Environmental Policy Across Terrestrial Space
| dc.contributor.advisor | Cameron, Trudy | |
| dc.contributor.author | Morehouse, John | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2022-10-04T19:26:30Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2022-10-04T19:26:30Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2022-10-04 | |
| dc.description.abstract | This dissertation examines spatial heterogeneity that results from various environmental policies. In Chapter 1, I provide a comprehensive overview of each dissertation chapter. Chapter 2 (with Ed Rubin) demonstrates that most coal-fueled power plants are located on or near jurisdictional (county or state) borders. We find that coal-fired power plants are disproportionately sited on downwind borders (within county or state). Natural gas plants---much lower polluters---do not exhibit this behavior. Motivated by the inferred strategic siting, we use an atmospheric dispersion model developed by NOAA to estimate various aspects of the ``pollution transport problem.'' We find that nearly 90% of coal-based particulate matter leaves its state of origin within 48 hours of release. Chapter 3 (with Mark Colas) examines the effects of stringent land-use regulations on national carbon emissions. We develop and estimate a general equilibrium model of residential sorting and energy consumption. We find that relaxing land-use restrictions in California leads to a 0.6% drop in national carbon emissions. The mechanism behind this drop is straightforward. California cities have a temperate climate, carbon-efficient power plants, and high land-use regulations. These land-use regulations inflate housing prices, thus keeping households out of California cities. When households live outside of California, they emit more carbon on average, and therefore national carbon emissions are higher due to California's land-use regulations. In Chapter 4, I simulate the labor market effects of a carbon tax across the continental United States. To recover the welfare impacts of a carbon tax, I build and estimate a spatial equilibrium model that features heterogeneous households. I incorporate a rich level of heterogeneity into the model that allows me to answer: (1) who is most affected by a carbon tax, (2) how much the burden of a carbon tax is borne on different households, and (3) where the households are that bear the greatest burden from the tax. I find that workers without a college degree in manufacturing bear a disproportionate share of the tax incidence. Chapter 5 concludes this dissertation. This dissertation includes previously both previously published and unpublished and co-authored material. | en_US |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://hdl.handle.net/1794/27545 | |
| dc.language.iso | en_US | |
| dc.publisher | University of Oregon | |
| dc.rights | All Rights Reserved. | |
| dc.subject | Air Quality | en_US |
| dc.subject | Federalism | en_US |
| dc.subject | Local Labor Markets | en_US |
| dc.subject | Spatial Equilibrium | en_US |
| dc.title | Environmental Policy Across Terrestrial Space | |
| dc.type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation | |
| thesis.degree.discipline | Department of Economics | |
| thesis.degree.grantor | University of Oregon | |
| thesis.degree.level | doctoral | |
| thesis.degree.name | Ph.D. |
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