ENVIRONMENTAL VALUATION & COST-BENEFIT NEWSFEED WIRE Environmental Valuation & Cost-Benefit Newsfeed Wire

CATEGORIES

THE ENVIRONMENTAL VALUATION & COST-BENEFIT NEWSFEED (BETA)
ENVIRONMENTAL VALUATION & COST-BENEFIT NEWSFEED XML view this weblog as RSS !
ENVIRONMENTAL
ECONOMICS
FINANCIAL MARKET INDICATORS
GOVERNMENT
REAL ESTATE
HEALTH CARE
HISTORY
GENERAL NEWS -- NY TIMES, WASHINGTON POST, AP...
NEW YORK
COST-BENEFIT
OTHER


THE ENVIRONMENTAL VALUATION & COST BENEFIT NEWSFEED (BETA)

A greenhouse gas goes underground:
John K. Borchardt Correspondent of The Christian Science Monitor.  Christian Science Monitor Boston, Mass.:October 28, 2004.  p. 14 ,
www.csmonitor.com

By injecting carbon dioxide (CO2) into the underground oil field, researchers are not only cutting emissions of the greenhouse gas, they're also boosting oil production. The extra oil generates enough revenue to substantially offset the cost of burying the CO2.  While underground storage of CO2 won't solve the problem of global warming by itself, it could dramatically reduce the amount of heat-trapping greenhouse gases spewing into the atmosphere, experts say. It's already part of President Bush's energy plan. And the idea is gaining momentum in other parts of the world.   

A $28 million demonstration project in Saskatchewan began in 2000 to investigate the feasibility of storing CO2 in the 44-year- old Weyburn Field. The CO2 is shipped in via a 220-mile pipeline from the Dakota Gasification Company's plant in Beulah, N.D. (The plant converts coal to clean-burning natural gas.).  The pressure created by injection of the gas into the permeable rock drives more crude oil to the production wells. In addition, the injected CO2 emulsifies and partially dissolves the crude, allowing it to flow more easily to the production wells. This process produces additional oil, which offsets the costs of separating CO2 from industrial smokestack gases, transporting it, and pumping it deep underground. These costs are substantial, about $30 per ton of CO2. (The US Department of Energy is funding research to reduce separation costs to $8 a ton.).  About 21 million tons will be injected over the 25 years of the project. Saskatchewan's oil fields are large enough to store all the province's carbon-dioxide emissions over the next 30 years, according to the research center, which manages the Weyburn project.  In addition, oil production at the field has increased 50 percent since CO2 injection began four years ago. The project aims to recover an additional 130 million barrels of oil worth over $5 billion.  

The US Department of Energy is planning a similar project in Wyoming. The 10,000-acre Teapot Dome oil field would store CO2 piped in from a natural-gas processing plant more than 300 miles away.  For more than 20 years, CO2 injections have helped recover hundreds of millions of barrels of oil from old west Texas fields that otherwise could not be produced economically. But the CO2 used in these projects comes from deposits deep underground. So there is no net reduction in greenhouse gasses.  Under Mr. Bush's energy plan, power plants would capture 90 percent of their emissions for underground storage by 2012. Since the plants are a major producer of CO2, the plan would reduce by about 40 percent the 1.6 billion tons of CO2 the US emits annually, about one-quarter of the world's total.

The New Wealth of Nations
Amos Esty.  American Scientist Research Triangle Park:November/December 2004.  Vol. 92,  Iss. 6,  p. 513, www.americanscientist.org

In 1972, the king of the Butan declared that his country's development should be measured not by purely economic indicators such as gross national product (GNP), but by gross national happiness (GNH).  Last February, more than 300 academics, journalists and students enthusiastic about GNH gathered in Bhutan's capital of Thimphu to spread their message. Ruut Veenhoven, a psychologist at Erasmus University in the Netherlands who attended the conference in Thimphu, has dedicated much of his career to studying measures of life satisfaction and believes that eventually such indicators will replace GNP. By combining surveys of life satisfaction with life-expectancy rates, Veenhoven has devised what he terms "Happy Life Years" (HLY) to measure levels of well-being across countries. In Canada, for example, where the life expectancy is 78.6 and the average level of life satisfaction is 7.63 on a scale from 1 (low) to 10 (high), the average HLY would be 60 78.6 x 0.763).


