
— (1.041 - 1) x 100
— 4.1 percent
July 1990

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EXHIBIT 111—6
CBEXICRL ENGINEERING PLZNT COST INDEX
1972—1989
Year Index
1971 132.2
1972 137.2
1973 144.1
1974 165.4
1975 182.4
1976 192.1
1977 204.1
1978 218.8
1979 238.7
1980 261.2
1981 297.0
1982 314.0
1983 316.9
1984 322.7
1985 325.3
1986 318.4
1987 323.8
1988 342.5
1989 355.4
Source: chemical Enaineering , McGraw Hill, Inc., biweekly issues,
1975—1990.
u1y 1990

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12. Discount Rate
12. DISCOUNT RATE: EQUITY COST OF CAPITAL (e.g., 18.1) =
17.5
Enter the discount rate as a percent followed by a carriage
return (or enter key). Be certain that the discount rate is greater
than the inflation rate. Otherwise, after all entries have been
made, BEN will flag the error with a message and then reprompt you
for both the inflation and discount rates. In the example below,
the user entered an inflation rate of 9 percent and a discount rate
of 7.5 percent:
ERROR: THE INFLATION RATE 9.00%
MUST BE LESS THAN THE DISCOUNT RATE 7.50%
ENTER BOTH RATES AGAIN
To calculate the economic benefit of delay as of the
noncompliance date, BEN uses the equity cost of capital to discount
the relevant cash flows. The equity cost of capital represents the
return a company needs to earn to compensate stockholders for the
risk associated with its equity securities. BEN also uses the
equity cost of capital rate to bring the initial economic benefit
forward to the penalty payment date.
July 1990

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111 — 30
The standard value in BEN is based on the average cost of lonc
term equity capital over the most recent ten years.” A higher
discount rate increases the return from delaying compliance, thereby
increasing the economic benefit (See Exhibit 111-1).
If you want to make any changes to the discount rate, it is
strongly recommended that you consult an economist or financial
analyst.
13. Low-Interest Financing
Variable 13 deals with the use of low—interest financing for
all or part of an investment in pollution control equipment. Some
companies finance all or a portion of their pollution control
investment with low—interest debt such as industrial development
The equity cost of capital (E ) is calculated according to the following
formula:
E€, — Cost of equity capital, calculated by
— Rf + £*E
where: R, — Return from risk-free investments, such
as treasury bonds;
£ — Beta, or market risk relative to
average stock
— Equity risk premium
The standard values are based on an average over the past ten years, where:
— the yield on 30-year federal treasury bonds;
£ — 1.00, indicating a firm of average risk;
E , — based on arithmetic mean long-term equity risk premium of
7.5% for 1926-1989 calculated by Ibbotson Associates.
July 1990

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bonds (IDB’s) or Small Business Administration (SBA) loans. Because
they are federally subsidized and issued at lower interest rates
than other corporate bonds, such financing instruments reduce the
cost of the pollution control investment or one—time expenditure.
BEN can take this cost reduction into account by using three pieces
of information: the amount of low—interest financing, the low-
interest rate, and the corporate bond rate. Please note that only
government subsidized loans should be considered here. Intra-
company loans are not considered low interest financing.
13. AMOUNT OF LOW INTEREST FINANCING =
(FOLLOW WITH DOLLAR-YEAR SEPARATED BY BLANK; e.g., 100000 1990)
(ENTER 0 IF THIS COST CATEGORY IS NOT APPLICABLE)
105000 1989
An initial prompt asks for the amount of the investment
financed with low—interest debt. If low—interest financing was not
used, type 0 (zero), and BEN will skip over the next two parameters.
If low—interest financing was obtained, enter the dollar amount of
the low—interest debt (without entering commas or dollar signs) and
follow the entry with the year in which the dollars are expressed
(in four digits). If you omit the dollar-year the first time you
answer this question, BEN assumes that the figure is in compliance-
year dollars.
You will need to determine the dollar amount of the initial
capital investment and one-time expenditure that is financed with
low-interest financing. When the entire pollution control project
is one of several projects financed by low—interest debt, the total
initial capital investment and/or the one-time expenditure
associated with the pollution control project is the proper amount
to enter in BEN. If you enter an amount greater than the sum of the
Ju].v 1990

-------
III — 32
initial capital investment and the one—time expenditure, BEN will
replace your entry with this sum.
A greater amount of low—interest financing lowers the cost of
compliance, thereby reducing the benefit from delaying compliance
(See Exhibit I ll-i). The standard value in BEN is a zero amount of
low—interest financing.
LOW INTEREST RATE (e.g., 9) =
(ENTER 0 IF YOU WANT THIS RATE CALCULATED.)
10
If the amount of low—interest financing is not zero, you are
next asked to enter the interest rate paid by the firm on the low-
interest debt instrument. As for previous rates, the low—interest
rate entry should be entered as a percent, without the percent sign.
If you do not know this rate, but you do know the interest rate paid
on other corporate debt, enter a zero; BEN will estimate the low-
interest rate using your corporate-debt rate entry, by applying the
historical relationship between tax—free arid taxable bonds.
BEN assumes that the alternative to low—interest financing is
financing with corporate bonds at the corporate debt rate. The
benefit from low—interest financing increases as the difference
between the low-interest rate and the corporate debt rate increases.
This benefit reduces the cost of compliance and the benefit of
delay. Thus, holding the corporate debt rate constant, as the low-
interest rate falls, the economic benefit figure falls (See Exhibit
111—1).
July 1990

-------
III — 33
CORPORATE DEBT RATE (e.g., 12) —
(ENTER 0 IF lot, HAVE PROVIDED A LOW INTEREST
RATE AND YOU WANT THE DEBT RATE CALCULATED.)
12 -
If possible, find the corporate debt rate for the company
employing low-interest financing. If you provide the low-interest
rate, you are not required to provide the corporate debt rate. If
the corporate debt rate is not provided, BEN will estimate it from
the low—interest rate, using the historical relationship between
taxable and tax—free bonds. Therefore, enter a 0 in response to the
corporate debt rate prompt if yol. ,ant BEN to estimate it.
The corporate debt rate entered in BEN should reflect the
financing rates that prevailed at the time the low-interest
financing was obtained. If the violator issued long-term debt at
about the same time that it obtained its low-interest financing, the
rate on that corporate debt may be used. The corporate debt rate
can also be estimated from the reported yield on corporate bonds
having the quality rating assigned to the violating firm’s most
recently issued bonds; or, when the rating is not known, from the
reported yield on corporate bonds having an “A” rating.
Long-term bond yields are reported monthly in Moody’s Bond
Record for specific publicly—held companies, and as averages for
each debt-quality rating. Bonds are rated by Moody’s according to
their risk, with higher quality ratings denoting lower-risk bonds.
The ratings range from the highest—quality “Aaa,” to a low of “C.”
Average corporate yields are reported for only the highest four
ratings: “Aaa,” “Aa,” “A,” and “Baa.” Exhibit 111—7 presents
historical and recent average annual yields. Exhibit 111-8 presents
a representative summary page from Moody’s Bond Record . Use the
average corporate yield for bonds of “Baa” rating if the company has
a rating of “Baa” or lower.
July 1990

-------
111 — 34
Exhibit 111—7
JJN AVERAGE YIELDS
ON CORPORATE BONDS
1975—1989
Bond Rating
Year Avg. Aaa A Baa
1975 9.46 8.83 8.97 9.65 10.39
1976 9.01 8.43 8.75 9.09 9.75
1977 8.43 8.02 8.24 8.49 8.97
1978 9.07 8.73 8.92 9.12 9.49
1979 10.12 9.63 9.94 10.20 10.69
1980 12.75 11.94 12.50 12.89 13.67
1981 15.06 14.17 14.75 15.29 16.04
1982 14.94 13.79 14.41 15.43 16.11
1983 12.78 12.04 12.42 13.10 13.55
1984 13.49 12.71 13.31 13.74 14.19
1985 12.05 11.37 11.82 12.28 12.72
1986 9.71 9.02 9.47 9.95 10.39
1987 9. 1 9.38 9.68 9.99 10.58
1988 10.18 9.71 9.94 10.24 10.83
1989 9.66 9.26 9.46 9.74 10.18
SOURCE; Moody’s Bond Record , January 1981 — January 1989, and Table
1.35, Federal Reserve Bulletin , March 1990.
July 1990

-------
III — 35
Exhibit 1 1 1—8
MOODY’S CORPORATE BOND YIELD AVERAGES
1977—1989
Av.
Cs.p
Ae.
C.por.t.
by P ti g
A .. A
Cer or t.
by CtOhapI
S ..i P.U I..d.
Av.
C..’p &aj
Corporat.
by Rata’ j
&. *
$ m
Co’por ,
Dy G ou
PU
77
3 $3
-
- -
I.&

Mu.
Ape.
May
J av a.
July
Aug.
S.ep.
Oct.
94o .
D—_
$43
*41
1.31
I 49
I 47
4.3$
4.33
1.34
I 3$
142
$ 4*
1.34
7$
4.04
$10
1.04
4.05
3,3
79’

7.92
2.04
10*
LII
LU 11$
1 3 $49
1.31 1.33
$ 2* 1.3$
1.31 4.33
1 $9 $44
I $2 $40
117 *40
$ 1$ 1.37
. I2 $42
I 34 $ 34
140 1.37
O1 $59 1.24 127
9 12 $ ) 4.33 $.2
9.12 266 L3 I3
90 ’ $ S 1.22
$ 6’ $
191 2.33 1.23
117 2 I 102
1*2 *47 1.33 103
I 90 $4) Ill $0’
I I, $ 34 2.27 1.07
I 93 161 I.3 I $0
199 $ 5 142 $ $0
3 p
Feb
M.r
Apt
*4•y

July
*111
SIpI
Oct
Pvc..
Dcc. ..
1603 $311
3633 IS 25
3361 I’ SI
13 33 Id 46
IS 34 Id 76
$37’ 1411
3370 $161
IS 0 $373
$4 1294
I) 3’ 1217
1301 136$
130? $ $3
3373 36 19
IS 7 1633
132$ Ill)
4 90 IS 93
$4 7) 33 70
1326 $601
13.2$ $670
1443 1570
137? 1307
1295 4 3.4
1251 $311
$2 £1 $366
1,10
I) I I
$612
1672
36 b
1697
*610
$632
1563
$4 73
1430
4 4
1653 $3 3) 14i:
1672 1333 )i0
$605 1539 l4
12 $2 I ! 2.2 403
IS 60 $303 1393
lb I I IS 33 1399
lb D l IS 35 1405
15.12 34 Ii *3
4 36 14 II *3 c
3311 $3 19 $301
*33* i: 55 32. ’
1325 I ? 41 12
197 1
Ji .
Feb.
34j
A
May
j
Jv.ly
.& a.g.
5 pi_
_
.o .

174
I 7*
$ $0
$ I I
02
9 I)
12.3
10$
904
9.20
940
949
$41
$47
$47
1 S
$69
*56
1*2
$69
169
129
903
9$
$57 $7 ’
$ 63 I 79
$ 66 1 I)
173 L93
I 14 903
193 9 II
05 9.23
$96 93$
192 II I
9 07 926
9.3’ 941
9.33 9.33
937 I$ $10 1.70
9.20 $10 I 13 1 32
9.22 $93 $66 141
933 903 $72 $49
9 49 9 I $4 1 10
60 933 I $61
910 9 3* 903 170
9 4 92$ $93 173
942 917 $90
“ 9 902 1 ‘
9.13 9 3 9•
96 67 9.31 9.33
1913
Jan
let
M I
Ap
U ,.
Jijp 4
Jv)
Aug
Sc-p.
Oc
P .o.
3290 II 79
3302 $2 01
12.7$ I. 73
$2 44 I I 33
32)0 II it
r ‘ I. 5’
C..73 12 1
*30. 32.53
$291 *23’
$379 $..23
$2.93 $243
12.33 $3 33
32.3* 1353
2.3: 1313
$2 U lb
fl 93 $2 63
2 *211
*2 2 3299
$2.72 $215
32 6.2 13 31
$2 4C $2 C7
I26 1309
*3 6’
$3 93
136$
*2 29
I) C X
I) 35
*339
2364
1335
1344
1363
13 ‘6 *2 )4 12..
33 *243 12 U
332* 3 : 32 12.3 I
*3 0? II I ’ I I 90
$3 I I 3 i 62
33 Ii I 53
22.2! i: 1 12C
133.C i:.z: 3 :3)
33 22 U ‘.6 *2 C.’
$3 I $3 3C $203
*333 2.53 12.32
1971
.
330) U37
U. )6 *3 21
33 73
$341 *2.66 *2 2
Jan.
65
923
4$ 972
IC I) 9.23 944 .2I
Fe’o
9 63
9.26
9 50 6$
100$ 9 14 42 9.33
1911
Mar
976
937
bI 9*3
10.26 3002 9.30 9)0
Ju..
$2.92 U20
1271 $3 $3
1365
1340 1263 1241
AW
May
Jvr.t
9 II
996
9 $3
931
9.50
979
9 3 II
916 3002
964 *9
3033 3003 57 9.2$
$047 $023 69 941
103* $004 9.37
let
blat
AD
*2.64 $201
$323 US’
1339 1211
I2. C 1311
$22.. $3 34
$34! 1377
13 59
$395
34 31
33 50 32 22.21
*402 1302 12.53
34 )C 12 25 UlI
Ju!y
Av3
3 p
Oc.
Plc ..
Dcc.
9 69
9 54
993
10,1
11.37
11.23
9 3
523
9 ‘.4
$013
1076
30.7’
919 973
923 *3
970 3003
3046 *033
13.12 $1.50
1113 3144
$029 90 947 943
$035 99 9.52
$054 3019 966 9.30
$140 I )
$3.99 $373 $102 1033
$3.06 1161 um 10.44
Ma.
Ja.ia.
ivI

Sep..
.
34 13 131
‘40 123!
l4_ $344
$371 $215
13 54. *266
3333 1:63
I ’ ID Ii 35
14 33 I’ 66
Ii U I I 57
134 14$)
33.25 *3 94
$311 136$
II 74
3302
33 IS
1463
Ii 33
*394
1493 13
IS It I I 03 $2.3
14 92 ‘CX 3)
$47; $363 531:
$40 $342 1364
1344 $3 IC *344
1910
3.,..
$I 4
$3.09
$1.34 $113
•
$142 32.92 1125 1061
No.
D
$211 I ?_2C
$3. ) 4 $2.1?
2.66 $309
U_SC 12.92
334$
1340
3333 lit 130:
12.96 *2.51 12.b
Feb
$*at
Apt
P4 .7
June
.Iuly
Aug.
Sept.
Oct.
P4o.
D .
3911
3....
Feb.
12.92
13 73
13.31
$2 $1
1$ 44
11.77
22.33
$210
3307
I) 63
$4.0 ’
*3.10
*4.22
13.3$
$296
32.0’
1099
10.5 1
13.07
*3.64
17.02
12.3$
31.97
13.2$
12.1*
15.33
32.53 31.99
13 SI l39
1306 *3.35
II 9$ $2.33
$1.39 13.19
11.4) $1.93
11.09 12.44
32.32 *2.97
33.61 $3.03
33.34 $3.39
13.7$ 34.03
1322 11.1)
13.19 $4.27
$337 $341 12.33 3106
443 14.33 13.11 33.1)
14 II $3.30 $2.93 I 3.63
$3.17 13.37 33.04 31.31
12.7$ I 3.17 11.41 3 3.26
$2.63 $1.32 *3.4) 11.2$
$3. 13 $1.12 liii I2
*3.70 $3.2 32.3$ fl_34
$4.2.) 33.5) $1.60 1173
4.64 $4.07 $3.20 $2.02
25.34 14.4$ 33.60 32.22
13.02 14.22 33.37 *243
13.37 34.11 *3.60 12.6$
.
1915
Jar.
Feb
h
ApT
May
June
Ji ’
AVg.
$e,i.
.
P .o.
Dc
3916
•
12.64 U01
*2.66 U_I)
13 *3 $236
*2.29 U 2.)
12.47 II 77
1170 1094
13.64 $097
1176 II 03
.1 1.75 II 07
11.69 13.02
1139 1033
3019 $016
*243 12 10
$219 32 10
1291 •333.6
I2_t’ $3 Ii
13.3C $2.70
$144 II 93
1142 $192
II 47 . 12.02
• II £6 I I 99
I I 3 1194
iIO7 33.54
$063 11.19
1326
33.23
$36 ’
13 31
$3 13
32.10
3113
*2.30
12.4$
1236
1195
11.51
12 1! 32 41 3262
$3 02 12.3: 12 3*
1366 $210 1L5
3342 32.37 12 6C
12*9 *2.0’ 32.39
I I 9$ 1341 I I I;
1111 3315 $3 6.3
ii 93 1 .3.7 I 34
I I 93 I: .!! $1 6.2
311’ 31.33 1.3.’
1133 11.2.2 13.3!
$012 $096 1131
•
Mu
14.26
35.33
13.90 34.47
35.34 4.16 32.46 11.77
ia&.
.1073 $0.05
3046 $104
1144
$066 1013- 30*4
Ape
May
Jung
July
Avg.
Sept.
Oct.
Na ,.
D .
34.66
IS 33
4 76
13.1$
$3.60
16.1$
*6.20
33.33
33.3$
5.61
14.32
13.73
14.31
4.19
15.49
1340
4.2.2
4.2.)
*4.29 34.12
34.1* 254)
$441 $3.01
1479 *3.36
$317 3576
1393 34.36
13.12 $64,
$4.97 *3.12
33.02 13.75
$3.34 33.32 *4.02 ILlS
3.93 15.14 *443 *2.90
$3.10 *3.37 *4.23 $3.09
*6.37 33.17 3442 $3.22
34.31 $6.33 34.17 33.30
I6. 2 16.19 *3.47 13.71
$7.13 $6.76 *4.64 13.1$
34.39 $320 15.19 33.92
$6.33 $3.77 23.02 13.14
Feb
MaJ
Ape
May
June
July
Aug.
Scp._
C’ct.
P.o.
D _
$040 967
979 902
9.3$ 179
9.69 909
9.73 $3
9.37 I II
944 177
j3 I $9
934 I 16
9.37 $41
9.2.) 149
10 13 • $067
949 $0.13
.2I 9 1)
943 994
919 94
931 76
9.22 964
9.36 . 9.73
p.3) 9.72
920 931
9.02. 9 i
11.11
$049
30 19
3029
3034
*0 I I
10 II
3020
10.24
200’
.9.97
$0 $6 1063 105$
933 *02’ *00S
9.02 91 97*
9.32 IS 9 SI
9.33 993 917
)9 IS 973
9 IS 9.73 969
942 961 9.3
9.39 9.61 963
913 93$ 9.34
1.96 L49 9.3
July 1990

