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Aggregate Analysis of Site-Specific Pollution Problems: The Case of Groundwater Contamination from Agriculture

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 May 2017

James J. Opaluch  and
Kathleen Segerson
James J. Opaluch
Affiliation:
Department of Resource Economics, University of Rhode Island
Kathleen Segerson
Affiliation:
Department of Economics, University of Connecticut
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Abstract

Control of nonpoint sources of pollution has traditionally been within the domain of local decision makers in recognition of the critical importance of site-specific issues. More recently attention has turned to the issue of what can and should be done at the regional or national level, while recognizing the importance of site-specific attributes. This paper describes and illustrates an approach for analysis of nonpoint pollution problems that focuses jointly at the aggregate and disaggregate levels of the problem. The approach is based on linking two tools of analysis, the microparameter distribution model and the Geographical Information Systems (GIS). Although there are significant challenges to be overcome in implementing such an approach, linkage of these two policy tools has considerable promise in dealing with site-specific issues within an aggregate framework. Furthermore, GIS is potentially an important source of data for economists to exploit, given the momentum of GIS systems throughout the nation and given the relatively disaggregate nature of the data.

Type
The Effects of Agricultural Production on Environmental Quality
Information
Northeastern Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics , Volume 20 , Issue 1 , April 1991 , pp. 83 - 97
Copyright
Copyright © 1991 Northeastern Agricultural and Resource Economics Association 

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Footnotes

The research was funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service, Cooperative Agreement no. 58-3AEM-9-80068, and by the Rhode Island Agricultural Experiment Station (AES Contribution No. 2627). An earlier version of this paper was presented at the Resource Policy Consortium Workshop “Groundwater Modelling: Physical Science, Economics and Policy” held in Washington, DC, May 1990. We also gratefully acknowledge financial support of the Resource Policy Consortium.

References

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