PRESCRIBED FIRE: LIABILITY, REGULATION, AND ENDOGENOUS RISK

This paper compares the incentive effects of strict liability and negligence rules when timing of activity affects environmental risk. The model is developed in the context of prescribed fire as a land management input, with an extension to the related problem of wildfire risk mitigation through vegetation management. The use of prescribed fire for land management and wildfire risk control is increasing in parts of the United States, and related liability and regulatory law is changing with it.Resource /Energy Economics and Policy,

CONTRACTING OVER COMMON PROPERTY: COST-SHARE CONTRACTS FOR PREDATOR CONTROL

Predator control cost-share contracts among livestock producers in North America date back to 1630. A model is developed which provides refutable implications for the structure and distribution of these contracts over time and space. Historical and contemporary state and county level data on sheep producer coyote control generally support the model.contract theory, wildlife, livestock production, Industrial Organization, Resource /Energy Economics and Policy,

THE POLITICAL ECONOMY OF RIVER RATS AND IDAHO'S FOUR RIVERS WHITEWATER RAFTING LOTTERY

Resource /Energy Economics and Policy,

Revenue-Neutral Tax-Subsidy Policy for Carbon Emission Reduction

One of the benefits of biofuel use is a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions relative to fossil fuels, but no policy directly targets carbon emissions across the full spectrum of renewable and nonrenewable fuels. In light of the political unpopularity of carbon taxes in the United States, we develop a model for a revenue neutral price instrument that maximizes social welfare subject to an exogenously determined net tax revenue target. This approach may be more palatable because it has the potential to change the relative price of the low-carbon and highcarbon components of blended fuel while limiting increases in taxes and motor fuel prices. Our model shows that the targeted tax revenue level and share of output to total gross domestic product in all fuel sectors are important factors determining the revenue-neutral tax levels for each fuel type. Interestingly, we also find that the marginal damages of pollution are not the primary determinants of the revenue neutral price instrument, but instead it is the relative marginal damages per unit price of each fuel type. This implies the counterintuitive possibility that with a revenue neutrality constraint, higher net carbon emitting fuels such as gasoline or diesel may implicitly be subsidized using revenues from carbon taxes on lower emitting fuels.Non-renewable resources, carbon tax, carbon dioxide emissions, revenue recycling, revenue neutral

An Empirical Examination of the Factors Affecting Remittance by Mexican Migrants in the United States

Mexico has reported workers remittances to equal $16.6 billion in 2004, which constitutes nearly 2.5 percent of Mexicos GDP, exceeding the inflows from direct foreign investment and aid. We develop a model of remittances based on a net income concept. The model is used to generate a series of testable hypotheses. We test these hypotheses using what we term a type II generalized ordered probit model based on survey data for Mexican Migrants. Our results are generally consistent with standard utility maximization theory, and more specifically are consistent with a net income hypothesis. we find, for example, that migrant income is a strong positive determinant of remittance levels except for the lowest remittance category. We also find that migrants remit more when they have more family members in Mexico and fewer in the U.S., when they own land and real estate in Mexico, and when they plan on returning to Mexico relatively soon.Labor and Human Capital,

Welfare Trade-offs between Transferable and Non-Transferable Lotteries

The Four Rivers lottery run by the National Forest Service distributes the opportunity to raft four sections of rivers in Idaho through a non-transferable lottery. The restriction of trade and focus on equity in distribution creates a deadweight loss in total surplus compared with a market or auction system. If the NFS allowed the transferring of permits, then there exists a potential for rafters to gain surplus in trade. However, non-rafters have an incentive to enter the transferable lottery to make a profit from trade. Using the NFS lottery as a guide, this paper examines welfare under the two lottery system to understand how changes in transferability affect the welfare of users and non-users, and the revenues of the government. Since variables, such as number of permits, permit fees, and application fees, also impact welfare, we derive comparative statics for these variables to demonstrate how these government controls affect rafter welfare, non-rafter welfare, and government revenue differently under transferable and non-transferable lotteries. Our results show the welfare trade-offs rafters have between transferable and non-transferable lotteries.Resource /Energy Economics and Policy,

The Economic Value of Biochar in Crop Production and Carbon Sequestration

This paper estimates the economic value of biochar application on agricultural cropland for carbon sequestration and its soil amendment properties. In particular, we consider the carbon emissions avoided when biochar is applied to agricultural soil, instead of agricultural lime, the amount of carbon sequestered, and the value of carbon offsets, assuming there is an established carbon trading mechanism for biochar soil application. We use winter wheat production in Eastern Whitman County, Washington as a case study, and consider different carbon offset price scenarios and different prices of biochar to estimate a farm profit. Our findings suggest that it may be profitable to apply biochar as a soil amendment under some conditions if the biochar market price is low enough and/or a carbon offset market exists.Biochar, Carbon sequestration, Crop, Farm profitability, Soil amendment

Interst Group Incentives for Post-lottery Trade Restrictions

The rights to use publicly-managed natural resources are sometimes distributed by lottery,and typically these rights are non-transferable. Prohibition of post-lottery permit transfers discourages applicants from entering the lottery solely for protable permit sale, so only those who personally value the use of the resource apply. However, because permits are distributed randomly and trade is restricted, permits may not be used by those who value them most. We examine a possible rationale for restrictions on permit transfers based on the distribution of welfare across interest groups, and characterize the economic conditions under which post-lottery prohibitions on trade are likely to arise. We develop our model using the specic case of the Four Rivers Lottery used to allocate rafting permits on four river sections in Idaho and Oregon.lottery, trade prohibition, interest groups

Biofuel policy for the pursuit of multiple goals: The case of Washington State

Agricultural and Food Policy, Resource /Energy Economics and Policy,

Perceived Water Prices and Estimated Water Demand in the Residential Sector of Windhoek, Namibia. An Analysis of the Different Water Market Segments

We develop a demand model for the water market of Windhoek, Namibia, and segment the market by income. The model uses the perceived price concept developed by Shin (1985). Results confirm the Shin hypotheses that consumers dont know actual prices, but respond to perceived prices. The average price and covariates have the expected signs. However, marginal price (MP) coefficient is positive. Shins perception parameter (k) is negative in two of three income segments. In the Shin model, this implies that consumers respond to MP (through perceived prices). Ambiguities about prices warrant further investigation.Resource /Energy Economics and Policy,