Question

The chart shows a cost-benefit analysis.

A 4-column table has 3 rows. The first column is labeled Agency with entries U S D A, Department of Health and Human Services, E P A. The second column is labeled Number of rules with entries 5, 19, 32. The third column is labeled Costs in billions with entries 0.8 to 1.2, 2.4 to 5.2, 30.4 to 36.5. The fourth column is labeled Benefits in billions from 0.9 to 1.3, 16.6 to 40.2, and 112.0 to 637.6.

Which most likely explains why the costs and benefits shown by the EPA are higher than the other regulatory agencies?

The EPA legislates and enforces more regulations that reap greater benefits than the other agencies.
The EPA legislates and enforces food regulations that reap greater benefits than the other agencies.
The EPA has a larger budget than the other agencies, and its employees work longer hours.
The EPA is less efficient than the other agencies, and its employees spend more money.

Answer 1

The EPA legislates and enforces more regulations that reap greater benefits than the other agencies.

Reason: the EPA has many more rules (32) and its environmental regulations affect large sectors (air, water, toxins), producing much larger measurable costs and monetized benefits (health, property, ecosystem services) than primarily food- or health-focused agencies.