Locating Hybrid Fuel Cell-Turbine Power Generation Units under Uncertainty
Laura A. Schaefer,  Andrew J. Schaefer.  Annals Of Operations Research Basel:November 2004.  Vol. 132,  Iss. 1-4,  p. 301, http://www.kluweronline.com/issn/0254-5330

Hybrid gas turbine-solid oxide fuel cell power generation has the potential to create a positive economic and environmental impact. Annually, the U.S. spends over $235 billion on electricity, and electric utilities emit 550 million metric tons of carbon. The integration of distributed hybrid generation can reduce these emissions and costs through increased efficiencies. In this paper, a model is presented that minimizes the costs of distributed hybrid generation while optimally locating the units within the existing electric infrastructure. The model utilizes data from hybrid generation modules, and includes uncertainty in customer demand, weather, and fuel costs.


Environmental policy-making in a difficult context: motorized two-wheeled vehicle emissions in India
Madhav G Badami.  Energy Policy Kidlington:November 2004.  Vol. 32,  Iss. 16,  p. 1861-1877
www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/30414/description?navopenmenu=1

Motor vehicle activity is growing rapidly in India and other less-industrialized countries in Asia. This growth is contributing to serious health and welfare effects due to vehicle emissions, and energy insecurity, acidification and climate change. This paper applies the problem-structuring tools of "value-focused thinking" to inform policy-making and implementation related to this complex problem in a difficult context, with specific reference to motorized two-wheeled vehicles, which play an important role in transport air pollution but also provide affordable mobility to millions with few other attractive options. The paper describes the process used to elicit and structure objectives and measures, based on interviews conducted by the author, and demonstrates how the objectives and measures can be used to more effectively characterize policy impacts, and create policy packages that have a better chance of long-term success.


Modelling a district heating system: Introduction of waste incineration, policy instruments and co-operation with an industry
Kristina Holmgren,  Alemayehu Gebremedhin.  Energy Policy Kidlington:November 2004.  Vol. 32,  Iss. 16,  p. 1807-1817
www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/30414/description?navopenmenu=1

The capacity for waste incineration in Swedish municipalities is increasing due to regulations aimed at decreasing landfill with waste. This has a large impact on the municipal energy systems, since waste is an important fuel for district heating production. The object of this study is a municipality, Skovde, which is planning to build a waste incineration plant to produce electricity and heat. The municipality is also planning to extend the district heating grid to include a large industrial heat consumer. The economic effect on the energy system of these measures is analysed as well as environmental effects in terms of carbon dioxide emissions. The consequences of two different policy instruments, green electricity certificates and a tax on waste incineration, are also studied. Economic optimisations show that the advantage of co-operation with industry is twofold: lower heat production costs and a considerable reduction of carbon dioxide emissions. It is economically feasible to invest in a waste incineration plant for heat production. An important measure to lower carbon dioxide emissions is to introduce combined heat and power production on the assumption that locally produced electricity replaces electricity produced by coal condensing power.


Oil supply insecurity: control versus damage costs
Anthony D Owen.  Energy Policy Kidlington:November 2004.  Vol. 32,  Iss. 16,  p. 1879-1882
www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/30414/description?navopenmenu=1

A note is presented about the distinction between control costs and damage costs for deriving a valuation of the impact of environmental externalities. The cost of oil supply is then revisited, in order to illustrate the substantial disparity between the 2 concepts. Using the cost of regulation to estimate the benefit is a meaningless, circular, procedure, given that a cost-benefit ratio of unity will always be achieved. Legislators are able to make optimal decisions when imposing policy instruments to modify polluting behaviour to achieve such an "optimal" outcome. Estimation of damage costs has economic theory as its basis. Rationally, control costs should always be less than the estimated level of damages. The actual amount of money spent by the US on oil security is very difficult to estimate. US defence expenditure is predicted on a number of varied regional objectives around the globe, and assigning a marginal cost to oil security activities in the Middle East involves a considerable element of subjective allocation.


Importance of fear in the case of genetically modified food
Fleur J. M. Laros,  Jan-Benedict E. M. Steenkamp.  Psychology & Marketing Hoboken:November 2004.  Vol. 21,  Iss. 11,  p. 889, www.wileyeurope.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-MAR.html

Fear appeals concerning genetically modified food (GMF) frequently appear in the mass media. They have played a crucial role in creating widespread fear of GMF (also known as "Frankenstein food" among the fearful) in a large part of the world. The present study validates a scale to measure consumers' fear of GMF and shows that Dutch consumers feel significantly more fearful of GMF than of other new food types. There are no strong relations between consumers' sociodemographic makeup and fear of GMF, indicating that fear of this technologically new type of food is an emotion that cuts across society. Fear of GMF is positively influenced by consumers' concern for the environment and negatively affected by their faith in technology in food production. Consumers who are more fearful of GMF have a more negative attitude toward genetically modified food and toward genetic modification of animals, and exhibit a greater interest in information related to food production.


