REGULATING NONPOINT SOURCE POLLUTION IN SURFACE WATERS: A PROPOSAL1

ABSTRACT: Nonpoint sources (NPS) are an important and continuing source of toxic and conventional pollutants to surface waters. The Clean Water Act amendments of 1987 call for the regulation of these sources through the use of Best Management Practices (BMP). However, BMP implementation has generally occurred on a voluntary basis. This paper proposes a regulatory mechanism to control nonpoint source pollution. The regulatory mechanism involves the development of consortia, made up of all parties potentially responsible for NPS pollution, the development of wasteload allocations that coordinate the pollutant contributions from both point and nonpoint sources in a stream segment, and the issuance of permits to consortia to regulate the impacts of NPS pollution and ensure achievement of state or federal Water Quality Criteria and Standards.     

THE STRUCTURE AND ROLE OF RIVER AUTHORITIES IN TEXAS1

ABSTRACT: Texas river authorities are a type of large, regional water district that must be financially self-sufficient. An institutional and historical study of Texas river authorities reveals the broad power of these organizations and their influence in water management. River authorities now control 25 percent of surface water deliveries in Texas. Over two-thirds of authority water was developed by river authorities; nearly one-third was purchased from private or public ventures. While river authority activities have been effective where these services are marketable, the provision of public good services is limited. Increased visibility of these organizations is paralleled by challenges to their traditional autonomy.     

碳排放权交易机制能否兼顾企业效益与绿色效率?

基于碳减排治理全球变暖的碳排放权交易机制,探讨了碳交易能否兼顾企业效益与绿色效率,及企业减碳优化策略。通过匹配2006—2017年中国上市公司及所在地区数据,首先运用双重差分方法,总体衡量碳交易对企业要素投入产出及全要素生产率的影响。然后运用平行趋势、滞后两期、工具变量及安慰剂,检验碳交易双效模型的稳健性,并利用三重差分检验是否存在因企业性质不同而造成差异化影响。最后运用中介与调节效应方法,检验碳交易与全要素生产率的中介效应,并考察了绿色创新、市场化与政府补贴影响下有调节的中介作用。实证结果显示:碳交易对绿色全要素生产率、企业全要素生产率均有显著负向影响。碳交易促进碳减排,导致营业成本增加、劳动生产率降低,但同时也显著正向影响资本生产率,促进企业利润与收入增长。绿色全要素生产率在绿色创新、市场化和政府补贴显著的调节影响下,对碳交易与企业全要素生产率的关系起到部分中介作用。研究表明,碳交易在一定条件下能够实现绿色效率和企业效益双赢,碳交易的作用在于依次实现碳减排、企业全要素生产率提升和绿色全要素生产率提升,而绿色效率和企业效益协同尚处于“遵循成本”阶段。因此,要建立一套集市场化、政府奖惩和绿色创新为核心的碳交易体系,进一步健全绿色低碳的激励约束机制,加强绿色创新补偿,增强企业自主研发和协同创新能力,提升绿色技术转化率,优化绿色产业结构,完善配套环保标准和管理规范,诱导企业完成“创新补偿”的蜕变。     

总量控制与排污权交易在园区环境管理中的作用

从总量控制与排污权交易的概念出发,介绍园区的基本情况以及目前园区环境管理方法和缺点,结合国内总量控制与排污权交易试点省市经验,着重论述总量控制与排污权交易在园区环境管理中的作用,并阐述在园区中推行总量控制与排污权交易的几点意见.     

排污权交易制度在中国的推行建议

排污权交易制度是一种有效控制污染、改善环境的环境经济政策．在很多国家的环境保护工作中发挥了重要作用。现阶段,中国排污权交易研究尚处于探索阶段,取得了一定的理论成果与实践经验,但仍然存在配套制度缺失、法律政策滞后、市场机制不健全、初始分配方法不明确等问题。结合国外的实践经验和中国的特点．在中国推进排污权交易需要在加快法律法规体系建设、加快培育排污交易市场、加快制定促进排污权交易的激励政策、加快研究初始排污权的分配方法等方面做好工作。     

白色污染的外部性及其管控措施

随着经济的快速发展,白色污染造成的危害日益凸显.中国政府于1999年开始陆续颁布了一系列条例,限制"白色垃圾"的生产、销售和使用.但是,白色污染仍日趋严重.文章首先从分析白色污染的外部性入手,并且重点从经济学的角度讨论其外部性的具体表现.通过对现行政府征收排污税制度和实行排污许可证交易制度的效率比较,得出排污许可证交易是有效率的环境管控措施.     

Stochastic Pollution, Permits, and Merger Incentives

Pollution permit regulations introduce nonlinearities into the objective function of a polluting firm. We develop a microeconomic model to show the effects these nonlinearities might have upon firm decisions when emissions are stochastic. Under perfect competition the fraction of planned pollution covered by permits is shown to be separable from planned production. We also demonstrate that permit management incentives may motivate a merger of otherwise independent firms. Incentives to petition for “bubble” coverage are also considered. The model is studied under risk neutrality and risk aversion. Imperfectly competitive situations in the output and permit markets are also analyzed.     

The Effects of Learner's Permit Requirements in Tennessee

Sixteen and 17 year-olds were surveyed at motor-vehicle offices in Tennessee after qualifying for their first driver's license. When the survey was conducted during October and November 1995, neither a learner's permit nor completion of a driver education course was required to obtain a license at age 16 or 17. The survey was repeated during December and January 1996–97, approximately one year after a requirement to hold a learner's permit for 90 days or complete a driver education course was implemented. Results from the 1991 drivers (ages 16 and 17) surveyed indicated Tennessee's licensing law change was associated with approximately 100 additional miles and 8 additional hours of practice driving prior to licensure for the typical 16 or 17 year-old, most often while supervised by a parent or guardian. Results are discussed in relation to the prelicense practice driving requirements of graduated licensing systems.     

排污权的设定对环境技术进步的影响

排污权的设定是我国在治理环境污染过程中一项重要的政策。客观地评价这项政策的实施效果,不仅有利于政策本身的实施和完善,同时也可为其他地区开展相关工作提供借鉴。采用2004~2014年中国30个地区的面板数据,借鉴国内外评价政策实施效果的主流计量方法——双重差分法(Difference-in-Difference,DID),建立环境技术进步测度模型,探究排污权设定对环境技术进步的影响,最后提出政策建议。研究发现:当期排污权的设定并未对中国省际环境技术进步产生显著影响,但是在设定2 a之后,排污权在一定程度上控制了污染物的排放,其对我国环境污染的治理具有一定的促进作用,由此可以说明排污权确实能够提高环境技术进步。从长远来看,排污权的设定有利于我国经济健康可持续的发展。     

湖域工业初始排污权合作配置体系构建——以太湖流域为例

针对湖泊流域工业初始排污权配置问题,在分析太湖流域工业初始排污权配置背景基础上,结合我国基本国情,从多利益相关者合作的角度出发,构建了一种政策型政府主体监管、经营型政府主体主导、多利益相关者参与的太湖流域工业初始排污权政府限额定价合作配置体系。并构建了合作配置体系的概念结构,以及合作配置路径结构,给出实现合作配置路径结构的工作流程结构。进而针对实际情况,提出保障太湖流域工业初始排污权合作配置体系应用的政策建议