REPORT OF THE PLANNING COMMITTEE FOR THE NORTHEAST EXTENSION SEMINAR ON PUBLIC ISSUES INVOLVING LAND

Land Economics/Use,

PUBLIC AND PRIVATE PROPERTY RIGHTS

Land Economics/Use,

Adaptations to Climate-Mediated Selective Pressures in Humans

Humans inhabit a remarkably diverse range of environments, and adaptation through natural selection has likely played a central role in the capacity to survive and thrive in extreme climates. Unlike numerous studies that used only population genetic data to search for evidence of selection, here we scan the human genome for selection signals by identifying the SNPs with the strongest correlations between allele frequencies and climate across 61 worldwide populations. We find a striking enrichment of genic and nonsynonymous SNPs relative to non-genic SNPs among those that are strongly correlated with these climate variables. Among the most extreme signals, several overlap with those from GWAS, including SNPs associated with pigmentation and autoimmune diseases. Further, we find an enrichment of strong signals in gene sets related to UV radiation, infection and immunity, and cancer. Our results imply that adaptations to climate shaped the spatial distribution of variation in humans

Environmental Protection Through Local Land Use Controls

Local land use controls seek to limit the impact of one neighbor on another sometimes protecting natural resource environmental values. Federal and State programs to protect environmental values cannot do everything. They leave a residual risk of environmental loss that local people may want to address. Land use controls are traditionally zoning, subdivision control, and site plan review. These and other local controls have advantages in reducing risk, particularly when they are a part of an integrated approach that makes full use of the advantages at each level of government. Aspects of partnership approaches are discussed. In 1989, 449 members of the New York Planning Federation were asked to indicate if they used land use controls to reduce environmental risks, particularly risks to water quality. Freshwater wet lands, flood plains, and watershed rules and regulations are used in addition to traditional land use controls. Modifications to land use controls were made by almost half of the jurisdictions to protect natural resource environmental values, 26% to protect water quality. A fifth recognized they have water quality problems but as yet had not adapted their land use controls to this need. One third of the responses indicated they were involved in intergovernmental cooperation in the management of their controls -half the time with the county. The State should debate how and whether it chooses to stimulate changes which would encourage the use of the untapped potential for local land use controls to protect environmental quality

Effects of Housing Costs and Home Sales on Local Government Revenues and Services

The subtitle of this paper should be " How recession and federal devolution have caused local governments to cut services and raise property taxes --now, what should be done in response to the resulting clamor for local government consolidation?" Housing drives local government services. Home sales represent opportunities for more income and more costs. Intergovernmental competition for tax base and the role of state and federal aid to provide equity between jurisdictions are central to the quality of the results. Recent cuts in sales taxes, plus reductions in state and federal assistance are transmitted to the voters through increases in the property tax. This has produced a reaction -consolidate! But that is advice urged and largely ignored since Woodrow Wilson included it in an 1895 textbook. To go beyond this conventional wisdom be sure to add some complementary ideas. Small governments may be at a disadvantage in producing some services, but they should have an advantage in representing preferences and that should not be overlooked. Different services will be best produced by different configurations of cooperating local governments. Thus take a service by service approach and look for the best of the many ways available to implement intergovernmental cooperation. Research suggests you may not cut expenditures much, but you will probably get better services. Get organized for a regional approach and do some strategic planning. Besides looking inward for reform opportunities, look outside as well. Local governments have to take responsibility for coordination of the many agencies at higher levels of government that are involved in any particular type of service or it won't happen. Local officials have to bring a sharp focus on their problems. This means working through state associations with other local governments that have the same problems, and learning to lobby more effectively. A policy education approach by the housing and home building network is suggested

Stated Financing Policies of Government Agencies and the Experience of Rural Water Supply Systems

A.E. Res. 83-21A model for evaluating the economics of investment in Movable Interior Blankets for fuel conservation in greenhouses was developed. The after-tax costs and benefits of the blanket were analyzed using the Net Present Value method. The model uses 13 input parameters to generate an estimate of the Net Present Value of the investment for its useful life. The results of two examples are reported. Sensitivity analyses were conducted to indicate the relative importance of the various input parameters. It was shown that changes in quantitiy or quality of crop would have very large effects on net present value. At this time, there is some disagreement regarding the effect of the blanket on crop growth. Further research is needed to substantiate and quantify the potential effects on yield and quality before the effect can be usefully included in estimates of net present value. Other suggested areas of research include (1) improving the materials, design and use of the blankets, and (2) improving the ability to predict the performance of the blanket in specific greenhouses

Breaking the Incrementalist Trap: Achieving Unified Management of the Great Lakes Ecosystem

Policy evolution was characterized by Charles Lindblom three decades ago as "fragmented, disjointed incrementalism. " He argued incrementalism made the best use of very limited theory and data upon which to base decisions. This was a maj or intellectual challenge to the advocates of comprehensive planning based upon scientific principles and analysis. The result has been further research on how to achieve effective strategic policy innovations. Of special relevance to the Great Lakes has been recent research stimulated by the prospect of global climate change. We combine it with the results of a seminar that has simulated the application of ecosystem planning to the Great Lakes, and use the synthesis to illustrate that the prerequisites for nonincremental decision making are slowly being achieved. Suggestions are made to speed that process. KEY TERMS: Environmental Management, Great Lakes, policy Development, Comprehensive planning, Intergovernmental Relations