-------
1107 1075 998 1004
1062 10!l -967 985
1057 lOll 96 1 991
1090 1053 976 1008
1104 1075 997 1003
1100 1071 999 1004
liii 1096 998 1006
Ii 21L.ll.09 10.07 1010
1090 1056 1000 1012
1041 992 988 1003
104.8 989 993 bob
1065 1002 1004 1006
981 1010 1065 1002 10081004
983 -1013 1061 1002 1008 1005
•998 1026 1067 • 1016 1019 1019
994 1030 1061 1014 1013 1027
975 1000 1046 992 997 1031
929..-959 1003 949 951 1017
9I . 942 987 934 934 1005
914.945 688 937,933 —
923 9.51 991 943 939 —
9.19—944 981 937 931.
914 -‘942 -981 933 .930
911 939 982 9.31 9.28 —-.
III — 36
Exhibit 111—8 (aon’d)
MOODY’S CORPORATE BOND YIELD AVERAGES
1977—1989
1987 - - - -
Jan 904 $36 886 923 972 877 931 919
Feb - -9O3 838 88 1 920 965 1881 925 922
199 -$36 8M 913 961 875 923 913
Apr ?-.935.:.8I5 915 : 936 -l004 930- 940. .930
May;982.933..959. 983-1051 982_9$l_953
June’ --987- .932 .965 .998:1032.987 $7. . 956
3uly ..-992 942’ 964 1000 1061 ’100I’ 982 ‘9 52
AUg 1014 967 986 1030 1080 1033 994 969
SCPL 1064 1018 1033 1072 1131 1100 102$ 996
OCL 1097 1052 1074 1098 1162 1132.1060 1007
Nov 1054 1001 1027 1063 1123 1082 1025 1030
D 1059 1011 1033 1062 1129 1099 101$ 100$
2988
hr 1037 986 1009 1043
989 940 960. 994
Mar 986 .939 959 989
Ap 1015 967 986 10 17
May 1037 990 1010 1041
June 1036 986 1013 1042
July . - 1047 9.96’ 1026 ‘IC 55
Aug . 1038 .1011 1037 1063
Sept 1028 982 1006 1034
Oct 990 - 9.51 971 999
Nov 991 945 972 999
: 1003 957 981.2011
1989.
Ja 1005 962
Feb 1005 964
Mat 10 18.—980
Ap 1014 979
Mi - - 993 957
June - 950 910
July 934 893
Aug 936 -896
ScpI 941 901
Oct ’ - 934 -.8.92
Nov - 932 .* 89
Dcc ’’ 930 ’ .886;
SOURCE: Moody’s Bond Record ,
January 1981-January 1989.
July 1990

-------
111 — 37
If you do not enter the low—interest rate, the period selected
for estimating the average corporate debt rate should i nclude the
noncompliance period through the year of the most recgnt bond-yield
data. If you do enter the low—interest rate, simply use the average
bond yield for the year in which the low-interest financing was
obtained.
As discussed above, the benefit from low—interest financing
depends on the differential between the corporate debt rate and the
low—interest rate. The cost savings increases and the benefit of
delay decreases for higher corporate debt rates relative to the low—
interest rate (See Exhibit Ill-i).
In summary, if there is low—interest financing, you must enter
either the low-interest rate, the corporate debt rate, or both
values, if available. BEN calculates the unknown rate from the
given rate. If you enter a zero for both questions, BEN will print
the following error message and reprompt you for both interest
rates:
ERROR: YOU MUST ENTER EITHER THE LOW INTEREST
RATE OR A CORPORATE DEBT RATE (OR BOTH).
YOU WILL BE PROMPTED FOR THESE VARIABLES AGAIN.
There are three restrictions on the inputs regarding low-
interest financing. First, the amount of low—interest. financing
must not exceed the investment in pollution control equipment plus
the one-time expenditure. BEN checks for this condition after all
variables have been entered and prints the following error message:
July 1990

-------
III — 38
AZ4OUNT OF LOW INTEREST FINANCING EXCEEDS TOTAL
INITIAL OUTLAY AND HAS BEEN ADJUSTED.
Rather than reprompt you for the amount financed, BEN assumes
that the amount is equal to the sum of the investment entered in
response to variables 2 and 3. If the low—interest financing amount
exceeds the initial capital investment but not the sum of the
capital investment plus the one—time expenditure, BEN assumes that
the entire capital investment is financed by low-interest debt with
the remaining portion applied to the one-time expenditure.
The second restriction is that the low—interest rate must be
less than the interest rate paid on other long—term corporate debt.
BEN checks the relationship between these two variables immediately
after you enter the two rates. If the low-interest debt rate
exceeds the corporate debt rate, BEN prints an error message and
reprornpts you for both interest rates:
ERROR: THE LOW INTEREST RATE 14 • 00% MUST NOT EXCEED
THE CORPORATE DEBT RATE OF 11.00%
ENTER AGAIN:
Third, the corporate debt rate cannot exceed the discount rate
entered for Variable 12. After you have entered all values, BEN
checks for this error. If the corporate debt rate does exceed the
discount rate, BEN prints the following error message and then
July 1990

-------
III — 39
reprompts for the inflation rate, the discount rate, the low—
interest rate, and the corporate debt rate:
ERROR: THE CORPORATE DEBT RATE 14.00%
MUST BE LESS THAN THE DISCOUNT RATE 13.50%
YOU WILL BE REPROMPTED FOR THE INFLATION RATE, DISCOUNT
RATE, LOW INTEREST RATE, AND THE CORPORATE DEBT RATE.
RECALL THAT THE INFLATION RATE CANNOT EXCEED THE
DISCOUNT RATE, AND ThE LOW-INTEREST RATE CANNOT EXCEED
THE CORPORATE DEBT RATE.
a a a
BEN now has all of the information needed to calculate the
economic benefit a violator gains by delaying expenditures required
for compliance with environmental regulations. The next chapter
describes the choices available for a printout of the results, and
the procedures for changing standard and user-specified values for
additional economic benefit calculations.
July 1990

-------
Iv- ’
CHAPTER IV
INTERPRETING OUTPUT AND CHANGING VARIABLE VALUES
This chapter describes the output provided by BEN and the
procedures used to revise data values. The chapter is divided into
two sections:
Section A describes the three levels of detail available for output.
Examples of printouts for each option are provided and explained.
Section B explains how to re—run the program by changing some or all
of the variables. The different procedures for calculations using
standard values and calculations using user—specified values are
described. Also shown are error messages specific to changing
standard and user—specified values.
July 1990

-------
IV-2
A. OUTPUT OPTIONS
1. Selecting Output
When BEN has finished its calculations, it asks you how the
output should be presented. The first tine through the program, BEN
describes the four output choices in detail:
BEN is ready to provide output. You have 4 choices:
1. Print only the economic benefit of delayed
compliance. No intermediate calculations are printed.
All of the inputs used in the calculations are shown.
2. Print the economic benefit of delayed compliance
plus the present values of delayed and on time
cash flows. All of the inputs used in the calculations are
shown.
3. Print Option 2 plus 2 tables of annual cash flows
for the useful life of the initial pollution control
equipment. All of the inputs used in the calculations are
shown.
4. Do not print results. Use this option if a data entry
error is discovered.
CHOOSE OUTPUT OPTION 1, 2, 3, OR 4.
All output options are designed to fit on standard letter-size
paper, with top, bottom, and side margins on each page. For
identification purposes, each page is marked with the date of the
case run and the case name. All values are rounded to the nearest
dollar, for printing in the output tables.
When one or more of the expenditure inputs is a large dollar
amount (e.g., the capital investment exceeds $1 million, or annual
July 1990

-------
IV — 3
expenses exceed $100,000), BEN converts all dollar amounts to
thousands. When this conversion occurs, BEN provides a message
alerting you that the results are in thousands of dollars. The
message appears in parentheses under the economic benefit result in
output Options 1, 2, and 3 and under the table headings in Option 3.
In all of the output options, a listing of the variables used
in the calculation follows the printout of the results. The costs
in this listing are the oriainal cost inputs; that is, they are not
converted to thousands even if conversion to thousands is made in
the output.
Select one of the output options by typing the number 1, 2, or
3; or skip over printing by choosing Option 4. BEN will respond
with the prompt below if you choose Option 1, 2, or 3:
POSITION
PAPER
ON BOTTOM LINE OF THIS PAGE,
THEN PRESS CARRIAGE RETURN
If you are using a PC without a printer, you can simply press
the carriage return (or enter key) to read the output on the screen.
After you have finished all of your desired economic benefit
calculations, BEN will provide you the option to receive a printed
hardcopy of the output. Alternatively, you can use your PC—based
communications software to capture the output into a file. Consult
with your local computer software specialist to proceed via this
route. 36
If you are using a TTY, align the print head with the last line of the current
sheet of computer paper. When you press the carriage return (or enter key), the
output will start on a fresh blank page.
July 1990

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IV-4
2. Output Option 1
Option 1 is the shortest torn of output. Option 1 reports the
economic benefit of delayed compliance and the variable values used
in the calculation. The economic benefit is expressed as of the
penalty payment date. Exhibit IV-l shows the output under Option 1.
Note that the number of months of delay between the initial date of
nonco npliance and the compliance date is printed in a label next to
the economic benefit result. The label also states the number of
months from the initial noncompliance date until the date the
penalty is to be paid.
3. Output Option 2
Option 2 prints the economic benefit calculation as in Option
1, but adds intermediate calculations-to the output. Option 2
provides more information, and can help users understand the effect
of changes in the inputs on the economic benefit. Exhibit IV-2
shows an example of output Option 2.
o Calculation A is the present value of the costs
that would have been associated with the timely
purchase, installation, and operation of
pollution control equipment over one useful
life . This figure is expressed in
noncompliance-year dollars. -
o Calculation B includes the present value of the
costs associated with subsequent replacement and
operation of equipment, in addition to the total
of the one-time expenditure and the first useful
life period costs expressed in A. This figure
is the present value cost that the violator
would g Daid had it complied on time,
expressed in noncompliance year dollars.
July 1990

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IV-5
EXHIBIT IV-1
OUTPUT OPTION 1
COMPANY X EXAMPLE JUNE 30, 1990
THE ECONOMIC BENEFIT OF A 32 MONTH DELAY
, 35 MONTHS AFTER NONCOMPLIANCE $ 133194
THE ECONOMIC SAVINGS CALCULATION ABOVE <-<-<-<-c-<-
USED THE FOLLOWING VARIABLES:
USER SPECIFIED VALUES
1A. CASE NAME = COMPANY X EXAMPLE
lB. STATUTE = CLEAN AIR ACT - MOBILE SOURCE
1C. PROFIT STATUS = FOR-PROFIT
2. INITIAL CAPITAL INVESTMENT (RECURRING) = $ 105000 1989 DOLLARS
3. ONE-TIME NONDEPRECIABLE EXPENDITURE = $ 210000 1989 DOLLARS
(TAX-DEDUCTIBLE EXPENSE)
4. ANNUAL EXPENSE = $ 15750 1989 DOLLARS
5. FIRST MONTH OF NONCOMPLIANCE = 10, 1987
6. COMPLIANCE DATE = 6, 1990
7. PENALTY PAYMENT DATE = 9, 1990
8. USEFUL LIFE OF POLLUTION CONTROL EQUIPMENT = 10 YEARS
9. MARGINAL INCOME TAX RATE FOR 1986 AND BEFORE = 49.60 %
10. MARGINAL INCOME TAX RATE FOR 1987 AND BEYOND = 38.40 %
11. ANNUAL INFLATION RATE = 3.50 %
12. DISCOUNT RATE: CORPORATE EQUITY RATE = 17.50 %
13. AMOUNT OF LOW INTEREST FINANCING = $ 105000 1989 DOLLARS
LOW INTEREST RATE = 10.00 %
CORPORATE DEBT RATE = 12 • 00 %
July 1990

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IV — 6
EXHIBIT IV-2
OUTPUT OPTION 2
COMPANY X EXAMPLE JUNE 30, 1990
A. VALUE OF EMPLOYING POLLUTION CONTROL ON TIME AND
OPERATING IT FOR ONE USEFUL LIFE IN 1987 DOLLARS $ 242354
B. VALUE OF EMPLOYING POLLUTION CONTROL ON TIME AND
OPERATING IT FOR ONE USEFUL LIFE PLUS ALL FUTURE -
REPLACEMENT CYCLES IN 1987 DOLLARS - $ 289924
C. VALUE OF DELAYING EMPLOYMENT OF POLLUTION
CONTROL EQUIPMENT BY 32 MONTHS PLUS ALL FUTURE
REPLACEMENT CYCLES IN 1987 DOLLARS $ 206708
D. ECONOMIC BENEFIT OF A 32 MONTH DELAY
IN 1987 DOLLARS (EQUALS B MINUS C) $
E. ThE ECONOMIC BENEFIT AS OF THE PENALTY PAYMENT
DATE, 35 MONTHS AFTER NONCOMPLIANCE $ 133194
->->->->-> THE ECONOMIC SAVINGS CALCULATION ABOVE c-<-<-c-<-
USED THE FOLLOWING VARIABLES:
USER SPECIFIED VALUES
CASE NAME = COMPANY X EXAMPLE
STATUTE = CLEAN AIR ACT - MOBILE SOURCE
PROFIT STATUS = FOR-PROFIT
INITIAL CAPITAL INVESTMENT (RECURRING) = $ 105000 1989 DOLLARS
ONE-TIME NONDEPRECIABLE EXPENDITURE = $ 210000 1989 DOLLARS
(TAX-DEDUCTIBLE EXPENSE)
ANNUAL EXPENSE — $ 15750
FIRST MONTH OF NONCOMPLIANCE =
COMPLIANCE DATE = 6
PENALTY PAYMENT DATE =
USEFUL LIFE OF POLLUTION CONTROL EQUIPMENT =
MARGINAL INCOME TAX RATE FOR 1986 AND BEFORE =
MARGINAL INCOME TAX RATE FOR 1987 AND BEYOND =
ANNUAL INFLATION RATE = 3
DISCOUNT RATE: CORPORATE EQUITY RATE =
AMOUNT OF LOW INTEREST FINANCING =
LOW INTEREST RATE =
CORPORATE DEBT RATE =
83216
1A.
lB.
ic.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
1989 DOLLARS
10, 1987
, 1990
9, 1990
10 YEARS
49.60%
38.40%
.50%
17.50%
$ 105000 1989 DOLLARS
10.00% -
12.00%
July 1990

