Coming Clean: An Economic Perspective on Water Quality Policy

Date

June 2, 2010

Participants

Phil Sharp, Roberton C. Williams III, and Sheila M. Olmstead

Event Series

Coming Clean: An Economic Perspective on Water Quality Policy RFF First Wednesday Seminar June 2, 2010

U.S. water quality regulation has been in the news lately, from the New York Times' "Toxic Waters" articles last fall and winter to recent coverage of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill. It has been 38 years since the passage of the Clean Water Act (CWA) and 33 years since the creation of the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA). Have these two keystones of U.S. water quality regulation lived up to their promise of reducing our exposure to dangerous water contaminants? Do the benefits of environmental regulations under the CWA and SDWA exceed their costs? How should economists and policymakers think about the risks from emerging contaminants, nonpoint source pollution, water infrastructure deterioration, and other current issues in water quality? Do the CWA and SDWA give regulators the tools and policy instruments they need to accomplish the statutes' goals?

Audio and Video

Event Audio (mp3) click to stream and right-click to download

Topics

Participants

Phil Sharp

Senior Advisor

Fellow, Columbia University; former President, RFF

Roberton C. Williams III

Senior Fellow

Rob Williams is a senior fellow at RFF. He studies both environmental policy and tax policy, with a particular focus on interactions between the two.

Sheila M. Olmstead

University Fellow

Sheila Olmstead is a university fellow at RFF. Her recent research projects focus on adaptation to the water resource implications of climate change, economic valuation of reductions in nutrient pollution in urban coastal areas, and more.

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