Three conjoint models—a traditional ratings model, a ratings difference specification, and a binary response model—were used to value groundwater protection program alternatives. The last, which is virtually identical to a dichotomous choice contingent valuation specification, produced the smallest value estimates. This suggests that the conjoint model is very sensitive to model specification and that traditional conjoint models may overestimate economic value because many respondents are not in the market for the commodity being valued.

This paper outlines a method to determine the tradeoff between economies of size in water treatment and diseconomies of distribution. Cost equations are estimated for several treatment technologies and distribution extensions. Empirical results are used to identify optimal system size where average total costs are minimized. Regardless of treatment, most costs are due to distribution. As water systems expand service territories, only in the most densely populated areas would remaining economies of size in treatment outweigh the diseconomies in distribution.

This paper reexamines supply response in the Northeastern fresh tomato market during the 1949–94 period by employing cointegration and error correction technique. It tests whether there has been a long-run equilibrium relationship between Northeastern production and a set of price and nonprice factors that influence it. Findings suggest that wage rate, imports from competing regions, and urban pressure have had significant negative impacts on regional production. The negative relationship between price and production may have resulted from the strong negative effects exerted by the nonprice factors.