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IV-7
o Calculation C expresses the present value costs
of delayed compliance as of the noncompliance
date including all subsequent replacements of
equipment, if any. This value is usually less
than B, and represents the actual cost to the
violator of delayed compliance with
environmental requirements. 37
o Calculation D, the initial economic benefit, is
obtained by subtracting C from B. The initial
economic benefit in D is expressed in dollars as
of the noncompliance date. In some cases D will
not exactly equal B minus C because of rounding.
o Calculation E adjusts D to the value of the
economic benefit as of the expected penalty
payment date. This adjustment reflects the
violator’s earnings on the initial economic
benefit between the noncompliance date and the
penalty payment date.
4. Output Option 3
Option 3 shows the detailed calculations behind the final BEN
values, and is most helpful to financial analysts wanting to
understand the program’s calculations. Option 3 provides two tables
showing annual cash flows over the first useful life of the
pollution control equipment. The first table contains the cash
flows that would have occurred had the violator complied on tine.
The second table contains the cash flows estimated to occur when the
violator actually complies. Both tables will appear on one page if
the useful life of the capital investment is 15 years or less. If
the useful life exceeds 15 years, each table will appear as a
“ The result of Calculation C can be greater than that of Calculation B. The
most common reason for this result is the effect of the lover marginal tax rates
after 1986. Lower marginal tax rates increase the Cost of pollution control:
they lover the depreciation tax shield and reduce annual costs, thereby
increasing the after-tax annual costs. Thus, the usual benefit associated with
postponing compliance-related investments can be offset by increased future
annual costs due to tax changes. In other words, in these cases, the violator
would have been better off had it complied on time.
July 1990

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IV-8
separate page. The last page of output for Option 3 is identical t
the one-page Option 2 output. Exhibit IV-3 presents an example of
output Option 3.
In the two tables of annual cash flows in Option 3, the header
displays the initial capital investment plus any non-deductible one-
time expenditures. For the on—time case, this value is expressed in
noncompliance—year dollars, and for the delay case, this value is
inflated to compliance-year dollars. Note that this figure in
either table might differ from the sum of the inittal capital
investment and non—deductible one—time expenditure printed in the
variable value listing at the end of the second page. This
difference occurs because you might have entered the costs in
dollars of another year (or by default, in compliance—year dollars),
and the figures in the table are adjusted for inflation to the
noncompliance or compliance year. -
The first column in each cash flow table lists the years of th
cash flow analysis beginning with year zero: when compliance should
have been achieved for the on—time case, and when compliance was
achieved for the delay case. The years printed after the zero
correspond to the number of years in the useful life of the
pollution control equipment. In this example there is a ten—year
useful life.
The remaining columns in the cash flow tables contain the types
of cash flows and factors used to arrive at a present value. The
top half of the table displays capital and one-time non-deductible
costs. The bottom half contains annual expenses, one-time
deductible expenses and the total of the present values of capital
investment, depreciation tax benefit, and after—tax O&M
expenditures. The last column in the bottom half of the table sums
all present value calculations for each year. All cash outflows are
listed as negative values, and the tax savings as positive values
(because they represent a benefit to the firm).
July 1990

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Iv-9
EXHIBIT IV-3
OUTPUT OPTION 3 (paga 1)
COMPANY X EXAMPLE JUNE 30 1989
ON-TIME CASE CASH FLOWS
FIRST CYCLE CASH FLOWS BASED ON
A TOTAL INITIAL OUTLAY OF $ 98019
AS OF ThE BEGINNING OF THE PERIOD OF NONCOMPLIANCE
YEAR INVESTMENT DEPRECIATION DEPREC PRESENT VALUE
NET OF DEPRECIATION TAX DISCOUNT OF DEPREC TAX
ITC Cs) (5) SAVINGS (5) FACTOR SAVINGS (5)
0 —98019 0 0 1.0000 0
1 0 14003 5377 .9225 4961
2 0 24005 9218 .7851 7237
3 0 17146 6584 .6682 4400
4 0 12247 4703 .5687 2675
5 0 8748 3359 .4840 1626
6 0 8748 3359 .4119 1384
7 0 8748 3359 .3506 1178
8 0 4374 1680 .2983 501
9 0 0 0 .2539 0
10 0 0 0 .2161 0
YEAR ANNUAL AFTER-TAX PROJECT PRESENT VALUE TOTAL
EXPENSES ANNUAL DISCOUNT AFTER-TAX PRESENT
COST FACTOR O&M (5) VALUE (5)
0 —196037 —120759 1.0000 —120759 —218778
1 —14958 —9214 .9225 —8500 —3540
2 —15481 —9537 .7851 —7487 250
3 —16023 —9870 .6682 —6595 —2196
4 —16584 —10216 .5687 —5810 —3135
5 —17165 —10573 .4840 —5117 —3492
6 —17765 —10943 .4119 —4508 —3124
7 —18387 —11326 .3506 —3971 —2793
8 —19031 —11723 .2983 —3497 —2996
9 —19697 —12133 .2539 —3081 —3081
10 —20386 —12558 .2161 —2714 - —2714
THE DISCOUNTED BENEFIT PROM THE LOW
INTEREST DIFFERENTIAL $ 3743
PRESENT VALUE OF PURCHASING THE INITIAL
POLLUTION CONTROL EQUIPMENT ON TIME AND
OPERATING IT THROUGHOUT ONE USEFUL LIFE $ -242354
July 1990

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IV — 10
EXHIBIT IV-3 (cou’d)
OUTPUT OPTION 3 (page 2)
COMPANY X EXAMPLE JUNE 30, 1990
DELAY CASE CASH FLOWS
FIRST CYCLE CASH FLOWS BASED ON
A TOTAL INITIAL OUTLAY OF $ 107436
AS OF THE END OF THE PERIOD OF NONCOMPLIANCE
YEAR INVESTMENT DEPRECIATION DEPREC. PRESENT VALUE
NET OF DEPRECIATION TAX DISCOUNT,: OF DEPREC TAX
ITC (5) Cs) SAVINGS (5) FACTOR SAVINGS (5)
0 —107436 0 0 1.0000 0
1 0 15348 5894 .9225 5437
2 0 26311 10103 .7851 7933
3 0 18794 7217 .6682 4822
4 0 13424 5155 .5687 2931
5 0 9588 3682 .4840 1782
6 0 9588 3682 .4119 1517
7 0 9588 3682 .3506 1291
8 0 4794 1841 .2983 549
9 0 0 0 .2539 0
10 0 0 0 .2161 0
YEAR ANNUAL AFTER-TAX PROJECT PRESENT VALUE TOTAL
EXPENSES ANNUAL DISCOUNT AFTER-TAX PRESENT
COST FACTOR O&M CS) VALUE ($)
0 —214872 —132361 1.0000 —132361 —239797
1 —16395 —10099 .9225 —9317 —3880
2 —16969 —10453 .7851 —8207 —274
3 —17563 —10819 .6682 —7229 —2407
4 —18177 —11197 .5687 —6368 —3436
5 —18814 —11589 .4840 —5609 —3827
6 —19472 —11995 .4119 —4941 —3424
7 —20154 —12415 .3506 —4352 —3061
8 —20859 —12849 .2983 —3833 —3284
9 —21589 —13299 .2539 —3377 —3377
10 —22345 —13764 .2161 —2974 —2974
THE DISCOUNTED BENEFIT FROM THE LOW
INTEREST DIFFERENTIAL $ 4103
PRESENT VAUJE OF DELAYING THE PURCHASE
OF THE INITIAL POLLUTION CONTROL EQUIPMENT
AND OPERATING IT THROUGHOUT ITS USEFUL LIFE $ -265639
Julv 19

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IV — 11
EXHIBIT IV-3 (con’d)
OUTPUT OPTION 3 (page 3)
COMPANY X EXAMPLE
JUNE 30, 1990
A. VALUE OF EMPLOYING POLLUTION CONTROL ON TIME AND
OPERATING IT FOR ONE USEFUL LIFE IN 1987 DOLLARS $ 242354
B. VALUE OF EMPLOYING POLLUTION CONTROL ON TIME AND
OPERATING IT FOR ONE USEFUL LIFE PLUS ALL FUTURE
REPLACEMENT CYCLES IN 1987 DOLLARS $
C • VALUE OF DELAYING EMPLOYMENT OF POLLUTION
CONTROL EQUIPMENT BY 32 MONTHS PLUS ALL FUTURE
REPLACEMENT CYCLES IN 1987 DOLLARS $
D. ECONOMIC BENEFIT OF A 32 MONTH DELAY
IN 1987 DOLLARS (EQUALS B MINUS C) $
E. THE ECONOMIC BENEFIT AS OF THE PENALTY PAYMENT
DATE, 35 MONTHS AFTER NONCOMPLIANCE $
1A.
lB.
ic.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
15750 1989 DOLLARS
10, 1987
6, 1990
9, 1990
10 YEARS
49.60 %
38.40 %
.50 %
17.50 %
105000 1989 DOLLARS
10.00 %
12.00 %
289924
206708
83216
133194
->->->->-> THE ECONOMIC SAVINGS CALCULATION ABOVE <-<-<-<-<-<-
USED THE FOLLOWING VARIABLES:
USER SPECIFIED VALUES
CASE NAME = COMPANY X EXAMPLE
STATUTE = CLEAN AIR ACT - MOBILE SOURCE
PROFIT STATUS = FOR-PROFIT
INITIAL CAPITAL INVESTMENT (RECURRING)= $ 105000 1989 DOLLARS
ONE-TIME NONDEPRECIABLE EXPENDITURE = $ 210000 1989 DOLLARS
(TAX-DEDUCTIBLE EXPENSE)
ANNUAL EXPENSE = $
FIRST MONTH OF NONCOMPLIANCE =
COMPLIANCE DATE =
PENALTY PAYMENT DATE =
USEFUL LIFE OF POLLUTION CONTROL EQUIPMENT =
MARGINAL INCOME TAX RATE FOR 1986 AND BEFORE =
MARGINAL INCOME TAX RATE FOR 1987 AND BEYOND =
ANNUAL INFLATION RATE = 3
DISCOUNT RATE: CORPORATE EQUITY RATE =
AMOUNT OF LOW INTEREST FINANCING = $
LOW INTEREST RATE =
CORPORATE DEBT RATE =
July 1990

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- IV— 12
The second column, “Investment Net of ITC,” is the capital cos 1 .
plus any one—time non—deductible expenditures, less the investment
tax credit, if any. This net expenditure is assumed to occur in
year zero, and is stated in noncompliance—year dollars. This cost
figure is lover than the investment figure listed in the table
header by the amount of the investment tax credit (ITC) taken by the
violator. For for-profit entities, BEN uses a ten—percent ITC for
investments made before 1986 and a zero—percent ITC for investments
made in 1986 and later. For not—for—profit organizations, BEN uses
a zero—percent ITC rate for all years.
The third column, “Depreciation,” lists the depreciation
expenses that the firm is allowed to deduct from taxable income,
thereby reducing its taxes. BEN uses a five-year straight-line
method of depreciation for investments made before 1987, and a
seven—year double—declining balance (with half—year- convention)
method of depreciation for investments made in 1987 and later.
To estimate the depreciation tax benefit, the depreciation
amount is multiplied by the marginal tax rate. These figures must
be adjusted to reflect the time period in which they occur (e.g.,
the further in the future they occur, the lower their present
value). The discount factor related to depreciation cash flows is
listed in column 5. This discount factor is the same as the equity
cost of capital described on pages 111-29 and 111-30. Multiplying
this discount factor by the depreciation tax benefit yields the
present values listed in column 6.
The bottom half of the Option 3 cash flow table details mainly
annual expenditures. Annual costs are inflated yearly to reflect
the rising prices of labor and materials. These costs appear in the
second column. If you have entered a tax—deductible one—time
expenditure, its value will appear in year 0 (zero) in this column.
Annual costs are tax—deductible and must be adjusted to reflect th.
July 1990

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- IV—13
benefit. Multiplying the annual expenses by one minus the tax rate
adjusts them to reflect the actual cash outflow from the firm, net
of the tax benefit that arises from deducting the original annual
expenditure. The present value of these annual costs net of the tax
benefit is computed by multiplying the figures in column 3 by the
equity cost of capital discount rate described in Chapter III. The
last column in the bottom half of the table sums the present values
of capital investment, depreciation tax benefit, and after-tax
annual expenditures.
The Option 3 cash flow table might also contain an adjustment
for low-interest financing. BEN computes the present value of the
interest saved by using low-interest debt financing instead of
paying the higher corporate debt rate. This benefit reduces the
cost of pollution control equipment and thus reduces the economic
benefit of delay. The benefit figure is shown as a positive
adjustment to the summation of figures in the annual present value
column (as illustrated in Exhibit IV-3). Had Company X not used
low—interest financing, there would be no low—interest differential
and this adjustment would not appear on the output.
The total of the annual present values appears at the very
bottom of the page, next to the label: “PRESENT VALUE OF PURCHASING
THE INITIAL POLLUTION CONTROL EQUIPMENT ON TIME AND OPERATING IT
THROUGHOUT ONE USEFUL LIFE.” This figure is the same as the value
shown as Calculation A in Output Option 2 (see Exhibit IV-2).
Output Option 3 produces a similar print-out for the delay
case. These calculations are in compliance—year dollars. The
output sums up the cost of compliance at the bottom of the page next
to the label: “PRESENT VALUE OF DELhYING THE PURCHASE OF THE
INITIAL POLLUTION CONTROL EQUIPMENT AND OPERATING IT THROUGH ITS
USEFUL LIFE.” This value does not match Calculation C in Option 2
because the delay case table is in compliance—year dollars rather
than noncompliance—year dollars, and because it only includes the
July 1990

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IV — 14
flows from one useful life rather than all additional replacement
cycles.
5. Other Information
The first three output options described above for a user-
specified calculation are the same for a standard value calculation
with one exception: in a standard value calculation, the variable
listing displays user—specified and standard values separately (see
Exhibit IV-4).
Option 4 allows you to skip printing the output. This option
should be used if you have discovered an error in your entry values.
BEN will then ask if you wish to make any further changes so that
you can correct the error. Type 0 (zero) after you have made all
necessary changes. BEN then asks if you would like to see a listing
of the current variable values to review your changes. If you
answer N, for no, BEN again lists the output options to choose froz
July 1990

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IV — 15
EXHIBIT IV-4
INPUT LISTING FOR CALCULATION USING STANDARD VALUES
->->-)->-> THE ECONOMIC SAVINGS CALCULATION ABOVE <-c-<-<-c-<-
USED THE FOLLOWING VARIABLES:
USER SPECIFIED VALUES
1A. CASE NAME = COMPANY X EXAMPLE
lB. STATUTE =
1C. PROFIT STATUS =
2. INITIAL CAPITAL INVESTMENT (RECURRING) = $
3. ONE-TIME NONDEPR.ECIABLE EXPENDITURE = $
(TAX-DEDUCTIBLE EXPENSE)
4. ANNUAL EXPENSE = $
5. FIRST MONTH OF NONCOMPLIANCE =
6. COMPLIANCE DATE =
7. PENALTY PAYMENT DATE =
STANDARD VALUES
USEFUL LIFE OF POLLUTION CONTROL EQUIPMENT =
MARGINAL INCOME TAX RATE FOR 1986 AND BEFORE =
MARGINAL INCOME TAX RATE FOR 1987 AND BEYOND =
ANNUAL INFLATION RATE =
DISCOUNT RATE: CORPORATE EQUITY RATE
AMOUNT OF LOW INTEREST FINANCING = $
CLEAN WATER ACT
FOR-PROFIT
105000 1989 DOLLARS
210000 1989 DOLLARS
15750 1989 DOLLARS
10, 1987
10, 1989
12, 1989
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
15 YEARS
49.60 %
38.40 %
4.10 %
18.10 %
0
July 1990

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IV — 16
B. CHANGING INPUT VALUES
Once BEN has completed a calculation and printed the output,
you can end the session, or continue with a second calculation.
This section outlines the procedure for changing variable values
after you complete your initial run. This feature allows you to
recalculate the economic benefit without having to re—enter all
values. You might also wish to test the sensitivity of the economic
benefit calculation to changes in individual variables. (See
Chapter II, Section D above for an explanation of the procedure for
ending all calculations.)
DO
YOU
WISH TO DO ANOTHER
ECONOMIC SAVINGS
CALCUL ITION?
(0=
NO;
1=YES,
USING STANDARD VALUES; 2=YES,
USING
OWN
INPUTS)
If you want to do another calculation, you must choose betwee
a calculation using the standard values for variables 8 through 13,
or a calculation in which you specify all inputs. Typing 2.
indicates that you wish to use the standard values; typing 2
indicates that all values will be user-specified. BEN then prompts
you for the variable(s) you wish to change.
BEN allows you to change only certain variables when you rerun
the program, depending on whether you used standard -values in the
previous calculation, and whether you plan to use standard values in
the new calculation. Note that whenever you are planning a BEN
session involving multiple runs, it is helpful to fill out the Data
Entry Form before you start (see Exhibit 111—2).
Whenever you choose to use standard values, BEN will prompt you
for any changes to variables 1 through 7. The remaining variables
will have the standard values.
July 1990

