Government Accounting

The Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) issued Accounting and Financial Reporting for Pollution Remediation Obligations, an exposure draft (ED) that specifies five circumstances—any of which would require a government to estimate its obligations to address the current or potential detrimental effects of existing pollution ( www.gasb.org/exp/exdfpg.html ). The ED also establishes a probability-weighted method—the expected cash-flow technique—to estimate liabilities, expenses and expenditures. If approved, the ED’s requirements would be effective for financial statements covering periods beginning after June 15, 2007. Comments are due May 1, 2006.