The climate benefits of improving water quality.

Eutrophication enhances emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs) from surface waters. Policies designed to ameliorate eutrophication by limiting nutrient loadings to surface waters can reduce these GHG emissions and, in turn, reduce future climate damages (e.g.

Door Hangers and Incentives Induced Little Participation in Lead Water Pipe Inspections.

The Environmental Protection Agency has finalized regulations to require water systems to replace millions of lead pipes with safer alternatives for carrying drinking water into U.S. homes.

Evaluating Economy-Wide Impacts of Complex Regulations: A Hybrid Linking Approach for Detailed Sector and CGE Models.

We develop a novel methodology for linking a detailed sector model with a computable general equilibrium (CGE) model to estimate the economy-wide social costs and distributional impacts of a complex environmental regulation when an iterative linkage between models is not possible. We demonstrate the linking approach using stylized compliance choices and costs that are consistent with the types of model outputs typically available from a technology-rich sector model. We use this stylized information to calibrate parameters that produce an identical equilibrium response in a corresponding partial equilibrium sub-model of the CGE model.

Approximating Terms of Trade Effects in Single Country CGE Models.

Single country computable general equilibrium (CGE) models often assume price taking behavior in world markets that may miss potentially important terms of trade effects in trade-exposed sectors. In this paper, we assess numerical evidence for modeling large open economies and develop a methodology for parameterizing a reduced form approximation of international trade linkages from a multi-regional global economy model. Simulated export demand and import supply elasticities suggest that assuming price taking behavior (e.

Characterizing community water systems exposed to wildfire in the Western U.S.

Wildfires have increased in size and severity and so has concern over how wildfires impact water security. The current literature suggests that wildfires may negatively impact surface water quality and community drinking water systems dependent on surface water as their drinking water source. Yet few studies consider the implications for the populations served by these downstream community drinking water systems.

A two-stage random-effects estimator for meta-analyses of the value per statistical life.

We developed and examined the performance of a two-stage random-effects meta-analysis estimator for synthesizing published estimates of the value per statistical life (VSL). The meta-estimation approach accommodates unbalanced panels with one or multiple observations from each independent group of primary estimates, and distinguishes between sampling and non-sampling sources of error, both within and between groups. We used Monte Carlo simulation experiments to test the performance of the meta-estimator on constructed datasets.

Co-effects of sediment and climate policies on agriculture in New Zealand.

Sediment mitigation policies are closely linked with other agri-environmental policies and practices that control sedimentation can have impacts to a range of ecosystem services. It is therefore critical to understand the synergies and tradeoffs between sediment and other policies. Our case study is New Zealand, since it has an established emissions trading scheme and other climate and sediment policies.

How Effective Are Secondary Interventions at Improving Health Outcomes In Children Exposed to Lead in Early Childhood?

Preventing childhood lead exposure has been at the forefront of environmental and public health policy in the United States for decades. When prevention fails and children are exposed to lead, secondary interventions are often used to mitigate the adverse effects. We review the literature on the effectiveness of secondary interventions used to treat children with elevated blood lead levels (BLL).

Electric vehicle usage, pollution damages, and the electricity price elasticity of driving.

I study battery electric vehicle (BEV) usage and ownership characteristics with fundamental implications for the electrification of passenger transportation. Using data covering the entire BEV population in New York, I quantify BEV mileage and electricity consumption and highlight the important role of vehicle utilization in contributing to real-world pollution damages and their spatial variation. I then study the factors influencing how much BEVs are driven with a focus on estimating the electricity price elasticity of BEV mileage.

Cost-effectiveness of erosion mitigation to meet water clarity targets in the Manawatū-Whanganui Region of New Zealand.

Soil erosion is a significant environmental issue worldwide. It affects water quality, biodiversity, and land productivity. New Zealand government agencies and regional councils work to mitigate soil erosion through policies, management programmes, and funding for soil conservation projects.

The Social Costs of Hydrofluorocarbons and the Large Climate Benefits from their Expedited Phasedown.

Hydrofluorocarbons are a potent greenhouse gas, yet there remains a lack of quantitative estimates of their social cost. The present study addresses this gap by directly calculating the social cost of hydrofluorocarbons (SC-HFCs) using perturbations of exogenous inputs to integrated assessment models. We first develop a set of direct estimates of the SC-HFCs using methods currently adopted by the United States Government, and then derive updated estimates that incorporate recent advances in climate science and economics.

Advancing the estimation of future climate impacts within the United States.