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IV — 17
If you decide to use user—specified values, and the previous
run used standard values, BEN will prompt you for changes to
variables 1 through 7. When all changes to these variables are
completed, BEN asks you to enter values for variables 8 through 13.
If the current and previous runs both use user—specified
values, BEN prompts you for any changes to variables 1 through 13.
The next two subsections outline the procedures for changing
variable values. The first subsection describes changing values in
the standard value mode. The second subsection describes changing
values in the user—specified mode.
1. changing Values in the Standard Value Mode
DO YOU WISH TO DO ANOTHER ECONOMIC SAVINGS CALCULATION?
(O=NO; 1=YES, USING STANDARD VALUES; 2=YES, USING OWN INPUTS)
1
This section outlines the procedures for changing variable
values when BEN assigns standard values to variables 8 through 13.
Type 3 to indicate that you wish to use standard values.
BEN will only allow you to change variables 1 through 7, since
standard values will be used for the remaining variables. You can,
however, change any or all of variables 1 through 7 one or more
times during the change procedure. In the following example, the
user wants to change variable 4.
July 1990

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IV — 18
TYPE NUMBER OF VARIABLE BETWEEN 1 AND 7 TO BE CHANGED
(TYPE 0 FOR NO CHANGE)
4
BEN responds with a prompt for the new variable value:
4. ANNUAL EXPENSE =
(FOLLOW WITH DOLLAR-YEAR SEPARATED BY BLANK; e.g’;, 100000
1984)
(ENTER 0 IF THIS COST CATEGORY IS NOT APPLICABLE)
OLD VALUE = 15750.00 IN 1989 DOLLARS; ENTER NEW VALUE:
The former value is displayed to help you decide whether to change
the value or keep the former value. Simply enter the new value
according to the required format and press the carriage return (or
enter key). If you decide not to change the former value, simply.
press the carriage return (or enter key) without typing any other
keys and BEN will keep the former value in its memory. In the case
of a cost and year entry, BEN uses both former values. If you want
to change a variable, and the prompt requires the dollar—year in
addition to the cost entry, enter both values. If you omit the
dollar—year entry and enter only the cost, BEN will use the former
value for the dollar—year, which is printed with the former cost
value.
July 1990

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IV — 19
If you attempt to change any of the variables between 8 and 13,
BEN will print the following message:
ERROR: STANDARD VALUES 8 THROUGH 13 CANNOT BE CHANGED WITH
THE STANDARD VALUE OPTION, ENTER AGAIN:
TYPE NUMBER OP VARIABLE BETWEEN 1 AND 7 TO BE CHANGED
(TYPE 0 FOR NO CHANGE)
0
When you have made all of your changes, type 0 (zero). BEN
then asks if you wish to see a listing of the current values for all
the variables. This option allows a final check for incorrect
entries before recalculating the economic benefit.
DO YOU WISH TO SEE A LISTING OF CURRENT VALUES? (Y/N)
I
Typing N, for no, signals BEN to calculate the economic
benefit. Typing I, for yes, results in a variable listing similar
in format to that provided with the output, but including the new
entries. After the listing BEN asks if you want to make any further
changes. This option provides the opportunity to correct entries or
enter new values that were missed during the first round of changes.
July 1990

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IV — 20
DO YOU WISH TO MAKE ANY FURTHER CHANGES? (1/N)
N I
Typing N, for no, signals BEN to calculate the economic
benefit. Typing 1, for yes, recycles the program back to the change
procedure, after which BEN prompts you for the number of the
variable to be changed. When you have made all of the changes, type
o (zero). BEN will again ask if you desire a variable listing and
if you want to make any further changes. A negative response to
both questions signals BEN to calculate the economic benefit.
After completing the calculation, BEN prompts you to select the
output format from the following choices:
PLEASE CHOOSE FORMAT: -
1 = ANSWER
2 = ANSWER PLUS PRESENT VALUE CALCULATIONS
3 = FULL OUTPUT WITH CASH FLOW TABLES
4 = OMIT OUTPUT
5 = DESCRIBE OUTPUT OPTIONS IN DETAIL
This menu is an abbreviated version of the menu presented
during the first run. The added Option 5 allows you to see the
detailed version shown on page IV-2 before selecting an output
format. Selecting options 1, 2, or 3 begins another output printing
session. Option 4 skips over the printing. BEN then offers you the
opportunity to do another economic benefit calculation.
July 1990

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IV — 21
2. Changing Values in the User-Specified Mode
DO YOU WISH TO DO ANOTHER ECONOMIC SAVINGS CALCULATION?
(O=NO; ]=YES, USING STANDARD VALUES; 21ES, USING OWN INPUTS)
2
This section outlines the procedures for changing variable
values when variables 8 through 13 are user—specified. Type 2 to
indicate that you wish to use nonstandard values.
If your last run employed user—specified inputs, you can change
any or all of the thirteen variables. You can make as many changes
as desired. If your last run used standard values, BEN first asks
for changes to be made to any of the variables between 1 and 7.
TYPE NUMBER OF VARIABLE BETWEEN 1 AND 7 TO BE CHANGED
(TYPE 0 FOR NO CHANGE)
0
When all changes to variables 1 through 7 have been completed,
type 0 (zero) to signal BEN that no further changes to these 7
variables are needed. Do not attempt to change variables 8 through
13 at this time or the following error message will occur:
July 1990

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IV — 22
ERROR: CHANGE ONLY VARIABLES 1 THROUGH 7 AT THIS TIME.
YOU WILL AUTOMATICALLY BE PROMPTED FOR VARIABLES 8
THROUGH 13 LATER
TYPE NUMBER OF VARIABLE BETWEEN 1 AND 7 TO BE CHANGED
(TYPE 0 FOR NO CHANGED)
0
A response of 0 (zero) indicates that BEN should begin
prompting for the remaining variables:
YOU WILL NOW BE PROMPTED FOR VARIABLES 8 THROUGH 13
8. USEFUL LIFE OF POLLUTION CONTROL EQUIPMENT IN YEARS (e.g., 15)
OLD VALUE = 10 YEARS; ENTER NEW VALUE:
15
Enter the new value for variable 8 followed by a carriage
return (or enter key). If the old value printed under the prompt is
the desired value, press only the carriage return (or enter key) and
BEN will keep this value in memory. Note that in most cases where
the previous run used standard values, the old values shown in the
prompts are the standard values.
July 1990

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IV — 23
9. MARGINAL INCOME TAX RATE FOR 1986 AND BEFORE (e.g., 49.6) =
OLD VALUE = 49.60%; ENTER NEW VALUE:
49.6
10. MARGINAL INCOME TAX RATE FOR 1987 AND BEYOND (e.g., 38.4) =
OLD VALUE = 38, 4%; ENTER NEW VALUE:
38.4
11. ANNUAL INFLATION RATE (e.g., 4.6) =
OLD VALUE = 3.50%; ENTER NEW VALUE:
3.3
12. DISCOUNT RATE: CORPORATE EQUITY RATE (e.g., 18.1) =
OLD VALUE = 17.50%; ENTER NEW VALUE:
19.1
13. AMOUNT OF LOW INTEREST FINANCING =
(FOLLOW WITH YEAR-DOLLARS SEPARATED BY BLANk: e.g. 100000 1990)
(ENTER 0 IF THIS COST CATEGORY IS NOT APPLICABLE)
OLD VALUE = 105000 IN 1989 DOLLARS; ENTER NEW VALUE:
150000 1989
LOW INTEREST RATE (e.g. 9) =
(ENTER 0 IF YOU WANT THIS RATE CALCULATED)
OLD VALUE = 10.00%; ENTER NEW VALUE:
10
CORPORATE DEBT RATE (e.g. 12) =
(ENTER 0 IF YOU RAVE PROVIDED A LOW INTEREST
RATE AND YOU WANT THE DEBT RATE CALCULATED.)
OLD VALUE = 12.00%; ENTER NEW VALUE:
12
Continue entering new values in response to each prompt, or
simply press the carriage return (or enter key) to retain the old
values.
Be sure to maintain the required relationships between
variables. For example, the low—interest rate cannot exceed the
corporate debt rate (BEN checks for this error after you enter the
low—interest financing values at variable 13). Also remember that
the inflation rate cannot exceed the discount rate. BEN checks for
July 1990

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IV — 24
these two errors after all changes have been made. See Chapter II
for examples of the error messages that BEN provides.
DO YOU WISH TO SEE A LISTING OF CURRENT VALUES? (1/N)
y
After you have entered all the information and BEN has checke 1
for errors, BEN asks whether you desire a listing of the variables
and their current values.
DO YOU WISH TO MAKE ANY FURTHER CHANGES? (1/N)
N
Typing N, for no, signals BEN to begin recalculating the
economic benefit. Typing Y, for yes, yields a listing of the former
values that were left unchanged and the new values you just entered.
BEN then asks if any further changes are desired.
TYPE THE NUMBER OF VARIABLE TO BE CHANGED
(TYPE 0 FOR NO CHANGE)
0
After all changes have been made (by either entering new values
or by pressing the carriage return (or enter key) to use the former
values), enter 0 (zero) to end the change session. BEN again checks
for errors, asks if you want a variable listing, and asks if you
want to make further changes. A response of N to both questions
July 1990

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IV — 25
signals BEN to recalculate the economic benefit using the new
values. BEN responds with the abbreviated menu of output options as
explained on page IV-20. After providing output, BEN again offers
you the opportunity to perform another economic benefit calculation.
July 1990

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APPENDIX A
TECHNICAL APPENDIX
METHODOLOGY FOR COMPUTING
THE ECONOMIC BENEFIT
OF NONCOMPLIANCE
July l99O

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CONTENTS
Paae
I. Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A—I—i
A. Cash Flows Resulting From Complying On Time A-I-2
1. Capital—Related Cash Flows. A—I-2
2. One-Time Nondepreciable Expenditure..... A-I-3
3. Annual Costs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A—I—3
B. Present Value of Cash Flows................. A—I-3
C. Present Value of Cash Flows Associated With
Delayed Compliance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A—I—6
D. Economic Benefit of Delayed Compliance...... A—I—6
II. Underlying Assumptions..... ... A—Il—i
A. Discounting Assumptions....... .. . . A—Il—i
B. Application of the Inflation Rate A—II—2
C. Mid—Year Cash Flow Occurrence... A—II—2
D. Non-Deductibility of the Civil Penalty A-II—3
E. Continuous Sequence of Replacement Cycles... A—II—3
III. Derivation of Mathematical Pormulae A-Ill-i
A. Cash Flows as of Required Compliance Date... A-Ill-i
1. Capitallnvestment............ A—III—2
2. One-Time Nondepreciable Expenditure.... A-III-4
3 . Annual Costs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A—III—5
B. DiscountingCashFlows............ A—III—6
1. Capital and Annual Expenditure
Cast Flows............................. A—III—6
2. The One-Time Nondepreciable Expenditure
Cast Flow.... .......... ............... . A—hI—b
3. Total Cash Flow........................ A—hI—b
C. The Economic Benefit of Delayed Compliance.. A-hI-b
•D. Savings From Low Interest Financing......... A-IhI-]2
July 1990

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CONTENTS (cou’d)
E. Calculations for the Cash Flow Table
for Output Option 3................ . A—III—16
1. Annual Cash Flows and Tax Effects...... A-III-l6
2. Treatment of the One-Time Nondepreciable
Expenditure. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A—III—17
3 . Discounting. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A—III—17
4. Aggregating Present Values............. A—III—l8
IV. Sample Calculation of Economic Benefit............ A-IV-l
A. FirstCycleCashFlows......................A—Iv—2
B. Including Replacement Cycles................ A—IV—8
C. CostofDelayedComp].iance. ...........A—IV—1O
D. EconomlcBenefxtofDelay...................A—Iv—12
E IBITS
Exhibit A—l Definition of Symbols.................. A—III—20
Exhibit A-2 Option 3 Cash Flow Table............... A-IV-3
Exhibit A-3 Benefit of $98,019 Low Interest
Financing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A—IV—7
Exhibit A-4 Summary Results From Output
Options 2 and 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A—IV—9
July 1990

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A-I-i
I • INTRODUCTION
This technical appendix explains the methodology used in the
BEN computer program to calculate the economic benefit from delaying
compliance with environmental regulations. This first section is an
introduction to the methodology followed in the economic benefit
calculation. Underlying assumptions are discussed in Section II,
and Section III presents and explains the mathematical formulae used
in BEN. Section IV provides a sample economic benefit calculation.
BEN follows a four—step procedure to compute the economic
benefit of delayed compliance. First, BEN calculates the
incremental after—tax cash flows that the violator would have
experienced had it made the expenditures necessary to come into
compliance on time. BEN includes the present value of cash flows
attributable to future replacements of pollution control equipment
as well as those associated with complying initially. BEN converts
these cash flows to their “present value” as of the noncompliance
date. Second, BEN calculates the present value as of the
noncompliance date of the cash flows that the violator experiences
when it makes the expenditures necessary to come into compliance
after the delay. Again, this calculation takes into account the
replacement of pollution control equipment at the end of its useful
life. Third, BEN calculates the difference between the present
values of the cash flows associated with complying on time and the
cash flows associated with complying after the period of delay.
This difference is the initial economic benefit. Finally, BEN adds
on the earnings accrued by the violator on the initial economic
benefit between the noncompliance date and the penalty payment date.
In BEN, we are calculating the economic benefit a firm gained.
This is not a “damages” calculation. In a damages calculation, the
aggrieved party is attempting to retrieve losses that were incurred
as a result of the accused’s actions. In an environmental
violation, damages may or may not have been incurred, but that is
July 1990

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A-I-2
not what the BEN calculation is attempting to capture. Instead, B
attempts to assess the amount of money that the company expected to
earn from its savings in pollution control costs.
A. CASH FLOWS RESULTING PROM COMPLYING ON TIME
The BEN model requires users to identify the month and year
when noncompliance began, and the month and year when compliance was
(or will be) achieved. The former is referred to as the
“noncompliance date,” and the latter as the “compliance date.” BEN
assumes that all capital and one—time expenditures should have been
made on the noncompliance date, and that annual expenditures should
have begun at the same time.
In estimating the cash flows that would have resulted from
complying on time, BEN first expresses all cost inputs in dollars of
the noncompliance year. BEN then converts the three types of cost
that may be entered by the user into three categories of cash flow
beginning at the noncompliance date; that is, those associated with:
a capital investment, a one—time nondepreciable expenditure, and
annual costs. Each category is described separately below. More
detailed discussions of the three types of cost inputs appear in
Chapter III of this User’s Manual.
1. Capital—Related Cash Flows
Capital-related cash flows include the direct costs and
indirect financial impacts associated with a capital investment,
both initially and over time. Initially, the violator makes a
capital outlay to purchase and install pollution control equipment.
At the same time, the amount of any applicable investment tax credit
serves to reduce the initial cash outf low. 1 There are also indirect
I BEN applies the Investuient Tax Credit to capital investments made in 1985 and
before.
July 1990

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A-I-3
annual impacts associated with depreciating pollution control
equipment. Depreciation does not itself involve a cash outflow;
however, its effect is to reduce pre—tax income and hence to reduce
income tax payments. The tax benefit associated with depreciation
in subsequent years are cash inflows that reduce the net cost of the
equipment.
BEN allows you to specify whether the capital cost is a one-
time or recurring cost. One—time capital investments will have a
lower present value than will recurring capital costs.
2. One-Time Nondepreciable Expenditure
A one—time nondepreciable expenditure occurs initially and is
not repeated. If the expenditure is tax-deductible, the tax benefit
is subtracted from the expenditure amount to arrive at the net cash
outflow. If the expenditure is not tax—deductible, the cash outflow
equals the entire expenditure amount.
3. Annual Costs
The third category of cash flows consists of those resulting
from annual expenditures. The most typical annual costs are for
operation and maintenance of pollution control equipment. Other
annual costs include the leasing of equipment or monitoring of
pollution clean—ups. Annual expenses are tax deductible, and BEN
estimates their after—tax value in each year. These cash outflows
are assumed to increase each year because of inflation.
B. PRESENT VALUE OP CASE PLOWS
After all present and future direót costs and indirect
financial impacts have been determined and arrayed over time, they
are converted into a present—value figure as of the noncompliance
date. This conversion is necessary because two cash flows of equal
July 1990

