Reinventing Environmental Regulation from the Grassroots Up: Explaining and Expanding the Success of the Toxics Release Inventory

/ The success of the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) stands in stark contrast to most other environmental regulations in the United States. Between its inception in 1988 and 1995, releases of chemicals listed on the TRI have declined by 45%. We argue the TRI has achieved this regulatory success by creating a mechanism of "populist maxi-min regulation." This style of regulation differs from traditional command-and-control in several ways. First, the majorrole of public agencies is not to set and enforce standards, but to establish an information-rich context for private citizens, interest groups, and firms to solve environmental problems. Second, environmental "standards" are not determined by expert analysis of acceptable risk, but are effectively set at the levels informed citizens will accept. Third, firms adopt pollution prevention and abatement measures in response to a dynamic range of public pressures rather than to formalized agency standards or governmental sanction. Finally, public pressure ruthlessly focuses on the worst polluters-maximum attention to minimum performers-to induce them to adopt more effective environmental practices. TRI has inadvertently set in motion this alternative style of regulation that has, in turn, dramatically reduced toxics emissions in the United States. By properly understanding the mechanisms that drive TRI's accomplishments, more intentional public policy designs can expand the system of populist maxi-min regulation and achieve even more rapid toxics reduction.     

WATER CONSERVATION IN CASABLANCA,MOROCCO1

ABSTRACT: This study examines water consumption characteristics in Casablanca and analyzes approaches for sustainable water demand management. Research procedures involve the development and estimation of water demand models for the residential/commercial, industrial, and institutional sectors; forecasts of water demand to 2010; and simulation of the effects of a complex of water conservation methods on the forecasted demands. The results indicate that residential/commercial water demand is weakly responsive to price changes (elasticity =?0.448) while institutional water demand is slightly more responsive (elasticity =?0.648). The conservation approaches used in the simulations included public education, plumbing code revisions to require use of water conservation devices, leak detection and repair, pricing policy, metering, and pressure reduction. The results indicate that considerable saving in water use can be attained through a comprehensive water demand management program.     

WHO GETS CLEAN WATER? AID ALLOCATION TO SMALL WATER SYSTEMS IN PENNSYLVANIA1

ABSTRACT: Research on the condition of drinking water provision in the United States documents the inequitable financial impact of environmental regulations on small water systems (those serving 3,300 or fewer people). While a variety of federal and state financial assistance programs are available for water systems, few quantitative analyses have evaluated the success of these programs in alleviating the problems of small systems. A case study of the largest aid initiative for water supply infrastructure in Pennsylvania provides the empirical framework through which to analyze government funding opportunities for water systems. This study examines the allocation practices of the Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority (PENNVEST) to water systems of varying sizes. Utilizing data from PENNVEST applications and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, the distribution of PENNVEST award recipients and denied applicants by size characteristics are compared. The study indicates that very small water systems (those serving 500 or fewer) do not apply for or receive funds with the same frequency as their larger counterparts. Understanding the allocation of awards from PENNVEST offers insight into the ability of small communities to access capital for water supply infrastructure.     

RESOLUTION OF ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT ISSUES IN PERMITTING TILE PLATEAU CREEK PIPELINE1

ABSTRACT: This paper describes how a hydrologic model proved to be a valuable tool to help interested parties understand impacts to four threatened and endangered fish species in the Upper Colorado River. In 1994, the Ute Water Conservancy District initiated permitting and design of the Plateau Creek pipeline replacement. The project was considered a major Federal action and therefore subject to the National Environmental Policy Act. Under Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) entered the process to develop a Biological Opinion (BO) and determined that the project could potentially impact the endangered fish in the 15‐mile reach of the Colorado River. The Section 7 consultation was directed by a Core Committee comprised of stakeholders in the Upper Colorado River watershed. Hydrologic modeling became the evaluation tool for comparing flow reductions to USFWS target recovery flows and defining make‐up flow requirements to meet those targets. The Colorado River Recovery Implementation Program was designated to provide the make‐up flows. The USFWS released a final BO in December 1997, approving diversions through 2015. An Environmental Impact Statement for the project was completed and the Record of Decision was issued by the Bureau of Land Management in early 1998.     

