Robert J. Kalter

Resource Investments, Impact Distribution, and Evaluation Concepts

Governmental decisions on proposed resource investments have always been made within an implicit multidimensional social welfare function framework. Yet the equity consequences of public programs have never been evaluated on an equal basis with their contribution to national economic growth. A model designed to facilitate the measurement of such consequences is specified and applied to a case study. The model can be used in conjunction with different equity classifications, but the test considered the personal income distribution consequences of a proposed water resource investment. The distribution of efficiency benefits and positive intergroup transfers as well as cost and reimbursement questions are considered.

Measurement of the Impact of Recreation Investments on a Local Economy

A from-to type of interindustry model is formulated and empirically implemented to quantify local economic impacts of a transfer nature arising from outdoor recreation. Direct, indirect, and induced sales, income, and employment impacts are derived and multiplier values are calculated. Relationships among the from-to model, supplemental studies, and the analysis of regional benefits for governmental investment decisions are discussed.

Allocation of United States coal production to meet future energy needs

Markets for many products are dominated by small group of states or countries with a natural advantage in the marketplace because of some initial endowment of resources, favorable climate, or location. The purpose of this paper is to explore how such ...

The Economics of Outer Continental Shelf Leasing

An analytical framework of the Outer Continental Shelf lands petroleum investment and production decision process is developed and utilized to evaluate public resource leasing policy alternatives. The impacts of alternative lease systems upon rates of production, investment levels, total resource recovery, and government revenue are presented and discussed. Trade-offs implicit in various leasing strategies and the geophysical-institutional-engineering-economic interactions which must be accounted for in public resource management are pointed out. Possible modifications in the current institutional system are suggested.

Feasibility assessment of whey-based ethanol facilities.

Abstract In the United States, corn has been the principal commodity considered for conversion to ethanol. One alternative to using corn and other food crops is to utilize organic wastes, such as food processing waste. Cheese whey is one such waste that holds potential for conversion to ethanol. To ascertain the feasibility of using whey as a feedstock a series of regional studies were conducted by the authors. Results from these studies indicate that the transport of condensed whey to a central processing plant for conversion to ethanol is economically feasible. The energy balance for the plants considered can yield a positive or negative balance depending on whether an energy penalty is assigned for condensing the whey. A net energy gain of 23 833 to 26 921 kJ/l of ethanol was obtained if energy for whey condensing was not included and a net energy loss ranging from −270 to −686 kJ/l was obtained if whey condensing was included in the energy balance. Plants utilizing continuous fermentation technology showed positive energy balance with or without a penalty for the condensing of the whey.

Effects of Public Programs for Outdoor Recreation on Personal Income Distribution

IN view of the multidimensional nature of the social welfare function, concern for the economically efficient provision of public goods and services should be coupled with equal concern for the equity effects of that provision [4]. More specifically, the personal income distribution effects of a project or program, as well as other equity considerations, must be analyzed if the planning process is to provide the information flows necessary for making public decisions consistent with the general welfare. Quantification of such effects make the trade-offs that exist between governmental objectives more explicit and point up the equity impact of programs undertaken wholly or partially for other reasons. The Study This paper reports on portions of an empirical study carried out with the use of fiscal 1968 data on New York State administered outdoor recreation expenditures [1]. Several different conceptual approaches were used and compared. The first utilizes a classical flow of funds form of analysis, tracing the redistribution effects of all state revenue devoted to outdoor recreation in a given year. In this approach, recreation expenditures were treated as gross transfer payments and, for each income class, were netted against tax and fee burdens imposed. The second approach analyzes the present value equity impact of incremental state investment in recreation facilities. Projected annual benefits, measured by a proxy for willingness to pay and converted to a present value basis, were used to estimate gross equity impacts and, for each income class, were netted against discounted costs. Empirical considerations dictated that the income base used be household income before taxes, as defined for the National Recreation Surveys (NRS) [2, 3], and that the class definitions be: under

Potential Economic Impacts of Agricultural Biotechnology

3,000;

Alternative energy leasing strategies and schedules for the Outer Continental Shelf

3,0005,999;

Atlantic outer continental shelf energy resources : an economic analysis

6,000-9,999;

Water Resources and Other Public Works: Discussion

10,000-14,999;