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A-I-4
dollar values occurring in different years would not have equal
financial impacts on the violator. This differential arises because
there is a “time value of money.” In other words, assuming that the
violator can invest its funds at some positive rate of return, if a
dollar of expenditure can be postponed for one year, that dollar can
be invested in the interim. At the end of that year, the
expenditure can be made; and the return on the investment during the
intervening period accrues as a benefit to the violator.
The technique used to compensate for this effect is called
“discounting”. Discounting converts the value of future cash flows
to amounts that are equivalent in terms of constant—year dollars.
For example, suppose that a firm wants to make a $100 investment
next year. If the firm’s investment alternatives today are such
that it can earn a 15 percent annual return, the firm could invest
$86.96 today and that amount would grow to $100 in one year. 2 Thus,
$86.96 is called the “present value,” at 15 percent, of a $100 cash
flow one year in the future. Similarly, if $75.61 were invested at’
15 percent, it would grow to $86.96 in one year, and to $100 by the
end of the second year. Thus, $75.61 is the present value, at 15
percent, of a $100 cash flow two years hence. The rate used in
determining present values, 15 percent in this case, is called the
“discount rate.”
2 Fifteen percent of $86.96 — $13.04, and $86.96 + $13.04 — $100.00
July 1990

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A-I-5
The general formula for discounting is:
F 3
Present Value =
(1 + E) 3
where: F 3 = the “future value” cash flow expected
in year j
E = the annual discount rate in decimal
form (e.g., .15 for 15 percent)
j = the number of years in the future in
which the cash flow occurs; and j = 0
is the year to which you are
discounting.
Applying this technique to each year’s cash flows converts them
into their present—value equivalents. The sum of these individual
values represents the equivalent after—tax cost, in terms of a
single present value, of the cash flows arising out of the
requirement to comply with environmental regulations.
Except for any one—time expenditures, the cash flows associated
with investing in and operating pollution control equipment are
repeated continually in the future, as the equipment is replaced
after each useful life. All of these cash flows associated with
future replacements are also discounted back to a present—value
equivalent.
July 1990

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A—I—6
C. PRESENT VALUE OP CASH FLOWS ASSOCIATED WITH
DELAYED COMPLIANCE
BEN calculates the present value of the cash flows associated
with complying at the end of the delay period, based on the
following assumptions:
1. The delayed cash flows will be similar to the on-time cash
flows in that they will have the same sequence of capital
expenditures, one—time nondepreciable expenditure, and
annual cost flows. The after—tax cash flow amounts might
differ, however, because tax provisions in effect during
the years following the compliance date might differ from
those in effect during the years following the non-
compliance date.
2. Each delayed cash flow will be separated in time from the
corresponding on-time cash flow by the number of months c
noncompliance.
3. The nominal value of each delayed cash flow will be
greater than the corresponding on—time cash flow because
of the impact of inflation over the period of delay.
D. ECONOMIC BENEFIT OF DELAYED COMPLIANCE
The present values of both sets of cash flows (those that
should have been incurred to achieve compliance on time, and those
that were actually incurred) are then compared. The present value
of the second set will usually be lower, reflecting the fact that
delaying compliance yields a financial benefit to the violator. The
initial economic benefit the violator gains from delaying compliance
is the difference between the present values of the first set of
cash flows and the second set of cash flows. To obtain the economic
benefit as of the penalty payment date, the economic benefit as of
July 1990

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A-I-7
the noncompliance date is increased at the return on equity capital
for the number of months between the noncompliance date and the
penalty payment date. This is done to account for the amount of
money the violator earned on the economic benefit gained as of the
noncompliance date, compounded over time until the penalty payment
date. BEN assumes that the violator invested the net economic
benefit in plant and equipment similar to the violator’s existing
investment risk and financing. In addition, because we assume that
the violator is an average company, BEN applies the average rate of
earnings that equity holders expect over the long—term from
investing in a firm of average market risk.
July 1990

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A—I l—i
II. UNDERLYING ASSUMPTIONS
Several important assumptions are made in calculatir
economic benefit of delay as described in this appendix. Many of
these assumptions were only implicit in the discussion in the
previous section. Each major assumption i identified and explained
below.
A. DISCOUNTING ASSUMPTIONS
BEN uses the Adjusted Present Value (APV) method to calculate
the present value of pollution control—related cash flows. This
method first estimates the present value of an investment project
under the assumption that it is entirely equity financed (i.e.,
financed by selling stock). Then, the present value of the side
effects of financing (if any) are taken into account.
Expenditures made to comply with environmental regulations ar
necessary to continue in business under the law, but generally do
not generate a direct economic benefit. As a result, environmental
expenditures do not increase a firm’s debt capacity. Therefore, BEN
does not attribute any of the side effects of normal debt financing
(e.g., interest tax shields) to the pollution control investment.
As discussed below, cost savings from the use of low interest debt
are taken into account by BEN.
The cash flows in BEN are generally discounted at a rate that
reflect their overall risk, at a rate that is an estimate of the
return that would be expected by equity investors. The one
exception is cash flows from low interest debt financing for
pollution control expenditures.
Investments in pollution control equipment and other projects
undertaken to comply with environmental regulations are sometimes
financed with low interest debt such as Industrial Development Bon
July 1990

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A—Il —2
(IDBs) or Small Business Administration (SBA) loans. The BEN model
assumes that such financing replaces other, higher cost debt in the
violator’s capital structure. This replacement thereby reduces the
cost of financing the pollution control expenditures.
BEN estimates the benefit of lower cost financing by
calculating the difference between interest payments made at the
market interest rate and those based on the lower interest rate, on
an after—tax basis. These annual differential cash flows are then
discounted at the after—tax market interest rate, reflecting the
opportunity cost of the debt funds. 3
B. APPLICATION OF TEE INFLATION RATE
The inflation rate input (either the standard value or a user—
specified value) is used to convert all dollar inputs -- the capita
investment, one—time expenditure, annual operating and maintenance
costs, and amount of low interest financing —— into dollars of the
noncompliance year.
Annual costs and future replacement cycle expenditures are also
inflated using the annual inflation rate. BEN also uses this same
inflation rate to derive the delayed costs from the on—time costs
(i.e., investment, one—time, and annual costs).
C. BID-YEAR CASH FLOW OCCURRENCE
BEN estimates periodic cash flows, such as annual costs and
depreciation tax benefit, as if they occur once each year at mid-
year. These mid—year cash flows begin six months after the capital
investment and one-time expenditure are incurred. By assuming that
BEN assumes that the debt principal is repaid in equal annual installments over
the useful life entered in the model. -
Tulv 1990

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A— 11—3
these costs occur at mid—year, BEN averages the costs across the
year. -
The one exception to this mid—year assumption involves the
payment of principal and interest in calculating the savings from
low—interest financing. Payments associated with bonds are often
made annually or semi—annually, and not monthly. BEN assumes that
annual payments are made at the end of each year.
D. NON-DEDUCTIBILITY OF TflZ CIVIL PENALTY
In calculating the cash flows from which the economic benefit
of delayed compliance is computed, BEN takes into account the normal
tax consequences of expenses, depreciation, and so forth. On the
other hand, BEN assumes that the total penalty being calculated,
including the economic benefit component, is not deducted from the
violator’s income for tax purposes. This comports with current IRS
policies.
E. CONTINUOUS SEQUENCE OF REPLACEMENT CYCLES
The model assumes that pollution control equipment is replaced
at the end of its useful life, at a cost that reflects the rate of
inflation. This process continues repeatedly, implying that the
underlying source of pollution is never eliminated and that the cost
of the pollution control remains the same taking inflation into
account. In BEN, recurring capital and annual cash flows associated
with pollution control equipment are incurred over an infinite
number of replacement cycles in both the delay and the on-time
cases. The one—time capital or nondepreciable expenditure, however,
is incurred only once.
July 1990

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A—Ill—i
III • DERIVATION OP )(A it XATICAL FORMULAE
This section describes the procedure for calculating the
economic benefit of delayed compliance. The explanation is fairly
detailed, including some of the mathematical formulae used in the
BEN model. Not all of the variables described below are actually
used in BEN, since the program combines some of the steps for the
sake of efficiency. A separate subsection explains the procedures
used to calculate the values in the detailed cash flow table
provided in output Option 3. All symbols are listed and defined in
Exhibit A-i at the end of this section.
Note that BEN converts all rates (e.g., marginal tax rates,
discount rate), which the user must enter as percentages, to a
decimal format by dividing by 100. The decimal form (e.g., .15 for
15 percent) is required in all of the formulae used in calculating
the economic benefit. All of the rates used in the formulae below
are expressed in decimal form.
A. CASH PLOWS AS OP REQUIRED COMPLIANCE DATE
This section describes the cash flows associated with complying
on time (on the noncompliance date). The costs of compliance with
environmental regulations can be categorized into three types of
cash flows: those associated with an initial capital investment,
annual costs, and an initial one—time nondepreciable expenditure.
Subsections 1, 2 and 3 below explain each of these.
Before any of these costs are used in the formulae, BEN first
converts the costs into dollars of the year compliance should have
been achieved (i.e •, the noncompliance year). The model performs
this adjustment using the dollar-year entered with the cost figure.
July 1990

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A—III—2
If the dollar—year is later than the noncompliance year, the cost
deflated as follows:
COST
COST 0 , (1)
(1 + 1 )IDFLT
where: COSTD = the cost expressed in noncompliance-
year dollars
COST = the cost as entered
I = the annual inflation rate
IDFLT = the number of years between the
noncompliance year and the cost’s
dollar—year
When the dollar—year occurs before the noncompliance date, the
cost must be inflated as follows:
COST 0 1 = COST X (1 + I) IDYLl (
No adjustment is necessary when the dollar—year is the same as the
year of the noncompliance date.
Each of the values discussed below is expressed in
noncompliance—year dollars. Assume that BEN has already performed
the appropriate deflating or inflating.
3. CaDital Investment
The initial cash outflow resulting from the capital investment
is the total capital cost of the pollution control equipment. This
capital cost, denoted by II, is in noncompliance—year dollars. The
investment tax credit (ITC), if applicable, is a cash inflow which
must be subtracted from the initial investment. The ITC is equal to
July 1990

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A—III—3
the product of the investment tax credit rate applicable in that
year and the capital cost:
ITC = II X t (3)
where: t 1 = investment tax credit rate
In this model, the ITC rate is set at 10 percent for
investments made in 1985 and before, and at 0 percent for
investments made in 1986 and after. For not—for—profit entities,
the ITC is set at 0 percent regardless of the year.
Also associated with the capital investment are tax benefits
resulting from depreciation. Annual depreciation is the product of
the capital cost, adjusted for any ITC taken, and the depreciation
fraction in year j:
DEPJ = II x d (4)
where: DEPJ = amount of depreciation in year j
II = the depreciation basis; equal to the
original initial investment adjusted,
if necessary, for any ITC taken
= the fraction of the adjusted initial
investment cost depreciated in year j
For investments made before 1987, the model sets the deprecia-
tion life at five years and uses a straight-line depreciation
schedule, so the depreciation percentage in each year is constant at
20 percent. Thus, d = .20 for the first five years of the
equipment’s useful life, and d 3 = 0.0 for the remainder of the
useful life. This assumption was made to approximate the two
possible depreciation schedules that could be applied to pollution
control investments during the pre-1987 period: (1) the Accelerated
July 1990

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A—III—4
Cost Recovery System’s (ACRS) five-year schedule that applies to
most types of equipment, and (2) the 60—month rapid amortization
procedure, which could be used for certain pollution control
investments.
For investments made in 1987 and later, the model uses the
double-declining balance depreciation method (with half—year
convention) over a seven year depreciation life, as prescribed by
the revised tax law’s Modified Accelerated Cost Recovery System
(MACRS). -
The depreciation basis, II , is equal to 100 percent of the
original initial investment, II, in all years except 1983 through
1985. In those years, as was required then by tax law, the basis is
reduced by one-half of the ITC taken.’
The- cash flow impact- from depreciation is the reduced income
tax liability that results from deducting depreciation as an
expense. These deductions are assumed to occur annually at mid-
year. The tax benefit from depreciation is calculated by
multiplying the depreciation expense for each year by the marginal
tax rate in effect in that year. The tax benefits are cash inflows
that reduce the cost of compliance. The model calculates the tax
benefit from depreciation later in the program when the cash flows
are discounted (see Equation 10).
2. One-Time Nondepreciable Expenditure
The one-time nondepreciable expenditure, like the capital
investment, occurs initially. Expressed in noncompliance—year
dollars, it is denoted as EXP. If the user indicates that the
Since BEN assumes a 10% ITC on investments made in years including 1983 through
1985, the depreciation basis during this period equals 95% of the original
initial investment.
July 1990

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A—III—5
nondepreciable expenditure is not tax-deductible, the initial cash
outflow (ONE 0 ) is equal to the one—time expenditure:
ONE 0 = EXP (5)
If the one-time nondepreciable expenditure is tax-deductible,
meaning that it serves to reduce the violator’s taxable income and
consequently its tax liability, the expenditure must be adjusted to
an after-tax basis. This adjustment is accomplished by multiplying
the expenditure amount by one minus the marginal tax rate.
ONE 0 = EXP x (1 — MTR J) (6)
where: MTRj = the violator’s marginal income tax
rate in effect in year j
3. Annual Costs
The initial annual cost, expressed in noncompliance—year
dollars, is denoted by OM 0 . Annual costs in the model increase at
the rate of inflation. As with depreciation cash flows, annual cash
flows are assumed to occur at mid—year. The first annual cash flow
(O)1 ) occurs in the middle of the first year, six months after the
initial capital cost. The inflation rate is thus applied for half a
year:
OI4 = OM 0 x(l+I)” 2
where: I = the annual inflation rate
This equation can be generalized for any year j, for j equal to or
greater than 1:
OM = O)4 x (1 + 1 )cJh12) (7)
July 1990

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A—III—6
Since annual costs are tax deductible, the after—tax cash flow
associated with an annual expense is the product of the annual cosi
and a factor equal to one minus the marginal tax rate. The model
adjusts the annual cash flow to after—tax dollars later in the
program when the cash flows are discounted (see Equation 12).
B. DISCOUNTING CASH PLOWS
The cash flows associated with the on—time case, as calculated
above, are then discounted to the present value as of the noncom-
pliance date. Those cash flows occurring at the noncompliance date
are already expressed in present—value terms; thus, no discounting
of these is necessary. Each cash flow occurring annually, such as
the depreciation tax benefit and after—tax annual costs, must be
discounted. The following explanation is divided into two parts:
The first discusses all the cash flows associated with capital and
annual expenditures; the second discusses cash flows associated with
the one-time nondepreciable expenditure. -
2. CaDital and Annual ExDenditure Cash Flows
The net initial cash flow associated with a capital investment
in pollution control equipment is the capital cost minus the
investment tax credit:
PVIN = II — ITC (8)
Using equation (3), this can be restated:
PVIN = II— (IIxt 11 )
= lix (1—t 1 ) (9)
July 19 !