Evidence of the physical and economic impacts of climate change is a critical input to policy development and decision-making. In addition to the magnitude of potential impacts, detailed estimates of where, when, and to whom those damages may occur; the types of impacts that will be most damaging; uncertainties in these damages; and the ability of adaptation to reduce potential risks are all interconnected and important considerations. This study utilizes the reduced-complexity model, the Framework for Evaluating Damages and Impacts (FrEDI), to rapidly project economic and physical impacts of climate change across 10 000 future scenarios for multiple impact sectors, regions, and populations within the contiguous United States (US).

Estimating biotic integrity to capture existence value of freshwater ecosystems.

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) uses a water quality index (WQI) to estimate benefits of proposed Clean Water Act regulations. The WQI is relevant to human use value, such as recreation, but may not fully capture aspects of nonuse value, such as existence value. Here, we identify an index of biological integrity to supplement the WQI in a forthcoming national stated preference survey that seeks to capture existence value of streams and lakes more accurately within the conterminous United States (CONUS).

The relationship between childhood blood lead levels below 5 µg/dL and childhood intelligence quotient (IQ): Protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: The causal association between childhood lead (Pb) exposure and decrements in intelligence quotient (IQ) is well-established, and no safe blood lead level (BLL) in children has been identified. An international pooled analysis of seven prospective studies published by Lanphear et al. in 2005 quantified the relationship between childhood BLL and IQ.

Harmonized nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations in the Mississippi/Atchafalaya River Basin from 1980 to 2018.

Water quality monitoring can inform policies that address pollution; however, inconsistent measurement and reporting practices render many observations incomparable across bodies of water, thereby impeding efforts to characterize spatial patterns and long-term trends in pollution. Here, we harmonized 9.2 million publicly available monitor readings from 226 distinct water monitoring authorities spanning the entirety of the Mississippi/Atchafalaya River Basin (MARB) in the United States.

Does short-term, airborne lead exposure during pregnancy affect birth outcomes? Quasi-experimental evidence from NASCAR's deleading policy.

Background: There is evidence of a weak placental-fetal barrier to lead, suggesting that maternal lead exposure could affect the fetus. The health consequences for newborns from in utero lead exposure are not well understood.

Objectives: We estimated the effects by trimester, of short-term (<1 week), airborne lead exposure during pregnancy on birth outcomes.

Cardiovascular Mortality and Leaded Aviation Fuel: Evidence from Piston-Engine Air Traffic in North Carolina.

Leaded fuel used by piston-engine aircraft is the largest source of airborne lead emissions in the United States. Previous studies have found higher blood lead levels in children living near airports where leaded aviation fuel is used. However, little is known about the health effects on adults.

An Integrated Assessment Model for Valuing Water Quality Changes in the U.S.

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) often requires expertise from environmental assessors, hydrologists, economists, and others to analyze the benefits of regional and national policy decisions related to changes in water quality. This led EPA to develop two models to form an Integrated Assessment Model (IAM): HAWQS is a web-based water quantity and quality modeling systems and BenSPLASH is a modeling platform for quantifying the economic benefits of changes in water quality. This paper discusses the development of the component models and applies HAWQS and BenSPLASH to a case study in the Republican River Basin.

Exposure to formaldehyde and asthma outcomes: A systematic review, meta-analysis, and economic assessment.

Background: Every major federal regulation in the United States requires an economic analysis estimating its benefits and costs. Benefit-cost analyses related to regulations on formaldehyde exposure have not included asthma in part due to lack of clarity in the strength of the evidence.

Objectives: 1) To conduct a systematic review of evidence regarding human exposure to formaldehyde and diagnosis, signs, symptoms, exacerbations, or other measures of asthma in humans; and 2) quantify the annual economic benefit for decreases in formaldehyde exposure.

Economic and Environmental Impacts of a Proposed "Carbon Adder" on New York's Energy Market.

The New York Independent System Operator (NYISO) has developed a carbon-pricing proposal to reduce carbon intensive electricity generation in anticipation of future clean energy goals in the state. The proposed measure is a so-called "carbon adder" on CO emissions from the power sector that targets the social cost of carbon amidst existing overlapping policies. The carbon adder is set as the difference between the targeted social cost of carbon and the prevailing RGGI price for CO emission allowances.

Superfund Cleanups and Children's Lead Exposure.

This study evaluates the effect of EPA's Superfund cleanup program on children's lead exposure. We linked two decades of blood lead level (BLL) measurements from children in six states with data on Superfund sites and other lead risk factors. We used quasi-experimental methods to identify the causal effect of proximity to Superfund cleanups on rates of elevated BLL.