Conservation Reserve Program: Environmental Benefits Update

This paper presents the methodology, assumptions, and data used to generate regional and national environmental benefit estimates of the USDA’s Conservation Reserve Program (CRP). It’s assumed that, without the program, production and conservation practices on CRP lands would be the same as those used on surrounding lands. When range and forest lands are (are not) included as land-use options, 54 (71) percent of the CRP land would be in crop production—which is consistent with past analyses. Soil erosion would be 222 to 248 million tons per year—about 11 percent—higher than the current level. Benefits are estimated by applying environmental benefit models, estimated in previous analyses, to the CRP’s estimated effect on erosion and wildlife habitat. Nationally, the CRP is estimated to provide $1.3 billion in annual benefits, which represents 75 to 80 percent of the program’s cost. In seven of the 10 USDA Farm Production Regions, the CRP’s environmental benefits exceed costs. Thus, reallocating acreage to these regions could increase net program benefits. However, because many benefits could not be estimated, one cannot conclude that regional and national benefits do not exceed costs.Resource /Energy Economics and Policy,

The Viability of Creating Wetlands for the Sale of Carbon Offsets

This analysis estimates the profitability of restoring wetlands for the sale of carbon offsets. Results indicate that about 7% to 12% of the recently restored grassed wetlands of the prairie pothole and high plains regions and 20% to 35% of the forested wetlands of the Mississippi alluvial valley and Gulf-Atlantic coastal flats regions could have carbon offset values that exceed the cost of restoring the wetland and the opportunity cost of moving the land out of agricultural production. Given the uncertainties, the analysis applies conservative estimates of wetlands’ costs, offset prices, and wetlands’ effects on greenhouse gases.carbon markets, carbon sequestration, offsets, wetland restoration, Environmental Economics and Policy, Land Economics/Use,

INCREASED RESERVOIR BENEFITS: THE CONTRIBUTION OF SOIL CONSERVATION PROGRAMS

The objective of this research is to value soil conservation's impact on reservoirs. Using a model based on replacement cost, we estimate the benefits gained by marginal decreases in soil erosion for more than 75,000 reservoirs across the contiguous States. We aggregate benefits across the reservoirs within each of the 2,111 U.S watersheds in order to produce regional benefit estimates. Results show that a one-ton reduction in soil erosion provides benefits ranging from zero to $1.67. Our estimated model can be used to assess conservation benefits. For example, the lower level of soil erosion in 1997, relative to the 1982 level, preserved$139 million in reservoir benefits.Environmental Economics and Policy,

Better Targeting, Better Outcomes

A multitude of design decisions influence the performance of voluntary conservation programs. This Economic Brief is one of a set of five exploring the implications of decisions policymakers and program managers must make about who is eligible to receive payments, how much can be received, for what action, and the means by which applicants are selected. The particular issue addressed here is options for targeting program payments to where they can yield the greatest gain.Agricultural and Food Policy, Environmental Economics and Policy,

VALUING MARGINAL CHANGES IN THE QUALITY OF AN ENVIRONMENTAL ASSET

We present a model that extends the replacement cost theory to cases where benefits are restored for multiple years. Our theoretical framework derives a functional relationship between investments expenditures and environmental benefits. By extending the investment framework, we model reservoir benefits as a function of marginal changes in soil erosion.Environmental Economics and Policy,

Sedimentary and environmental characteristics of the Gilan-Mazenderan plain, northern Iran: Influence of long- and short-term Caspian water level fluctuations on geomorphology

The south-southwestern Caspian coastal lowland in Iran, or the Gilan-Mazenderan plain, is a relatively narrow but long, composite depositional area of late Quaternary age. The Sefid Rud delta, the Anzali Lake (connected to the Caspian Sea by a meandering outlet 3.5 km long) and storm-dominated beaches are its prominent sedimentary features. They are controlled by the present water level of the Caspian Sea at -26.36 m in 2000. The Late Pleistocene-Holocene deposits of the lowland, which are covered commonly by a modern loess-origin soil, mainly consist of alternations of marine and non-marine sediments. The marine units form coastal terraces at 19-20 m (I), 2-0 m (II) and –6/-8 m (III) corresponing to the Late Khvalinian and Neocaspian transgressions. The deposits of the youngest terrace (terrace III) that represents a prograding beach-ridge complex are a consequence of several medium-term, cyclic water level oscillations in Late Holocene. Just after the initiation of the beach-ridge complex, Lake Anzali formed by damming of rivers and then by progradation of the complex in time forced to form the outlet of the lake. The nearest medium-term cycle lasted c. 65 years between 1930-1995 and the records showed that it included a lot of short-term (c. 4-5 yrs) and very short-term (week to months) water level oscillations. During the last erratic rise of sea level (1977-1996), the area of Lake Anzali doubled; the delta and the coastal sands including modern beaches were eroded on c. 30-100 m. Overall, a step-like morphology, repetition of marine and non-marine facies and also water level records of the last 75 years indicate that the ancient and recent deposition on the coastal lowland has been controlled by long- medium- and short-term fluctuations of the Caspian Sea level

Economic Valuation of Environmental Benefits and the Targeting of Conservation Programs: The Case of the CRP

The range of environmental problems confronting agriculture has expanded in recent years. As the largest program designed to mitigate the negative environmental effects of agriculture, the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) has broadened its initial focus on reductions in soil erosion to consider other landscape factors that may also be beneficial. For example, preserving habitats can help protect wildlife, thus leading to more nature-viewing opportunities. This report demonstrates how nonmarket valuation models can be used in targeting conservation programs such as the CRP.Environmental Economics and Policy,