The effect of environmental regulation on firms' competitive performance: the case of the building & construction sector in some EU regions

There is a considerable debate on the effects of environmental regulation on competitive performance. Based on survey data, this paper analyzesthe two main research questions, derived from literature, on the links between environmental regulation and competitiveness, by focusing on firms operating in the building and construction sector, i.e.: 1) whether environmental policy stringency affects the competitive performance of firms in the building and construction sector 2) and how a specific form of environmental regulation (direct regulation, economic instruments and soft instruments) affects this performance? By applying a regression analysis, we find that a more stringent environmental regulation, measured by inspection frequency, provides a positive impulse for increasing investments in advanced technological equipment and innovative products and on business performance. Moreover, a well-designed “direct regulation” appears to be the most effective policy instrument for prompting the positive impact of environmental policies on innovation and intangible performance while economic instruments do negatively affect business performance.     

INTEGRATED RIVER BASIN OPTIMIZATION: MODELING ECONOMIC AND HYDROLOGIC INTERDEPENDENCE1

ABSTRACT: This paper presents an integrated optimal control model that optimizes economic performance of reservoir management in watersheds in which there are significant economic and hydrologic interdependencies. The model is solved using the General Algebraic Modeling System (GAMS). Results show that application of this model to New Mexico's Rio Chama basin can increase total system benefits over historical benefits by exploiting complementarities between hydroelectricity production, instream recreation, and downstream lake recreation.     

Incidents in manual handling activities

More than 20000 handling manoeuvres in loading or unloading trailers in a large transportation company were observed. The aim of the study was to determine the frequency and nature of the incidents occurring whilst handling. The incidents were recorded and interpreted from a double perspective, namely as risk factors and as activity regulation factors. The study showed that on average, one incident occurred in every seven handling manoeuvres: 71% of them were related to the environment, and 29% to the activity. While numerous, the environment-related incidents were generally without consequences. In this respect, the activity incidents appeared more risky; also, the majority of these incidents occurred during the load positioning phase. The study also showed that loads are re-handled twice as often in unloading as in loading, the frequency of re-handlings varying widely from one handler to another. The reasons why so few of the observed incidents are reported in accident studies and their significance in the understanding of handling problems are discussed.     

中国科学技术协会五届二次全委会明年在京召开我会两名代表参加全会活动

中国科学技术协会五届二次全委会明年在京召开我会两名代表参加全会活动中国科协第五届全国委员会第二次会议将于１９９７年２月２２日至２４日在北京召开。我会副理事长、中国科协全国委员会委员程映雪教授作为正式代表，我会副秘书长、“中国安全科学学报”主编徐德蜀高...     

ARE RURAL RESIDENTS WILLING TO PAY ENOUGH TO IMPROVE DRINKING WATER QUALITY?1

ABSTRACT: The concentrations of iron and sulfate in community water supplies are a concern for a number of areas in southwestern Minnesota. This study used the contingent valuation method to determine how much consumers would be willing to pay to improve their drinking water quality. On average, individuals were willing to pay US$5.25 per month (in 1995 U.S. dollars) to reduce the level of iron and US$4.33 per month to reduce the level of sulfate in their water to the USEPA's secondary standards for drinking water quality. Respondents with negative perceptions of their drinking water quality were willing to pay more to improve water quality. The aggregate annual willingness to pay (WTP) for all consumers in community water systems in southwestern Minnesota that were out of compliance with water quality standards were estimated to be US$2.4 million and US$2.0 million (in 1995 dollars) for reducing the levels of iron and sulfate, respectively. Yet the total WTP of consumers who use small community water systems may not be enough to pay the full cost of providing improved water in those systems. Economies of scale in water treatment and difficulties in financing improvements mean that technical innovation, government assistance, or institutional changes may be needed to improve water quality in these areas.     

西南地区水资源及其评价

西南是我国水资源最丰富的地区,但供需矛盾十分突出:旱灾频繁不少城市供水不足中小河流污染较重径流式电站出力显著下降内河航运不断萎缩。分析其原因,与水资源的特点和演变规律分不开。① 来水与用水不协调:坝区地多水少、山区水多地少城市和工业集中区水量偏小、偏僻地区来水偏大用水季节来水少、非用水季节来水多岩溶分布广泛,水资源利用困难。② 枯季径流不断减少:西南水资源70％以上分布在雨季。旱季水很少,且在不断下降。如不改变径流的分配方式,用水危机将会到来。③ 水质不断恶化:西南水质是好的。随着城市化的发展,农药化肥的大量使用,水质变差。重视保护、防止污染是重要的战略措施。④ 水资源的开发必须因地制宜,重视蓄水和跨流域调水的作用。