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A— 111—7
The present value of depreciation—related cash flows for any
year j is:
DEP x MTR
PVDEP (10)
(1 + E) 1/2)
where: DEP = depreciation in year j
MTRJ = marginal tax rate in year j
E = the annual discount rate
The marginal tax rate in effect in that year is applied to
depreciation in that year to calculate the depreciation tax benefit.
In discounting the annual tax benefit for year j, the exponent is “j
— 1/2” because each cash flow in the model occurs at mid—year. The
present value of all the annual depreciation tax benefit cash flows
(PVDEP) over the N-year useful life is calculated by summing:
N
PVDEP = E PVDEPJ (11)
j1
where: = the present value of all depreciation-
related cash flows
Similarly, the present value of after-tax annual cash flows for
any year j is:
OM x (1 - MTR )
PV = (12)
(1. +
where: E = the annual discount rate
July 1990

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A—III—8
The present value of annual expenditures over the equipment’s
useful life of N years is the sum of the present values for each
year:
I ,
PVc, = E PV (13)
i—i
The present value of all cash flows resulting from the capital
and annual o&M expenditures required to comply with environmental
regulations throughout the initial useful life cycle of the controls
is equal to the combination of the present values of the three
associated cash flows: the initial capital investment net of ITC,
the depreciation tax benefit, and the after—tax annual O&M costs,
taken from equations (9), (11), and (13), respectively:
PV’ = PV 1 — + PV (14
An adjustment to this figure occurs if all or part of the
capital is financed with low interest debt. (The adjustment is
discussed in Section D below.)
The present value of all cash flows associated with the initial
useful life cycle of the pollution control equipment- must next be
expanded to include the present value of cash flows in all future
replacement cycles. This can be accomplished by first calculating
the second cycle of cash flows, which is the first replacement
cycle. The BEN model assumes that the most recent tax law
provisions apply to the cash flows in every year of this second
cycle, and in all subsequent replacement cycles. Therefore, BEN
calculates cash flows for the second cycle by inflating all
investment and annual costs to the end of the first useful life and
applying the new tax law provisions. The present value of this
July 1990

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A—III—9
PVREP = PV +
= x
+ pv 2 x
second cycle of cash flows as of year N, when the original equipment
wears out, is denoted PV 2 PCE.
The present value of the cash flows from the second cycle and
all future replacement cycles is calculated by summing:
+ . .
for E>I (15a)
where: N = the useful life of the equipment (in years).
The present value of these replacement-cycle cash flows as of
the noncompliance date is then determined by discounting:
(15b)
Where the capital investment is a one—time, not a recurring
investment, PV , only includes future annual expenditure cash
flows. Capital investment and depreciation cash flows are zero.
The present value of the cash flows from the original cycle and
all future replacement cycles is calculated by summing:
PV (15c)
PVREP
- PVRZP
(1 + E)
= PV 1 pcz + PVREP
July 1990

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A—III—lO
2. The One-Time Nondenreciable Exnenditure Cash Flew
The present value of the cash flow associated with a one—time
nondepreciable expenditure is simply the initial after-tax cash flow
as expressed in equation (5) or (6):
PV = ONE 0 (16)
This àne—time cash flow is not repeated in subsequent years.
Therefore, the calculations of equations (15a), (15b) and (15c) are
not required for this cash flow.
3. Total Cash Flow
The total present value of cash flows associated with the
pollution control—related capital investment, annual O&M
expenditures, and a one—time nondepreciable expenditure is:
PV = PV + PV (17)
This is the total present value of complying on time, as of the date
compliance was required.
C. ECONOXIC BENEFIT OF DELAYED COMPLIANCE
The economic benefit of delayed compliance is the difference
between the present value of complying on time and the present value
of complying at the end of the delay period. The total figure
calculated in (17) above is the total present value of complying on
time, as of the noncompliance date. The cash flows associated with
complying after the delay period are similar to those associated
with complying on time, as explained in the above two sections.
However, the delay—case cash flows differ from the on-time cash
July 1990

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- A—Ill—li
flows for two reasons: (1) inflation, and (2) differential tax
provisions. Each of these reasons is discussed below.
The cost of complying after the delay period is generally
higher than the cost of complying on time because of the impact of
inflation. Each cost of delayed compliance, as of the day on which
compliance is actually achieved, is inflated over the delay period
from the on—time compliance cost. For example, the one—time
expenditure in the delay case is given by:
* L
ONE DELAY = ONE 0 X (1 + Im) (18)
where: I = the monthly inflation rate (derived
from I, the annual inflation rate)
L = the number of months of delay
The other two cost categories are similarly inflated.
BEN then calculates the delay case cash flows from these
inflated costs according to the tax law provisions that apply to
each year of the first cycle of the delay case. Because the first
cycle of the delay case covers different years than the first cycle
of the on—time case, the application of different tax law provisions
might create a different pattern of tax impacts. BEN then
calculates the present value of the delay case cash flows and adds
the replacement cycle cash flows, calculated as described above for
the on—time case. The total present value of the delay case cash
flows as of the compliance date is denoted PV*D!LAy.
The present value of the delayed cash flows, as of the day on
which compliance should have been achieved, is given by discounting:
PVDELAY
DLA = (1.9)
(1 +
where: = the monthly discount rate (derived
from E, the annual discount rate)
July 1990

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A—Ill —12
The economic benefit from delay is thus the difference between these
two present values:
EC 3 = PV - PVD (20)
This economic benefit figure is then valued as of the expected
penalty payment date, reflecting the fact that the violator is
earning a market rate return on the savings until the penalty is
paid. This future value of the benefit is given as:
— P
— ECEEN x (l+EM)
where: P = the number of months between the
- noncompliance data and the penalty payment
date
(21)
D. SAVINGS FROM LOW-INTEREST FINANCING
Low-interest financing (e.g., industrial development bonds) can
be used to finance all or a portion of the capital investment and
one-time expenditure. BEN assumes that debt obtained to finance
pollution controls replaces other debt in the violator’s capital
structure. Thus, the savings from using low-interest debt is equal
to the difference between the present value cost of financing at the
market rate and at the lower interest rate.
The amount borrowed, FIN, is assumed to be repaid in equal
amounts at the end of each year over the useful life of the
pollution control equipment. (This assumption holds even if part of
the financing is used for a one—time expenditure, which does not
July 1990

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A—III—13
have a useful life.) The repayment of principal in year j is
expressed as:
1
PRINJ = FIN X (22)
N
Where: PRIM 3 = the amount of principal repaid in year j
N = the useful life of the pollution-control
equipment
BEN assumes that both low-interest and market-interest finan-
cing would have the same principal repayment schedule, and that the
effective cost difference is the difference between the interest
payments for each type of financing. Interest is assumed to be paid
at the end of each year on the principal outstanding at the
beginning of that year. Since interest is tax-deductible, the tax
effects are considered in calculating the cash flow. The after—tax
interest cash flow in any year j at the low interest rate is:
INTLOWJ = (FIN - E PRIN 1 ) x (1 - MTRJ) x R (23)
i—i
where: RL = the low interest rate
The interest cash flow in any year at the market interest rate is:
i—i
INTMXT 3 = (FIN - E PRIN ) x (1 - MTR 3 ) x R, (24)
i—i
where: = the market interest rate that the
violator pays for debt financing
July 1990

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A—III—14
The difference between the annual interest cash flows is thus:
DIFFJ = INTMKTJ - INTLOWJ (25)
j—i
= ((FIN - E PRINJ x (1 - MTRJ) x R ]
j—i
((FIN — E PRIN ) x (1 - MTRJ) x R ]
i —i
i-i
= (FIN - E PRIN ) x (1 - MTR 3 ) x (R,lI T — RL )
i—i
In its simplified form, the difference in interest charges in any
year can be computed by multiplying the remaining balance by the
after—tax difference between the two interest rates.
The present value of each differential is given by:
DI FF
PVDXFF (26)
(3. + R” 1 ) 3
where: R T = the after—tax market rate
The total present value of the interest savings differential is
given by:
N
PV = E PVDIFFJ (27)
i—i
BEN uses this savings figure to reduce the present-value cost
of the capital investment in pollution controls and, if necessary,
the one-time expenditure. If the amount financed is less than or
July 1990

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A—III—15
equal to the initial capital cost, the full savings figure of
equation (27) reduces the present value of the costs of pollution
control equipment. If the amount financed exceeds the initial
capital cost, the model allocates the savings from the interest
differential first to the pollution control capital investment and
then to the one-time expenditure. Thus, equation (14) is adjusted
to reflect this cost reduction:
PV’ E = PVIN - + PV - SAV E (28)
II
where: SAV E = PVSAV for  1
FIN
II II -
and: SAV E = PVSAV x for < 1
FIN FIN
This adjusted present value total is then used in the subsequent
calculations using equation (14).
Savings from low interest financing are subtracted from the
one-time nondepreciable expenditure cash flow only if the low
interest financing amount, FIN, exceeds the capital cost. Equation
(16) is thus adjusted to reflect the savings:
PV = ONE 0 - SAV (29)
II
where: SAV = 0 , for  1
FIN
( ii
and: SAV = PV ,x(1- ), for < 1
FIN) FIN
July 1990

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A—III— 16
E. CALCULATIONS FOR TEE CASE PLOW TABLE FOR OUTPUT OPTION 3
The model employs the procedures described above to calculate
the economic benefit from delayed compliance as reported in the
summary results in output Options 1 and 2 and the last page of
Option 3. slightly different procedures are used to calculate the
values in the detailed cash flow tables provided for Option 3. The
table illustrates tax effects and discounting in a sequence that is
different from that used by the program to create the summary. The
following discussion explains the additional calculations used to
create the tables. Note that the difference between the delay case
cash flows and the on—time case cash flows derive from inflation and
differential tax impacts.
1. Annual Cash Flows and Tax Effects
Each table presents annual, undiscounted expenses both before
and after tax effects for each year. After—tax annual costs are
calculated as follows:
TXSVOM 3 = - OM , x (1 - MTR ,) (30)
The negative sign associated with the annual expenditure denotes a
cash outflow.
For each year the tables also present the depreciation amount
and the undiscounted depreciation tax benefit. The tax benefit is
calculated as follows:
TXSVDPJ = DEPJ x MTRJ (31)
The depreciation tax savings is positive because it is a cash
inflow.
July 1990

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A—III—17
2. Treatment of the One-Time Wondepreciable ExDenditure
If the one—time nondepreciable expenditure is not tax—
deductible, it appears as part of the investment net of ITC at year
zero:
INV = — EXP — (PV 11 - ITC) (32)
Note again that negative signs are used to denote cash outflows.
If the one—time nondepreciable expenditure is tax-deductible,
it appears in the annual cost column at year zero and its after—tax
value appears as after—tax annual cost. Thus,
TXSVOM 0 = - EXP x (1 - MTRJ) (33)
and, INV = - (PV 11 - ITC)
3. Discountina
Each table shows the present value of the after—tax annual cash
flows. The table also lists the discount factors used in
calculating each present value. For each year j, the discount
factor is calculated as follows:
1
DF (34)
(1 +
where: DF = the project discount factor applied to after-tax
annual cash flows and depreciation tax savings
in year j
E = the annual discount rate
July 1990

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A—III—18
The discount factor equals 1.0 for year zero, since this is the year
to which you are discounting, and cash flows occurring in this year
are already in present-value terms.
The table displays the discounted value of each annual cash
flow. These are calculated by applying the discount factors to the
appropriate cash flows for each year j:
PV1, = TXSVOM x DF, (35)
PV2, = TXSVDP, x DF, (36)
where: PV1, = the present value of after—tax annual costs in
year j
and: PV 2 J = the present value of the depreciation tax
savings in year j
4. Ag re atin Present Values
For each year, the tables list the annual present value, which
is the sum of (1) the investment net of ITC, (2) the present value
of after—tax annual costs, and (3) the present value of depreciation
tax savings. A negative figure denotes a net cash outflow or cost;
a positive figure is a net cash inflow or savings:
PV = INV + PV1 + PV2 (37)
The discounted benefit from low interest financing appears
separately at the bottom of the cash flow table, immediately below
the annual present value for year N. It equals the present value
calculated in equation (27).
The final figure at the bottom of the cash flow table
represents the sum of all the annual present value totals and the
low interest debt savings adjustment. This sum is equal to the
July 1990

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A— 111—19
total pre EWt value of compliance from equation (28). In each casl
flow table, the negative sign is used to indicate that this present’
value represents a net cash outflow. In the on—time case table, the
present value is expressed as of the noncompliance date, and in the
delay case table, the present value is expressed as of the
compliance date.
July 1990

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A—III—20
EXHIBIT A-I.
DEFINITION OF SYMBOLS
COST — Cost of compliance with environmental regulations as entered
COST,, — Cost of compliance with environmental regulations in noncompliance-
year dollars
DEP 1 — the amount of depreciation in year j
DF 1 — the factor used to discount after-tax annual expenses and
depreciation tax savings
DIFF — the cash flow differential arising from substituting low interest
for market interest rates
d, — the fraction of the original asset value depreciated in year j
E — the annual discount rate
— the monthly discount rate
EC — the present value of the economic benefit from delay as of
noncompliance date
EXP — the one-time nondepreciable expenditure incurred to comply with
environmental regulations
FIN — the amount of low interest financing
FV — the future value of the economic benefit
I the annual rate of inflation for expenditure made to comply with
environmental regulations
I. — the monthly inflation rate
IDFLT — the number of years between the noncompliance year and year in
whih the cost is expressed
II — the initial capital investment for pollution control
ii — the depreciation basis of the initial capital investment
INTLOW 1 — after-tax interest payment cash flow in year j at the low interest
rate
INT) TJ — after-tax interest payment cash flow in year j at the market
interest rate
INV — investment cash flow
July 1990

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A—III—2 1
EXHIBIT A-i
DEFINITION OF SYMBOLS
ITC — the investment tax credit
1,1 — indices, usually indicating the year in which a cash flow occurs
L — the number of months of delayed compliance
MTR, — the marginal income tax rate (federal & state) in year j
N — the useful life of pollution control equipment in years
OX, — the annual (operating and maintenance) expense in year j
ONE, — the after-tax cash flow associated with the one-time expenditure
PRIN, — the principal repayment in year j
PV — the present value of a cash flow or cash flows
— present value of all cash flows in first cycle
PV 2 pc — present value of all cash flows in second cycle
PV — present value of all cash flows in all cycles
— the low interest rate
— the market interest rate the violator pays for long-term debt
financing
R g y — the market interest rate expressed on an after-tax basis
SAV — the reduction in present value of pollution control costs arising
from the use of low interest financing
— the investment tax credit rate
TXSVDPJ — the tax savings associated with depreciation expense in year J
TXSVOX 1 — the after-tax cash flow from operating and maintenance expenses in
year j
July 1990

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A-IV-1
IV. SAMPLE CALCULATION OP ECONOMIC BENEFIT
This section illustrates BEN’S calculation of the economic
benefit of delayed compliance for a hypothetical noncomplying fix-rn.
The inputs are as follows:
1) A. Case Name
B. Statute
C. Profitability Status
2) Capital Investment
3) One-Time Nondepreciable
Expenditure
4) Annual Expense
5) Date of Noncompliance
6) Date of Compliance
7) Penalty Payment Date
8) Useful Life
9) Marginal Tax Rate - 1986
and Before
10) Marginal Tax Rate - 1987
- and Beyond
11) Inflation Rate
12) Discount Rate: Equity
13) Low Interest Financing
Low Interest Rate
Corporate Debt Rate
Company X Example
2. Clean Air Act — Mobile Source
For-Profit
$105,000, 1989 dollars, recurring
$210,000, 1989, tax—deductible
$15,750, 1989 dollars
October 1987
June 1990
September 1990
10 years
49.6 percent
38.4 percent
3.5 percent
17.5 percent
$105,000, 1989 dollars
10 percent
12 percent
July 1990

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A-IV-2
A. PXRST CYCLE CASE PLOWS
The initial step in calculating the economic benefit of delayed
compliance is to lay out all the cash flows that result f m on-time
compliance, including both direct costs and indirect financial
impacts. First, BEN deflates the dollar input amounts —- capital
investment, one-time nondepreciable expenditure, annual cost, and
amount of low interest financing —- from 1989 dollars to 1987
dollars (noncompliance—year dollars) using the 3.5 percent inflation
rate. The amounts are deflated over two years by dividing by 1.0712
(one plus the inflation rate, squared) as indicated in equation (1).
The inputs and the deflated amounts are given in the following
table:
Input Dollar Amounts Deflated Values
(Delay Case) (On—Time Case)
Input ( 1989 dollars) ( 1987 dollars )
Capital Investment 105,000 98,019
One-Time Nondepreciable
Expenditure 210,000 196,037
Annual Expense 15,750 14,703
Low-Interest Financing 105,000 98,019
BEN then calculates the on-time cash flows associated with
these inputs, expressed in noncompliance—year dollars, and the delay
case cash flows associated with these inputs expressed in
compliance-year dollars. Exhibit A-2 reports the cash flows on
both a before—tax and an after-tax basis, and also ona present
value basis. BEN prints the cash-flow table shown in Exhibit A-2 as
part of output Option 3. Each table is divided into two halves, and
the years of the useful life of the capital investment are printed
in the first column of each half.
The second column of the top half of each table includes the
investment outlay ($98,019 for the on-time case; $107,436 for the
delay case), net of the investment tax credit. In this example,
since both the on—time and delay cases occur after 1985, the
investment tax credit (ITC) is zero for both cases. Thus, the
July 1990

