Cost estimate for Local Community Radio Act of 2009 (S.592)

Based on information from the Federal Communications Commission, the Congressional Budget Office estimates it will cost $1 million to implement the Local Community Radio Act of 2009 between 2010 and 2014 as the number of applications for low-power licenses will increase as a result of the bill. There would be no change in the FCC's offsetting collections, however, because noncommercial entities do not pay fees for such licenses. Provisions affecting the allocation of spectrum between low-power FM stations and FM translators could affect offsetting receipts from future spectrum auctions, but CBO estimates that those changes are unlikely to affect proceeds from the auctions that will be held before the FCC's authority to auction the spectrum expires at the end of 2013.