Environmental Policy Analysis for Decision Making

by Helfand, Gloria E.

• ISBN13: 9780792365006
• ISBN10: 0792365003
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2001-11-01
• Publisher: Kluwer Academic Pub

Summary

This book outlines the roles of environmental policy analysis in design and evaluation of a wide range of environmental policies. The book emphasizes methods and tools for performing policy analysis such as benefit-cost analysis as well as supporting tools such as non-market valuation (travel cost method, contingent valuation and hedonic pricing), input-output models, linear regression techniques, and linear programming/optimization models. Numerous real world examples illustrate how the techniques have been applied in actual policy analyses.

Table of Contents

Preface, Audiences for the Book and Acknowledgements
What is Policy Analysis, and What is Its Role in the Policy Process	1	(18)
What You Need To Know About Policy Analysis Before You Begin To Do It	1	(2)
Defining The Analysis	3	(7)
Ethical Concerns and Policy Analysis	10	(5)
Some Federal Requirements For Policy Analysis	15	(1)
Lessons From This Chapter	16	(3)
Scoping the Policy Analysis	19	(14)
Agreeing Upon An Analysis Budget	20	(2)
Use of The ``With and Without'' Principle	22	(4)
How Precise Should The Results Be?	26	(2)
Original vs. Secondary Data Sources	28	(3)
Conclusion	31	(2)
Decision Criteria and Decision Methods for Policy Analysis	33	(22)
To What Are The Criteria Applied?	34	(1)
Decision Criteria	35	(6)
Decision Methods	41	(12)
Using Decision Criteria and Decision Methods	53	(2)
Steps in Conducting an Environmental Policy Analysis	55	(8)
Step 1: Develop A Relationship With A Client	55	(1)
Step 2: Define Your Analysis Topic or Problem to be Addressed	56	(1)
Step 3: Design The Analysis	56	(1)
Step 4: Data Collection	57	(1)
Step 5: Develop and Screen Alternatives	58	(1)
Step 6: Perform the Analysis	59	(1)
Step 7: Present Results	59	(1)
How to Use These Steps	60	(3)
Modeling	63	(14)
Defining a Model	64	(1)
Types of Models	65	(1)
Role of Assumptions in Models	66	(2)
Rationale For Use of Models	68	(2)
Issues To Consider in Building a Policy Analysis Model	70	(3)
Problems That Can Arise With Modeling	73	(1)
Case Study: Modeling Environmental Inequities	73	(4)
Statistical Analysis Using Regression	77	(28)
What is a Regression?	78	(4)
Multiple Regression Models and Contour Maps	82	(2)
Steps in Running a Regression	84	(15)
Some Cautionary Notes About Regression Analysis	99	(4)
An Example: Testing For Environmental Racism	103	(1)
Summary	104	(1)
Principles of Benefit-Cost Analysis	105	(36)
What Is Benefit-Cost Analysis?	105	(2)
Use Of The ``With and Without'' Principle	107	(1)
Conceptual Foundation Of Benefit-Cost Analysis	107	(7)
Role Of Accounting Stance in Determining Transfers	114	(2)
Gross Willingness to Pay, Cost, and Net Benefits	116	(4)
Measurement Of Economic Efficiency Benefits	120	(12)
A Note On Willingness to Pay Versus Willingness To Accept	132	(2)
Difficulties in Applying BCA in Environmental Policy Analysis	134	(7)
Discounting Benefits and Costs Over Time	141	(18)
Discounting Process	142	(3)
Selecting the Interest or Discount Rate	145	(3)
What Federal Agencies Use	148	(2)
Alternative Benefit-Cost Decision Criteria	150	(6)
Sensitivity Analysis to Address Uncertainty	156	(3)
Valuation of Environmental Resources and Quality	159	(54)
Common Methodological Approaches to Valuation Of Quasi-Marketed Natural Resources	160	(3)
Valuation of Nonmarketed Natural Resources and Environmental Quality	163	(39)
Combining Stated and Revealed Preference Methods	202	(1)
Quantifying Health Benefits of Environmental Policies	202	(4)
Benefit Transfer	206	(4)
Use of Valuation Methods By Federal and State Agencies	210	(1)
Conclusion	210	(3)
Regional Economic Analysis, Input-Output Models and Multipliers	213	(28)
Need For Regional Economic Analysis in The Policy Process	213	(1)
Traditional Concepts of Regional Economic Analysis	214	(5)
Input-Output Models: A Simple Model of a Local Economy	219	(8)
Assumptions of Input-Output Models	227	(2)
Development of Input-Output Models: The Survey Based Approach	229	(1)
Use Of Existing Input-Output Models	230	(3)
Example Application of IO Models and The Importance of Statistically Estimating The Initial Direct Effects	233	(4)
Putting Local Changes in Income and Employment in Perspective	237	(2)
Conclusion	239	(2)
Optimization and Linear Programming	241	(26)
The Elements Of a Constrained Optimization Problem	242	(9)
Example: National Forest Management	251	(8)
Building An Optimization Model	259	(1)
Linear Versus Nonlinear Programming	260	(5)
Uses Of Optimization	265	(2)
Risk Analysis	267	(24)
What is Risk Analysis?	267	(5)
Overview Of Risk Analysis	272	(2)
Legal Basis For Risk Analysis	274	(1)
Steps in a Risk Analysis	275	(6)
Examples of Risk Analysis: Health Benefit Assessments	281	(2)
Case Study Of Annular Disposal of Oil Drilling Brine Wastes	283	(5)
Ecological Risk Analysis of USDA Conservation Programs	288	(3)
Examples of Policy Analyses	291	(20)
Decisions Using Matrices: An Example From U.S. Forest Service EIS	292	(6)
Comparing Recreation Values To Hydropower in Hydropower Relicensing	298	(7)
Regulating Non-Point Source Water Population	305	(5)
Summary	310	(1)
Concluding Guidance	311	(6)
General Principles	311	(1)
Guidance For Doing the Analysis	312	(4)
The Role of Policy Analysis in The Policy Process	316	(1)
References	317	(10)
Index	327