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A-IV-3
EXHIBIT A-2
OPTION 3 CASH FLOW TABLES
COMPANY X-EXAMPLE JUNE 30, 1989
ON-TIME CASE CASH FLOWS
FIRST CYCLE CASH FLOWS BASED ON
A TOTAL INITIAL OUTLAY OF $ 98019
AS OF THE BEGINNING OF THE PERIOD OF NONCOMPLIANCE
YEAR INVESTMENT DEPRECIATION DEPR.EC PRESENT VALUE
NET OF DEPRECIATION TAX DISCOUNT OF DEPREC TAX
ITC Cs) CS) SAVINGS (5) FACTOR SAVINGS (S)
0 —98019 0 0 1.0000 0
1 0 14003 5377 .9225 4961
2 0 24005 9218 .7851 7237
3 0 17146 6584 .6682 4400
4 0 12247 4703 .5687 2675
5 0 8748 3359 .4840 1626
6 0 8748 3359 .4119 1384
7 0 8748 3359 .3506 1178
8 0 4374 1680 .2983 501
9 0 0 0 .2539 0
10 0 0 0 .2161 0
YEAR ANNUAL AFTER-TAX PROJECT PRESENT VALUE TOTAL
EXPENSES ANNUAL DISCOUNT AFTER-TAX PRESENT
COST FACTOR O&M (5) VALUE (5)
0 —196037 —120759 1.0000 —120759 —218778
1 —14958 —9214 .9225 —8500 —3540
2 —15481 —9537 .7851 —7487 250
3 —16023 —9870 .6682 —6595 —2196
4 —16584 —10216 .5687 —5810 —3135
5 —17165 —10573 .4840 —5117 —3492
6 —17765 —10943 .4119 —4508 —3124
7 —18387 —11326 .3506 —3971 —2793
8 —19031 —11723 .2983 —3497 —2996
9. —19697 —12133 .2539 —3081 —3081
10 —20386 —12558 .2161 —2714 —2714
THE DISCOUNTED BENEFIT FROM THE LOW
INTEREST DIFFERENTIAL $ 3743
PRESENT VALUE OF PURCHASING THE INITIAL
POLLUTION CONTROL EQUIPMENT ON TIME AND
OPERATING IT THROUGHOUT ONE USEFUL LIFE $ -242354
July 1990

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A-IV-4
EXHIBIT A-2
OPTION 3 CASE FLOW ThBLES
(continued)
COMPANY XEXAMPLE JUNE 30, 1990
DELAY CASE CASH FLOWS
FIRST CYCLE CASH FLOWS BASED ON
A TOTAL INITIAL OUTLAY OF $ 107436
AS OF THE END OF THE PERIOD OF NONCOMPLIANCE
YEAR INVESTMENT DEPRECIATION DEPREC PRESENT VALUE
NET OF DEPRECIATION TAX DISCOUNT OF DEPREC TAX
ITC Cs) ( 5) SAVINGS (5) FACTOR SAVINGS (5)
0 —107436 0 0 1.0000 0
1 0 15348 5894 .9225 5437
2 0 26311 10103 .7851 7933
3 0 18794 7217 .6682 4822
4 0 13424 5155 .5687 2931
5 0 9588 3682 .4840 1782
6 0 9588 3682 .4119 1517
7 0 9588 3682 .3506 1291
8 0 4794 1841 .2983 549
9 0 0 0 .2539 0
10 0 0 0 .2161 0
YEAR ANNUAL AFTER-TAX PROJECT PRESENT VALUE TOTAL
EXPENSES ANNUAL DISCOUNT AFTER-TAX PRESENT
COST FACTOR O&M (5) VALUE (5)
0 —214872 —132361 1.0000 —132361 —239797
1 —16395 —10099 .9225 —9317 —3880
2 —16969 —10453 .7851 —8207 —274
3 —17563 —10819 .6682 —7229 —2407
4 - —18177 —11197 .5687 —6368 —3436
5 —18814 —11589 .4840 —5609 —3827
6 —19472 —11995 .4119 —4941 —3424
7 —20154 —12415 .3506 —4352 —3061
8 —20859 —12849 .2983 —3833 —3284
9 —21589 —13299 .2539 —3377 —3377
10 —22345 —13764 .2161 —2974 —2974
THE DISCOUNTED BENEFIT FROM THE LOW
INTEREST DIFFERENTIAL $ 4103
PRESENT VALUE OF DELAYING THE PURCHASE
OF THE INITIAL POLLUTION CONTROL EQUIP IENT
AND OPERATING IT THROUGHOUT ITS USEFUL LIFE $ -265639
July 1990

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A-IV-5
investment ét of rr in the second column is the sum of the one-
time nondepreciable expenditure (zero) and the capital investment
net of the ITC. This total is reported as a negative cash flow, as
are all other cash outflows shown in the tables.
The third column of the top half presents the annual depreci-
ation in years 1 through 7. The depreciation amount is based on the
double-declining balance depreciation method (with the half-year
convention). The tax savings from each depreciation amount, which
is in the fourth column, is calculated using equation (31). It
equals the product of the depreciation amount and the applicable
38.4 percent marginal tax rate. The depreciation discount factors
in the fifth column are based on an annual discount rate of 17.5
percent, the rate used for all cash flows. Since annual cash flows
occur at mid—year in the model, their values are discounted from the
middle of the year. For example, the discount factor in year 1 is
equal to:
1
= .9225
(1.175)1/2
The sixth column presents the present value of the depreciation
tax savings, obtained by multiplying the depreciation tax savings
(column 4) and the discount factor (column 5).
The second column in the bottom half of the table lists the
annual costs, inflated by 3.5 percent per year. Since annual
expenses occur at mid—year in the model, the annual amount for year
1 for the on—time case is calculated by inflating the annual amount
in noncompliance—year dollars for one—half year (see Equation 7):
$14,703 x ( 1 • 035 )1I2 = $14,958
July 1990

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A-IV-6
The one—time nondepreciable expenditures, because they are tax-
deductible, are reported in this column at year 0 ($196 ,O37 for the
on—time case, and $214,872 for the delay case).
The after—tax annual and one—time nondepreciable expenses are
in the third column. The figures in this column are calculated by
multiplying the annual costs by a factor equal to one minus the
marginal tax rate, as in equation (30). The discount factors in the
fourth column are based on 17.5 percent, the discount rate entered
as an input. These discount rates are identical to those applied to
the depreciation tax savings.
The fifth column, which is calculated using equation (36),
contains the present value of the annual cash flows (column 3 times
column 4). The last column provides the totals of the present
values of the investment net of ITC (if applicable), depreciation
tax savings, and after—tax annual costs for each year.
The discounted benefit from low interest financing is reported
at the bottom of the cash flow table. Calculations for this figure
are presented in Exhibit A-3. The low interest benefit is calcu-
lated assuming equal principal payments at year-end over the ten-
year life of the equipment. The annual interest differential in the
third column of Exhibit A-3 is equal to the 2 percent interest
differential (the 12 percent corporate debt rate minus the 10
percent low interest rate) multiplied by the principal balance, in
the second column. The interest differential is then expressed on
an after—tax basis in the fourth column, using the 38.4 percent
marginal income tax rate. The discount factors in the fifth column
are based on 7.38 percent, the after—tax market interest (corporate
debt) rate. The present value of the after-tax differential is
shown in the final column. The sum of these annual present values
is the discounted benefit reported in the on-time case table of
Exhibit A-2.
July 1990

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A-IV-7
EXHIBIT A-3
BENEFIT OF $98,029 LOW INTEREST FINANCING
$1,027.74
787.20
595.52
443.47
323.51
229 • 44
156.21
99.71
56.57
24.07
Interest
Differ—
Remaining ential
Year Balance at 2%
After-
Tax
Differ-
ential
17. 50%
Discount
Factor
Annual
Present
Value
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
98, 019
88,217
78,415
68,613
58,811
49,010
39,208
29,406
19, 604
9, 802
1,960
1,764
1,568
1,372
1,176
980
784
588
392
196
1,208
1,087
966
845
725
604
483
362
242
121
0.8511
0. 7243
0. 6164
0. 5246
0. 4465
0. 3800
0.3234
0. 2752
0. 2342
0.1994
Total Benefit =
$3,743.45
July 1990

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A-IV-8
The last dollar figure in each table (negative $242,354 for th
on-time case, and negative $265,639 for the delay case) is the sum
of the annual present—value cash flows, including the benefit from
the low-interest financing for one useful life. BEN reports the
value for the on-time case as the first figure (A) in the output
shown in Exhibit A-4. This output is provided for output Option 2
and as the last page of Option 3. Note that costs and benefits are
both shown as positive numbers in Exhibit A-4.
B • INCLUDING REPLACEMENT CYCLES
The present value of purchasing and operating pollution control
equipment must include future replacements of the equipment. BEN
uses equations (15a), (15b), and (15c) to compute the present value
cost of all replacement cycles from the second cycle of cash flows.
Because all of the years of the first cycle are subject to the most
recent tax law, the second cycle is identical to the first cycle
except for inflation. Thus, for the on-time case, the present value’
of the second cycle is the final figure in the on-time cash flow
table ($242,354) net of the after-tax one-time expenditure
($120,759) inflated over the ten-year useful life:
= $121,595 x (1.035) °
= $121,595 x 1.41060
= $171,522
The replacement cycle cash flows thus total:
1
= $171,522 x
( 1. 03
11.175)
= $171,522 x 1.39122
= $238,624
July 1990

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A-IV-9
EXEIBIT A-4
8U)O(ARY RESULTS FROM OUTPUT OPTIONS 2 MID 3
COMPANY X EXAMPLE JUNE 30,1990
A. VALUE OF EMPLOYING POLLUTION CONTROL ON TIME AND
OPERATING IT FOR ONE USEFUL LIFE IN 1987 DOLLARS $
B. VALUE OF EMPLOYING POLLUTION CONTROL ON TIME AND
OPERATING IT FOR ONE USEFUL LIFE PLUS ALL FUTURE
REPLACEMENT CYCLES IN 1987 DOLLARS $
C. VALUE OF DELAYING EMPLOYMENT OF POLLUTION
CONTROL EQUIPMENT BY 32 MONTHS PLUS ALL FUTURE
REPLACEMENT CYCLES IN 1987 DOLLARS $ 206708
D. ECONOMIC BENEFIT OF A 32 MONTH DELAY
IN 1987 DOLLARS (EQUALS B MINUS C) $ 83216
E. THE ECONOMIC BENEFIT AS OF THE PENALTY PAYMENT
DATE, 35 MONTHS AFTER NONCOMPLIANCE $ 133194
THE ECONOMIC SAVINGS CALCULATION ABOVE <-<-c-c-<-<-
USED THE FOLLOWING VARIABLES:
USER SPECIFIED VALUES
CASE NAME = COMPANY X EXAMPLE
STATUTE = CLEAN AIR ACT - MOBILE SOURCE
PROFIT STATUS = FOR-PROFIT
INITIAL CAPITAL INVESTMENT (RECURRING)= $ 105000 1989 DOLLARS
ONE-TIME NONDEPRECIABLE EXPENDITURE = $ 210000 1989 DOLLARS
(TAX DEDUCTIBLE EXPENSE)
ANNUAL EXPENSE $
FIRST MONTH OF NONCOMPLIANCE=
COMPLIANCE DATE
PENALTY PAYMENT DATE=
USEFUL LIFE OF POLLUTION CONTROL EQUIPMENT =
MARGINAL INCOME TAX RATE FOR 1986 AND BEFORE
MARGINAL INCOME TAX RATE FOR 1987 AND BEYOND =
ANNUAL INFLATION RATE= 3
DISCOUNT RATE: CORPORATE EQUITY RATE =
AMOUNT OF LOW INTEREST FINANCING =
LOW INTEREST RATE —
CORPORATE DEBT RATE =
242354
289924
1A.
‘B.
‘C.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
1.1.
12.
13.
15750 1989 DOLLARS
10, 1987
6, 1990
9, 1990
10 YEARS
49.60 %
38.40 %
.50 %
17.50 %
$ ] O5000 1989 DOLLARS
10.00 %
12.00 %
Ju]v 1990

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A-IV-10
The t ta1 present value cost of complying with environmental
regulations on time is the present value of the original cycle cash
flows plus the present value of all replacement cycle cash flows, as
of the noncompliance date:
238,624
= $242,354 +
(1. 175) 10
238,624
= $242,354 +
5. 01624
= $242,354 + 47,570
= $289,924
This is the second figure (B) reported in Exhibit A-4. The on-
time compliance cost total is equal to the sum of (1) the total
present value cost of investing in and operating pollution control
equipment over the initial useful life cycle and all future
replacement cycles and (2) the one-time expenditure.
C • COST OP DELAYED COMPLIANCE
The present value cost of delayed compliance is derived from
the delay case cash flow table. The replacement cycle cash flows
are calculated as in the on—time case and for this example, in
exactly the same way as above. The present value of the second
cycle of cash flows is the final figure in the delay case cash flow
table ($265,639), net of the after-tax one-time expenditure
($132,361), inflated over the ten—year life:
= $133,278 x (1.035)’°
= $133,278 x 1.41060
= $188,002
July 1990

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A-IV-11
The t p1acement cycle cash flows thus total:
1
= $188,002 x
— 1.035 10
1. 175
= $188,002 x 1.39122
= $261,552
The total present value of delayed compliance is the present
value of the original cycle cash flows plus the present value of all
replacement cycles’ cash flows, as of the compliance date:
261,552
= $265,639 +
(1.175)’°
261,552
= $265,639 +
5 • 01624
= $265,639 + 52,141
= $317,780
A monthly inflation rate is used to inflate on—time case costs
to delay costs. A monthly discount rate is used to discount the
delay case present value total to the noncompliance date. The
annual inflation and discount rates are converted to monthly
equivalents as follows:
= (l+I)14 12_l
= (1 + 035)1 112 — 1
= .0028709
July 1990

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A-IV-12
and: (1 + E)” 12 — 1
= (] + .l75) 2 — 1
= .013530
In this example, compliance was delayed 32 months from October
1987 to June 1990. BEN uses equation (19) to calculate the present
value cost of delayed compliance for the 32—month delay as of the
noncompliance date:
$317,780
(1.013530)32
— $317,780
— 1.5373
= $206,708
This is the third figure (C) reported in the output shown in
Exhibit A-4.
D. ECONOMIC BENEPIT OP DELAY
The economic benefit of the 12-month delay, valued as of the
noncompliance date, is simply the difference between the present
value costs of complying on time and complying after the delay:
= $289,924 — $206,709
= $83,216
This is the fourth figure (D) reported in Exhibit A-4. It is
the difference between the two preceding figures (B and C) in the
output.
July 1990

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A-IV-13
Finalj , the economic benefit is valued as of the penalty
payment date of September 1990, which is 35 months after the
noncompliance date. The economic benefit is brought forward using
the discount rate, which is compounded monthly from the
noncompliance date to the penalty payment date.
This value of the benefit at the time the penalty is paid is
calculated as in equation (21):
= $ 83,216 x (1 + EM) 35
= $ 83,216 x (1 + .013530)
= $ 83,216 x 1.60058
= $ 133,194
July 1990

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APPENDIX B
SPECIAL CASES
July 1990

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CONTENTS
I. Governmental Entities and Not-For-profit
Organizations B—I—i
A • Cost Inputs . . . . . . B—I—3
1. One Time Grant. . . • . . . . . . • . . . . • . • . . . . B—I—3
2. On—Going Grant. . . • . . . . . . . . . . B—I—4
B. Tax Information. . . . . . . . . . . . . . B—I—4
C. Discount Rate. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B—I—4
II. Avoided One—Time Cost Calculations...... B—I l—i
A. Introduction B—I l—i
B. Procedure for Economic Benefit
Calculation. . . • . . . . . . . B—Il—i
C. Example of An Avoided One-Time Capital
Expenditure Calculation ... B—II—3
D. Example of An Avoided One-Time Nondepreciable
Cost Calculation B—II—6
EXHI BITS
B-i Summary of Adjustments For Not-For-
Profit Organizations................ ..... B—I—2
B—2 MunicipalBondYieldAverages....................B—I-6
B-3 Example of An Avoided One-Time Capital Expenditure
Calculation: OutputOption2.................... B—II—4
B-4 Example of An Avoided One-Time Nondepreciable Cost
Calculation: OutputOption2....................B—II—7
July 1990

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B-I-i
I • GOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES AND
$OT-FOR-PROPIT ORGANIZATIONS
BEN can be used to estimate the economic benefit of delayed
compliance for any type of organization. The first section of this
appendix explains how to use BEN when calculating the economic
benefit for municipalities and other governmental entities and for
not-for—profit organizations.
NOTE: If you are making an economic benefit calculation for a not-
for—prof it organization, answer Y for yes when BEN asks if the
violator is a not-for-profit entity in Question lc.
IS THE VIOLATOR A NOT-FOR-PROFIT ENTITY? (Y,N)
Y
There are three areas in which characteristics might differ
between for-profit and not—for—profit entities: the cost inputs (if
a subsidy is involved), the variables relating to tax information,
and the discount rate. Each of these areas is explained below.
Exhibit B-I lists all variable inputs to BEN and summarizes the
adjustments, if any, that should be made to each.
July 1990

