scholarly journals Estimates of Public Sector Transaction Costs in NRCS Programs

2000 ◽  
Vol 32 (3) ◽  
pp. 555-563 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura McCann ◽  
K. William Easter
Keyword(s):  
Transaction Costs ◽  
Nonpoint Source Pollution ◽  
Strong Support ◽  
Policy Instruments ◽  
Resource Conservation ◽  
Nonpoint Source ◽  
Economic Evaluations ◽  
Conservation Costs ◽  
Using Data ◽  
National Resource

AbstractWhen evaluating the economic efficiency of policies to reduce nonpoint source pollution, administrative or transaction costs are usually not taken into account. While the importance of transaction costs has been recognized in the theoretical literature, the fact that they are not incorporated in empirical analyses means that, in effect, these costs are given a zero value. This issue is examined quantitatively using data collected by the National Resource Conservation Service (NRCS). Transaction costs are found to be a significant portion (38 percent) of overall conservation costs. This provides strong support for including these costs in economic evaluations of alternative policy instruments.

scholarly journals Enhancing landowner adoption of the Natural Resource Conservation Service’s recommended beef cattle grazing management practices

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 56-69
Author(s):  
Taylor Olsovsky ◽  
Robert Strong
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Beef Cattle ◽  
Natural Resource ◽  
Nonpoint Source Pollution ◽  
Water Conservation ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Resource Conservation ◽  
Nonpoint Source ◽  
Grazing Management ◽  
Natural Resource Conservation

Water has a significant role in society, whether through human consumption or agricultural use. The Lavaca Watershed is an agricultural community affected by nonpoint source pollution, and water quality protection is of high concern. Beef cattle operations are linked to nonpoint source pollution which contaminates surrounding water sources. If proper grazing management practices are not used, wastes from the operation impair water quality in the area. Landowners should use proper stocking rates and implement best management practices to benefit land and water quality in addition to overall operation profit. Females reported a higher intention to adopt, indicating these respondents are more open to practice changes on their own operation. Results indicated a need for the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) and Texas Soil and Water Conservation Board to conduct further outreach to increase interaction with landowners. NRCS agencies could help increase the use of water conservation plans and inquiries by making this clear to current landowners participating in their program as well as potential clients by sending informational flyers or speaking at local organizational gatherings. The importance of adopting water management practices and barriers to adoption are ongoing global concerns.

Balancing Stream and Wetland Preservation with Nonpoint Source Pollution Management: A Case Study

1999 ◽  
Vol 40 (10) ◽  
pp. 137-144 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew T. Der
Keyword(s):  
Nonpoint Source Pollution ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Subsequent Development ◽  
Road Construction ◽  
Nonpoint Source ◽  
Assessment Procedure ◽  
Development Projects ◽  
Washington Dc ◽  
Potomac River ◽  
One Stop

The regulation of development-related activities can require complex approaches to the management of nonpoint source pollution (NPSP) associated with such activities. Experience has shown that growth and transportation needs can be accommodated in a manner which avoids and minimizes stream and wetland impacts while remaining compatible with effective NPSP management strategies, herein referred to as stormwater management (SWM). The Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) has developed a “one stop shop” review and assessment procedure where applicable federal and State regulatory programs are combined into a single process where on-site conditions are assessed, potential impacts are identified and mitigative practices are proposed sufficient to offset habitat loss and comply with water quality standards. The example presented is the first of several development projects in a 405 hectare (1000 acre) watershed of the Potomac River in the greater Washington, DC area of Maryland. The project, submitted in 1989, proposed stream and wetland impacts for road construction and runoff catchment basins which were determined by MDE to be avoidable. Impacts were reduced and mitigated by design revisions and innovative approaches to wetland re-creation and SWM. Subsequent development projects in this watershed are currently expanding in a manner which utilizes and refines data obtained from this initial project with completion expected by 2003.

scholarly journals Modelling the European Union Sustainability Transition: A Soft-Linking Approach

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (11) ◽  
pp. 6303
Author(s):  
Andrea M. Bassi ◽  
Valeria Costantini ◽  
Elena Paglialunga
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Computable General Equilibrium ◽  
Methodological Approach ◽  
Strong Support ◽  
Policy Instruments ◽  
Evaluation Process ◽  
Clean Energy ◽  
Spillover Effects ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Intrinsic Complexity

The European Green Deal (EGD) is the most ambitious decarbonisation strategy currently envisaged, with a complex mix of different instruments aiming at improving the sustainability of the development patterns of the European Union in the next 30 years. The intrinsic complexity brings key open questions on the cost and effectiveness of the strategy. In this paper we propose a novel methodological approach to soft-linking two modelling tools, a systems thinking (ST) and a computable general equilibrium (CGE) model, in order to provide a broader ex-ante policy evaluation process. We use ST to highlight the main economic feedback loops the EGD strategy might trigger. We then quantify these loops with a scenario analysis developed in a dynamic CGE framework. Our main finding is that such a soft-linking approach allows discovery of multiple channels and spillover effects across policy instruments that might help improve the policy mix design. Specifically, positive spillovers arise from the adoption of a revenue recycling mechanism that ensures strong support for the development and diffusion of clean energy technologies. Such spillover effects benefit not only the European Union (EU) market but also non-EU countries via trade-based technology transfer, with a net positive effect in terms of global emissions reduction.

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