Economic Impact of Environmental Policies
**U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Advances Environmental Economics**
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is at the forefront of environmental economics, with a focus on the economic analysis of environmental regulations and policies. The EPA's Environmental Economics division is dedicated to assessing the costs, benefits, and impacts of these regulations on the national economy and society.
Key economic topics addressed by the EPA include economic cost-benefit analysis, quantitative uncertainty analysis, economy-wide modeling, linking environmental science with economic policy, and maintaining statistical and analytical consistency. The division also explores employment impacts of environmental regulations, infrastructure finance and sustainability, and bridging the gap between science and policy.
The National Center for Environmental Economics (NCEE) leads EPA’s economic analysis efforts, supporting research and promoting consistent economic methods across the agency. They provide expert assistance and develop tools and methods for economic evaluation of environmental policies and regulations.
Other resources provided by the EPA include the Economic and Cost Analysis for Air Pollution Regulations, which offers access to EPA reports and analytical tools related to air quality management and national stationary source regulations. The Environmental Finance Center (EFC) for EPA Region 10 offers financial models, tools, training, and technical assistance to help small, rural, and tribal communities address infrastructure financing challenges.
Independent organizations such as Resources for the Future provide analysis on how environmental regulations affect employment, addressing the complex trade-offs and empirical evidence around job impacts of EPA policies.
In addition to these resources, the EPA offers seminars, workshops, and opportunities, grants, and solicitations through its Environmental Economics division. The division publishes a variety of reports, including the Environmental Economics Reports series, the Working Paper Series, and the EPA Papers and Reports. Topics covered by these publications range from climate change and mortality risk valuation to waste management and land cleanup.
The EPA's Peer Review of TSD: Social Cost of Greenhouse Gas Estimates and CGE Modeling for Regulatory Analysis are also resources provided by the division. The EPA Handbook on Land Cleanup and Reuse is another valuable resource for those interested in the practical aspects of environmental economics.
In summary, the EPA's Environmental Economics division integrates economic theory, empirical research, policy guidance, and practical support to improve decision-making and promote sustainable environmental outcomes. Through its various resources and programs, the division aims to provide a holistic approach to environmental economics, considering the economic, social, and environmental impacts of regulations and policies.
- The EPA's Environmental Economics division assesses the economic costs, benefits, and impacts of environmental regulations, particularly on the reduction of waste, which is crucial in addressing climate change.
- In addition to their economic analysis efforts, the EPA offers resources like the EPA Handbook on Land Cleanup and Reuse to provide practical support for waste management and land cleanup.
- The division also explores infrastructure finance and sustainability, focusing on enhancing financial models, tools, and technical assistance for small, rural, and tribal communities dealing with water infrastructure challenges.
- Resources for the Future, an independent organization, analyzes how environmental regulations affect employment, providing insight on the complex trade-offs and job impacts of EPA policies in the business sector.
