Of Mollusks and Men: The Wilderness Act and Drakes Bay Oyster Company
The debate over Drakes Bay Oyster Company’s continued operation within the Point Reyes National Seashore created two unlikely foes: environmentalists in favor of transitioning the land to wilderness, and supporters of local, organic food and a longstanding family business. The San Francisco Chronicle aptly termed it a “legal and philosophical slugfest.” The door seems to be closed for the oyster farm’s continuation beyond March 15, 2013, as Department of the...
CONTINUE READINGPut That In Your Tank and Smoke It
The next time anyone tells you that an increase in gasoline prices (say, as part of a carbon-tax or a cap-and-trade system) would generate unbearable costs to consumers, think again. The Los Angeles Times reports something that I have often seen but never really thought through: gasoline stations often a couple block away from each other have radically different prices: Known in the industry as zone pricing, the controversial practice was apparent one afternoon when ...
CONTINUE READINGLooking Ahead to 2050
Since New Year's Eve is both a time for nostalgia and for looking ahead, it seems appropriate to see what the world will look like at mid-century. The world will be facing considerable challenges then. The population will be bigger. The United Nations predicts that the world population will grow by 2 billion to 9 billion people by 2050, with the most growth in Africa and South Asia. (Discovery News) Pew predicts a U.S. population of 438 million, about 20% of whom...
CONTINUE READINGThe Coase Theorem and Matt Damon’s New Fracking Movie
The law and economics movement has been studying the Coase Theorem for a long time. In this cross-post, I discuss its relevance for Matt Damon's new fracking movie "Promised Land"....
CONTINUE READINGDo GMO Salmon Pose an Environmental Threat?
GMO fish are one step closer to sale in the U.S., reports the LA Times: After more than a decade in regulatory limbo, genetically engineered Atlantic salmon that grow faster than their naturally born counterparts moved closer to American plates, with the publication Friday of a government report that found the fish wouldn't hurt the environment and would be safe to eat. The biggest environmental issue regarding the salmon is the possibility that they might escape and int...
CONTINUE READINGLisa Jackson Steps Down From EPA
The Washington Post announces that Lisa Jackson is resigning as Administrator of EPA. Summarizing her four years at EPA, the Post says: The slew of rules EPA enacted over the past four years — including the first-ever greenhouse gas standards for vehicles, cuts in mercury and other toxic pollution from power plants and a tighter limit on soot, the nation’s most widespread deadly pollutant — prompted many congressional Republicans and business groups to suggest Ja...
CONTINUE READINGEnvironmental Highlights of 2012
Reelection of President Obama, defeating Mitt Romney who had promised a major deregulatory push and massive expansion of fossil fuels. Election of new pro-environmental Senators such as Chris Murphy (Conn.), Tammy Baldwin (Wisc.), and Liz Warren (Mass.) D.C. Circuit upholds EPA endangerment finding and rules for new stationary sources of greenhouse gases. California holds first auction of carbon allowances under AB 32. Obama creates Chimney Park National Monument. ...
CONTINUE READINGThe San Bruno Explosion and the Public Trust
Do you remember the horrific Pacific Gas & Electric Company (PG&E) natural gas pipeline explosion in San Bruno, California, that killed eight people and burned down dozens of homes? Two years later, there are still several proceedings pending before the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) to figure out who should bear costs resulting from the accident, and how much PG&E should be fined for what appears to have a been negligent disregard for pipeline...
CONTINUE READINGEnvironmental Issues and the 2016 Race
You may have thought that we were done with presidential politics for a while. Not so! The ballots weren't even completely counted before Marco Rubio set off to Iowa, supposedly for the Governor's birthday party. Here's one list of potential candidates: GOP. Jeb Bush, Marco Rubio, Paul Ryan, Chris Christie, Bobby Jindal, and Condoleeza Rice. In case you're wondering, a recent poll of Republican voters shows Rubio in the lead. He's got a 9% lifetime rating from the...
CONTINUE READINGA Hidden Cost Due to Climate Change
Over the last decade some leading economists have written about the benefits and costs of airlines using hubs. Here is one paper . I have wondered how climate volatility will affect the time cost of air travel in a world of hub flights. If I must fly from Boston through Chicago to get to my final destination, the introduction of the second leg of the trip increases the likelihood that something can go wrong as the plane that is supposed to take me on the 2nd le...
CONTINUE READINGJoin Our Mailing List
Climate policy is changing rapidly. Stay in the loop with expert analysis via email Monday - Friday.