The Market for Transportation-Land Use Integration: Do Developers Want Smarter Growth than Regulations Allow?
Jonathan Levine,  Aseem Inam.  Transportation Amsterdam:November 2004.  Vol. 31,  Iss. 4,  p. 409-427, www.kluweronline.com/issn/0049-4488/

Transportation and land use research of the past decade has focused in large part on the question of whether manipulating land uses in the direction of "smart growth" alternatives can reduce vehicle miles traveled (VMT) or otherwise improve travel behavior. Yet the notion of "manipulating" land uses implies that the alternative is somehow self-organized or market-based. This view appears to underestimate the extent to which current planning interventions in the United States - largely focused on lowering development densities, mandating ample road and parking designs, and separating land uses - impose an auto-oriented template on most new development. Rather than a market failure, the paucity of "smart growth" alternatives may be a planning failure - the result of municipal regulatory exclusion. This problem definition would shift the burden of proof for policy reform, as uncertainty in travel-behavior benefits would hardly justify the continuation of exclusionary regulations. If municipal regulations in fact constrain alternatives to low-density, auto-oriented development, one would expect developers to perceive unsatisfied market interest in such development. This article studies, through a national survey (676 respondents), US developers' perceptions of the market for pedestrian- and transit-oriented development forms. Overall, respondents perceive considerable market interest in alternative development forms, but believe that there is inadequate supply of such alternatives relative to market demand. Developer-respondents attribute this gap between supply and demand principally to local government regulation. When asked how the relaxation of these regulations would affect their product, majorities of developers indicated that such liberalization would lead them to develop in a denser and more mixed-use fashion, particularly in close-in suburban locales. Results are interpreted in favor land-policy reform based on the expansion of choice in transportation and land use. This view contrasts with a more prevalent approach which conditions policy interventions on scientific evidence of travel-behavior modification.


Energy, Hanford contractors appeal record fine ; Unknown waste shipped, state contends
AP.  Columbian Vancouver, Wash.:October 28, 2004.  p. C2, www.ap.org

The U.S. Department of Energy and two contractors at the Hanford nuclear site have appealed a record $270,000 fine issued by the state of Washington last month.  The state Department of Ecology contends the federal government shipped unknown waste from another nuclear site to the south- central Washington reservation. The penalty was the largest the state has ever issued to the Energy Department.  For 40 years, the 586-square-mile Hanford reservation made plutonium for the nation's nuclear weapons arsenal. Today it is the nation's most contaminated site, with cleanup costs expected to total $50 billion to $60 billion.


Increase in carbon emissions 'gives business extra headroom':
Fiona Harvey.  Financial Times London (UK):October 28, 2004.  p. 2, www.ft.com

Businesses will be granted the right to emit more carbon dioxide under new plans announced by the government yesterday.  The plans, if accepted by the Commission, would increase the total amount of carbon dioxide in the UK's national allocation plan: the amount industry will be licensed to emit.  The scheme, which begins in January, is aimed at helping the EU meet its carbon emissions reduction target under the Kyoto protocol on climate change.  Britain's original plan was one of the first to be accepted, back in April.  The plan submitted to the European Commission in April set the UK's ceiling at 736m tonnes. Yesterday's revised NAP would raise the ceiling to 756m.  The carbon trading scheme will cover industries judged to be the biggest emitters of carbon, including power generation, oil refineries, and iron, steel, cement, glass and pulp and paper factories. Power producers account for around two-thirds of the total carbon allocation.


Policy Instruments for Environmental and Natural Resource Management
Sylvia Brandt.  American Journal Of Agricultural Economics Malden:November 2004.  Vol. 86,  Iss. 4,  p. 1154-1156, www.aaea.org/fund/pubs/ajae/


Marginal Property Tax Effects of Conservation Easements: a Vermont Case Study
Jonathan R King,  Christopher M Anderson.  American Journal Of Agricultural Economics Malden:November 2004.  Vol. 86,  Iss. 4,  p. 919-932, www.aaea.org/fund/pubs/ajae/


Addressing the Economics of Waste, OECD 2004
www1.oecd.org/publications/e-book/9704031E.PDF


California  Integrated Waste Management Board: Sustainable (Green) Building: Project Design:
Cost Issues
www.ciwmb.ca.gov/GreenBuilding/Design/CostIssues.htm


Phelps Dodge Earnings and Environmental Costs
www.prnewswire.com

Phelps Dodge Corp. (NYSE: PD) reported consolidated net income of $292.9 million, or $2.95 per share, in the 2004 third quarter of 2004 .  Net income included after-tax, net special charges totaling $0.9 million, or 1 cent per share, associated with environmental provisions ($9.5 million) and restructuring and impairment charges ($3.2 million); partially offset by environmental recoveries ($6.0 million) and a net gain regarding historic legal matters ($5.8 million).