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B-I-2
EXHIBIT B-i
SUNNARY OP ADJUSTMENTS
FOR NOT-FOR-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS
VARIABLE
1. Case Name
2. Initial Capital Investment
3. One-Time Nondepreciable
Expenditure
4. Annual Expense
5. Date of Noncompliance
6. Date of Compliance
7. Date of Penalty Payment
8. Useful Life of Pollution
Control Equipment
9. Marginal Tax Rate
—- 1986 and Before
10. Marginal Tax Rate
-- 1987 and Beyond
Inflation Rate
Discount Rate
Low Interest Financing
None
0%
0%
None
Cost of municipal debt
Not applicable
if the violator is a not-f or-
ADJUSTMENT
None
Subtract grant funds here if the
grant includes support for future
expenditures on replacement
equipment
Subtract grant funds here
if the grant supports only an
initial expenditure
None
None
None
None
11.
12.
13.
NOTE: Answer Y (yes) when BEN asks
profit entity.
July 1990

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B-I-3
A. COST INPUTS
Cost figures entered in BEN should be adjusted to account for
any portion covered by Federal or state grants. Such grants might
support only an initial expenditure (one-time grant) or they might -
include support for future expenditures on replacement equipment
(on-going grant).
2. One-Tim. Grant
If the grant supports only an initial pollution control
investment (Variable 2) or a one-time expenditure (Variable 3), you
must adjust the one—time expenditure entry (Variable 3). Subtract
the one—time grant amount from the original one—time expenditure
value. Enter the difference as the adjusted one—time expenditure
value. This difference will be negative if the original one-time
expenditure is less than the grant amount (or is zero). BEN will
accept a negative value for the one—time expenditure variable.
For example, suppose a project requires an immediate
expenditure of $350,000: $275,000 to construct pollution control
equipment and $75,000 to purchase land. You would normally enter
$275,000 as the initial capital investment (Variable 2) and $75,000
as the one-time expenditure (Variable 3). Suppose now, however,
that a $100,000 construction grant will be made available, a grant
that does not provide for funding future investments in replacement
equipment. You would adjust Variable 3 to account for this one—time
grant by subtracting the grant amount ($100,000) from the original
one-time expenditure ($75,000). Thus, you would enter a negative
$25,000 for Variable 3. If there had been no one—time expenditure,
you would enter a negative $100,000, the difference between zero and
$100,000, as the value for Variable 3.
July 1990

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B-I-4
2. On-Going Grant
If the grant supports investment in the initial pollution
control equipment and all future replacements of the equipment, you
must adjust the initial capital investment entry (Variable 2).
Subtract the grant funding amount from the original investment
amount. Enter the difference as the adjusted initial capital
investment value. The grant funding amount should not exceed the
original capital investment or the difference will be a negative
value. BEN will not accept a negative value for the initial capital
investment variable.
Suppose in the previous example that the $100,000 grant
supports the initial capital investment and that it will provide an
equal amount (plus an inflation adjustment) each time the equipment
is replaced. You would adjust Variable 2 to account for this on-
going grant. Subtract the $100,000 grant amount from the $275,000
initial capital investment. Enter $175,000, the difference between
$275,000 and $100,000, as the adjusted Variable 2 value.
B. TAX INPORXATION
Not—for—profit entities have a tax—exempt status. Therefore,
when you indicate that the violator is a not-for-profit entity, BEN
automatically adjusts the tax variables. BEN sets the investment
tax credit and the marginal income tax rates at zero. Thus, at a
zero marginal tax rate, BEN calculates no tax consequences from
depreciation, operating and maintenance expenses, or low interest
financing.
C. DISCOUNT RATE
The economic benefit calculations in BEN for not-for-profit
organizations use the cost of municipal debt as the basis for the
discount rate. When you indicate that the violator is a not-for-
July 1990

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B-I-s
profit ent-i4 ’, -BEN automatically defines the discount rate for a
not—for—profit entity based on the cost of average rated municipal
bond yields as reported by Moody’s over the last ten years.
If you want to modify this standard value, you should enter the
cost of debt most applicable to the violator. The municipal bond
yield can be estimated by the interest rates for municipal bonds
issued during the noncompliance period. Alternatively, you can use
the reported yield on municipal debt having the quality rating
assigned to the violator’s bonds, or, when the rating is not known,
the reported average municipal bond yield.
Municipal bond yields are reported monthly in Moody’s Municioal
and Government Manual for specific municipalities and as averages
for each bond quality rating. Bonds are rated by Moody’s according
to their riskiness, the higher quality ratings denoting lower risk
bonds. The ratings range from “Aaa,” the highest quality; to a low
of “C.” Average bond yields are reported for only the highest four
ratings: “Aaa,” “Aa,” “A,” and “Baa.” You should use the average
yield for bonds of “Baa” rating if the violator has a rating of
“Baa” or lower. The municipal bond yields over the past sixteen
years are shown in Exhibit B-2.
The standard value for the cost of municipal debt is based on
the average municipal bond yield over the last ten years.
July 1990

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B-I-6
EXHIBIT B-2
MUNICIPAL BOND YIELD AVERAGES
1974—1989
SOURCE: Moody’s Municipal and Government Manual
Ave rage
Aaa
Baa
1974
6.19
5.89
6.04
6.27
6.53
1975
7.05
6.42
6.77
7.37
7.62
1976
6.61
5.65
6.12
7.17
7.49
1977
5.64
5.20
5.39
5.86
6.12
1978
5.86
5.51
5.68
5.99
6.27
1979
6.28
5.89
6.11
6.34
6.73
1980
8.34
7.85
8.06
8.44
9.01
1981
11.10
10.42
10.89
11.31
11.75
1982
11.63
10.88
11.30
11.84
12.48
1983
9.45
8.80
9.20
9.64
10.17
1984
10.00
9.61
9.88
10.15
10.37
1985
9.08
8.60
8.93
9.20
9.59
1986
7.33
6.95
7.16
7.42
7.75
1987
7.59
7.12
7.39
7.76
8.20
1988
7.57
7.36
7.49
7.59
7.84
1989
7.18
7.00
7.10
7.22
7.40
July 1990

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B—Il—i
II. AVOIDED ONE-TIME COST CALCULATIONS
A. INTRODUCTION
In some cases, usually involving a RCPA violation, a violator
can completely avoid one-time capital expenditures or nondepreciable
costs. This usually occurs when the violator delayed pollution
control expenditures, but the government is now seeking to close the
violator’s operation. Thus, the violator will never have to pay
certain costs. BEN, as it is currently structured, is not designed
to directly address this situation. But you can use BEN to
accurately calculate the economic benefit by using same of the
intermediate calculations. The following discussion shows how you
can use BEN to make such a calculation.
B. PROCEDURE FOR ECONOMIC BENEFIT CALCULATION
The first step is to run BEN as you normally would, including
only the avoided capital expenditure (enter as Variable 2 and selec
one—time) or one-time nondepreciable expense (enter as Variable 3).
The model will assume that it is a delayed expense, but you will use
BEN’S intermediary calculations to get the correct answer. In these
cases assume that the compliance date is the same as the penalty
payment date.
When you select the output option for your BEN analysis,
select output option 2. The value shown in both (A) and (B) will be
the after—tax one-time capital expenditure or nondepreciable expense
in noncompliance year dollars. This is the amount that the violator
initially saved.
This amount, however, does not reflect the fact that the
violator had use of this money from the time it should have spent
the money (the noncompliance date) until it pays the civil penalty
(the penalty payment date). In order to determine the total
benefit, we want to multiply the value in Item (A) or (B) by the
July 1990

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B—II—2
discount rate for the number of months between the noncompliance
date and the penalty payment date.
You can do this easily by using two other values presented in
output option 2. What you want to do is apply the percentage
increase between items CD) and CE) to the value in Item (A) and (B).
Thus, first determine the ratio of (E) to (D):
E
= I
D
where I = the percentage increase of CE) from CD).
Then, multiply the value in (A) by I:
A X I = economic benefit as of penalty payment date
July 1990

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B—lI —3
C. EXAMPLE OF AN AVOIDED ONE-TIME CAPITAL EXPENDITURE CALCULATION
This example is identical to the one shown tlroughout the
manual, except that the one-time nondepreciable and annual costs are
iow zero, and there is no low interest financing. In this case, you
only enter a capital cost (Variable 2) and select “one—time”. Thus,
your inputs are as follows:
1) A. Case Name COMPANY X EXAMPLE
B. Statute 2. Clean Air Act — Mobile Source
C. Profitability Status 1. For-Profit
2) Capital Investment $105,000, 1989.dollars, one—time
3) One-Time Nondepreciable
Expenditure $ 0
4) Annual Expense $ 0
5) Date of Noncompliance October 1987
6) Date of Compliance June 1990
7) Penalty Payment Date September 1990
8) Useful Life 10 Years
9) Marginal Tax Rate — 1986
and Before 49.6 percent
10) Marginal Tax Rate — 1987
and Beyond 38.4 percent
11) Inflation Rate 3.5 percent
12) Discount Rate: Equity 17.5 percent
13) Low Interest Financing $ 0
Once you have completed your inputs, select Output Option 2.
The results are shown in Exhibit B-3. Note that the value for items
(A) and (B) is $74,059. The violator avoided an after-tax cost of
this amount at the time of noncompliance.
July 1990

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B—Il —4
- EXHIBIT B-3
EXAMPLE OF AN AVOIDED ONE-TINE CAPITAL EXPENDITURE CALCULATION
- OUTPUT OPTION 2
COMPANY X EXAMPLE JUNE 30,
A. VALUE OF EMPLOYING POLLUTION CONTROL ON TIME AND
OPERATING IT FOR ONE USEFUL LIFE IN 1987 DOLLARS $ 74059
B. VALUE OF EMPLOYING POLLUTION CONTROL ON TIME AND
OPERATING IT FOR ONE USEFUL LIFE PLUS ALL FUTURE
REPLACEMENT CYCLES IN 1987 DOLLARS $
C. VALUE OF DELAYING EMPLOYMENT OF POLLUTION
CONTROL EQUIPMENT BY 32 MONTHS PLUS ALL FUTURE
REPLACEMENT CYCLES IN 1987 DOLLARS
D. ECONOMIC BENEFIT OF A 32 MONTH DELAY
IN 1987 DOLLARS (EQUALS B MINUS C)
E. THE ECONOMIC BENEFIT AS OF THE PENALTY PAYMENT
DATE, 35 MONTHS AFTER NONCOMPLIANCE
$ 52082
$ 21257
$ 34023
->->->->-> THE ECONOMIC SAVINGS CALCULATION ABOVE <-<-<-c-<-
USED THE FOLLOWING VARIABLES:
1A.
lB.
ic.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
USER SPECIFIEI VALUES
10, 1987
6, 1990
9, 1990
10 YEARS
49.60 %
38.40 %
3.50 %
17.50 %
0
1990
74059
CASE NAME = COMPANY X EXAMPLE
STATUTE = CLEAN AIR ACT - MOBILE SOURCE
PROFIT STATUS = FOR-PROFIT
INITIAL CAPITAL INVESTMENT (ONE TIME) = $ 105000 1989 DOLLARS
ONE-TIME NONDEPRECIABLE EXPENDITURE = $ 0
ANNUAL EXPENSE = $ 0
FIRST MONTH OF NONCOMPLIANCE =
COMPLIANCE DATE
PENALTY PAYMENT DATE =
USEFUL LIFE OF POLLUTION CONTROL EQUIPMENT =
MARGINAL INCOME TAX RATE FOR 1986 AND BEFORE =
MARGINAL INCOME TAX RATE FOR 1987 AND BEYOND =
ANNUAL INFLATION RATE =
DISCOUNT RATE: CORPORATE EQUITY RATE
AMOUNT OF LOW INTEREST FINANCING — $
July 1990

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B—Il —5
To pute the economic benefit as of the penalty payment
date, first calculate the ratio of (E) to CD):
E $34,023
I = = = 1.6006
D $21,257
Now, we multiply this result times the value in (A) and (B):.
A X I = $74,059 X 1.6006 = $118,536
The economic benefit resulting from the avoided one—time capital
expenditure is thus $118,536.
July 1990

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B—Il —6
D. EXAMPLE OP AN AVOIDED ONE-TIME NONDEPRECIABLE COST CALCULATION
This example also corresponds to the one shown throughout the
manual, except that the capital and annual costs are now zero, and
there is no low interest financing. Thus, your inputs will be as
follows:
1) A. Case Name
B. Statute
C. Profitability Status
2) Capital Investment
3) One-Time Nondepreciable
Expenditure
4) Annual Expense
5) Date of Noncompliance
6) Date of Compliance
7) Penalty Payment Date
8) Useful Life
9) Marginal Tax Rate — 1986
and Before
10) Marginal Tax Rate — 1987
and Beyond
11) Inflation Rate
12) Discount Rate: Equity
13) Low Interest Financing
COMPANY X EXAMPLE
2. Clean Air Act — Mobile Source
1. For-Profit
$
0
$210,000, 1989 dollars,
tax-deductible
$ 0
October 1987
June 1990
September 1990
10 Years
49.6 percent
38.4 percent
3.5 percent
17.5 percent
$ 0
Once you have completed your inputs, select Output Option 2.
The results are shown in Exhibit B-4. Note that the value for items
(A) and (B) is $120,759. The violator avoided an after-tax cost of
this amount at the time of noncompliance. -
July 1990

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B—lI —7
EXEIBIT B-4
EXAMPLE OPAN AVOIDED ONE-TIME NONDEPRECIABLE COST CALCULATION
- OUTPUT OPTION 2
COMPANY X EXAMPLE JUNE 30, 19 0
A. VALUE OF EMPLOYING POLLUTION CONTROL ON TIME AND
OPERATING IT FOR ONE USEFUL LIFE IN 1987 DOLLARS $ 120759
B. VALUE OF EMPLOYING POLLUTION CONTROL ON TIME AND
OPERATING IT FOR ONE USEFUL LIFE PLUS ALL FUTURE
REPLACEMENT CYCLES IN 1987 DOLLARS $ 120759
C. VALUE OF DELAYING EMPLOYMENT OF POLLUTION
CONTROL EQUIPMENT BY 32 MONTHS PLUS ALL FUTURE -
REPLACEMENT CYCLES IN 1987 DOLLARS $ 86098
D. ECONOMIC BENEFIT OF A 32 MONTH DELAY -
IN 1987 DOLLARS (EQUALS B MINUS C) $ 34661
E. THE ECONOMIC BENEFIT AS OF THE PENALTY PAYMENT
DATE, 35 MONTHS AFTER NONCOMPLIANCE $ 55478
->->->->-> THE ECONOMIC SAVINGS CALCULATION ABOVE
USED THE FOLLOWING VARIABLES:
USER SPECIFIED VALUES
1A. CASE NAME = COMPANY X XANPLE
lB. STATUTE = CLEAN AIR ACT - MOBILE SOURCE
1C. PROFIT STATUS — FOR-PROFIT
2 • INITIAL CAPITAL INVESTMENT = $ 0
3 • ONE-TIME NONDEPRECIABLE EXPENDITURE = $ 210000 1989 DOLLARS
(TAX-DEDUCTIBLE EXPENSE)
4. ANNUAL EXPENSE — $ 0
5. FIRST MONTH OF NONCOMPLIANCE = 10, 1987
6. COMPLIANCE DATE — 6, 1990
7. PENALTY PAYMENT DATE = 9, 1990
8 • USEFUL LIFE OF POLLUTION CONTROL EQUIPMENT — 10 YEARS
9. MARGINAL INCOME TAX RATE FOR 1986 AND BEFORE = 49.60 %
10. MARGINAL INCOME TAX RATE FOR 1987 AND BEYOND 38.40 %
11. ANNUAL INFLATION RATE - 3.50 %
12. DISCOUNT RATE: CORPORATE EQUITY RATE — 17.50 %
13. AMOUNT OF LOW INTEREST FINANCING = $, 0
July 1990

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B—II—8
To compute the economic benefit as of the penalty payment
date, first calculate the ratio of (E) to CD):
E $55,478
I = = = 1.6006
D $34,661
Now, we multiply this result with the value in (A) and (B):
A X I = $120,759 X 1.6006 = $193,285
The economic benefit resulting from the avoided nondepreciable
expenditure is thus $193,285.
July 1990

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