McLean Homeowners Fight Assessments, New RPA regulations lead to land-use constrictions, excess taxes, residents say.
Amber Healy, Conn  October 27, 2004
http://www.connectionnewspapers.com/article.asp?article=41999&paper=68&cat=104

Five McLean homeowners met with the Fairfax County Board of Equalization (BOE) Monday night to fight their property assessments, saying new environmental regulations reduce the amount of usable land they own and their property taxes should be decreased. As a result of resource protection areas (RPAs) designated by the Chesapeake Watershed Ordinance and put into effect Nov. 18, 2003, these homeowners say their property tax is not representative of the amount of land they own that can be used.  John Freedman of the Department of Public Works and Environmental Services gave the BOE a brief presentation about the RPAs before the homeowners pled their cases. “RPAs need to be designated on all perennial streams,” Freedman said, in order to protect the Chesapeake Bay Watershed water supply. The ordinances require a 100-foot buffer zone on either side of a perennial stream, which can be amended or given special-exception waivers if the homeowner wants to make improvements or build new structures on his property.

Frank Crandall said 65% of his property falls into the RPA.  He described his house as a “tear-down” property, meaning that if someone else were to buy the land, the existing house would most likely be taken down and a new home built. The RPA constraints would seriously diminish the resale value of the property, he said.  Chairman James D. Lafley acknowledged the RPA did have some impact on Crandall’s property. Lafley presented a motion to reduce Crandall’s assessment by $30,000, “which would cover all engineering costs to tear down the house,” he said.  Board Member John Yeatman recommended that the property assessment be reduced to $850,000, which was approved by the board.  A second homeowner, Ann Huffman outlined a five-step process it would take to get the exceptions needed to build the pool, at a cost of $16,000.  “That’s just for the engineering costs, and the process has no guarantee of success,” she said.  Lafley proposed a motion to reduce the assessment by $30,000 to cover engineering fees. The motion was seconded but voted down, with no reductions made to the assessment.  The board heard an appeal from Duane McCliggott, who said that “McMansions” were being built all around his house, making his a “tear-down” like Crandall’s.  “The value is correct without the RPA, but the RPA is removing the most attractive part of my five acres (from being used),” McCliggott said.  Yeatman suggested that the property value be reduced to $1 million, based on the land value alone, which was unanimously approved by the board.


ENVIRONMENT

ENVIRONMENTAL NEWS SERVICE



EDIE




RENEWABLEENERGYACCESS.COM VIA www.rss-to-javascript.com

RSS to JavaScript

PRWEB


PLANETIZEN


>

SUSTAINABLE LIVING NEWS




GREEN CONSUMER GUIDE



ECONOMICS

NEWS4SITES.COM



VDECK



MOTLEY FOOL.COM



PRWEB



FINANCIAL MARKET INDICATORS

THE FINANCIALS.COM


















GOVERNMENT

PRWEB


REAL ESTATE

Today's Top Real Estate News
Provided by
Inman News



VDECK



RIS MEDIA

Powered by RIS
Media Click here for our real estate archives.



HEALTHCARE

VDECK



PREWEB



NEW YORK

NEW YORK CITY





HISTORY

HISTORY





GENERAL NEWS
NEW YORK TIMES

GENERAL

NATIONAL -- UNITED STATES

INTERNATIONAL

BUSINESS

SCIENCE

BOOKS

WASHINGTON POST -- TOP NEWS



BBC World News

ASSOCIATED PRESS




YAHOO NEWS



JETBAR



TOPIX.NET



WHAT THE PAPERS SAY -- U.K.



WHAT THE PAPERS SAY -- WORLD



WHAT THE PAPERS SAY -- TOP STORIES



OTHER


Science News from Brightsurf





COST-BENEFIT

COST-BENEFIT FROM NEWSTROVE.COM

RSS to JavaScript

COSTS AND BENEFITS FROM NEWSTROVE.COM

RSS to JavaScript

ENVIRONMENTAL ECONOMICS FROM NEWSTROVE.COM

RSS to JavaScript COST-BENEFIT FROM NEWSINDEX.COM

Visit our News Page

FEEDSTER - ECONOMICS AND ENVIRONMENT FEED