Papers by Erik Lichtenberg
... them: Douglas W. Allen, Amy Ando, Steve Boucher, Nancy Chau, Keith Coble, John Crespi, Timoth... more ... them: Douglas W. Allen, Amy Ando, Steve Boucher, Nancy Chau, Keith Coble, John Crespi, Timothy Dalton, James Eales, Murray Fulton, Jacqueline Geoghegan, Rachael Goodhue, Lewell Gunter, Richard Horan, Brent Hueth, Terrence ... Grimsrud, K, Kee, H, MacLaren, D, Pfaff, A. ...
American Journal of Agricultural Economics, 2008
We examine the implications of spatial heterogeneity for point/nonpoint effluent trading using a ... more We examine the implications of spatial heterogeneity for point/nonpoint effluent trading using a theoretical model of a watershed in which a network of tributaries drains into a single receptor body of water when the damage from nutrient pollution varies across locations. We show that it is optimal to adjust trading ratios for
The American Economic Review
Govemment regulations aimed at further- ing social goals such as environmental qual- ity and equi... more Govemment regulations aimed at further- ing social goals such as environmental qual- ity and equitable income distribution often reduce productivity. Estimating these costs of regulation is one of economists' main contributions to the policy evaluation pro- cess. Assessments of ...
China Economic Review, 2015
Agricultural and Resource Economics Review
The effects of state and local regulations on minimum lot size, maximum density, and forested are... more The effects of state and local regulations on minimum lot size, maximum density, and forested area on the physical utilization of space in suburban residential subdivisions are analyzed theoretically and empirically. Results suggest that the allocation of space within these subdivisions is not determined completely by existing regulations. Instead, developers appear to choose to limit the number of building lots in a subdivision in order to provide open space within subdivisions in response to buyers' willingness to pay a premium for the amenities open space provides. They do not appear to free ride on open space provided in nearby areas outside of the subdivision. Minimum lot size and forest conservation regulations are found to impose binding constraints on developers while maximum density regulation does not. Forest conservation regulations are found to meet their stated aim of increasing the amount of forested open space in these subdivisions beyond levels developers provide voluntarily.
Agricultural and Resource Economics Review
The material contained herein is supplementary to the article named in the title and published in... more The material contained herein is supplementary to the article named in the title and published in the American Journal of Agricultural Economics.
Heterogeneity of agricultural landscapes may necessitate the use of spatially targeted instrument... more Heterogeneity of agricultural landscapes may necessitate the use of spatially targeted instrument combinations to implement the social optimum. But compliance with these policies may require costly enforcement. This paper examines the design of agri-environmental policies featuring two of the most commonly used instruments, reductions in fertilizer application rates and installation of riparian buffers. While compliance with buffer strip requirements is
Defining operational efficiencies within the nursery and greenhouse industry is challenging for a... more Defining operational efficiencies within the nursery and greenhouse industry is challenging for a number of reasons. Production practices are highly variable between field, container-nursery and greenhouse operations. In addition, many individual growers produce hundreds of species and cultivars, and use a variety of production, irrigation, and fertilization methods and practices to minimize nutrient and sediment runoff. Typically it is easy to assess the inherent efficiency of the major irrigation systems, including overhead, microsprinkler and drip systems, but the management of these systems is the key to real operational efficiency. In order to gather specific management information about irrigation, runoff and containment practices, an extensive online survey was developed as part of a larger project focused on the development of wireless sensor irrigation networks for the ornamental industry. Sensor networks have the potential to provide growers with real-time, site-specific i...
Continuous cut flower production of snapdragons (Antirrhinum sp.) requires substantial inputs of ... more Continuous cut flower production of snapdragons (Antirrhinum sp.) requires substantial inputs of energy and resources. The use of wireless sensor networks can benefit growers by cost reductions achieved through input reductions and potentially by reducing time to harvest and improving quality. Input reductions also have environmental value by reducing water and nutrient runoff and relieving pressure on scarce water supplies. We worked with a hydroponic wholesale snapdragon grower in Maryland to install a Decagon (Pullman, WA) wireless sensor network. Initially, substrate moisture levels were monitored, which provided information that was used to adjust irrigation flows. A second stage of the project added automated irrigation control to moisture status monitoring. The grower kept detailed records of production activities, including seed sowing dates and quantities, transplant dates and quantities, harvest dates and quantities, flower quality, and expenditures on energy and labor. We...
Agricultural water use typically accounts for 80% or more of consumptive water use, and up to 90%... more Agricultural water use typically accounts for 80% or more of consumptive water use, and up to 90% of water use in many western states. Population growth, changing rainfall patterns, and drought will continue to stress the relationship between water for agriculture and domestic uses. One way to reduce agricultural consumption is through increasing water application and uptake efficiency through better irrigation management practices. Scheduling irrigation in ornamental operations is often based on past experience and qualitative information (container weight, plant or substrate appearance, etc.) that a grower gathers. Wireless Sensor Irrigation Networks (WSIN) have been shown to provide accurate, quantitative, real-time monitoring and control of moisture status which, in on farm trials, has reduced irrigation costs, lowered plant loss rates, shortened production times, and decreased pesticide application, while increasing yield, quality, and profit. An original survey was used to inv...
The use of wireless sensor networks to determine irrigation timing and application rates can redu... more The use of wireless sensor networks to determine irrigation timing and application rates can reduce water application rates and thus irrigation costs (including energy and labor in addition to direct expenditures on water). Sensor networks may also reduce disease pressure through more efficient irrigation, which can reduce or eliminate fungicide use. In addition, irrigation sensor networks have also been shown to accelerate growth in some instances. For society at large, greater precision in agricultural irrigation in general, and ornamental crops in particular can potentially reduce pressure on water supplies as well as environmental inputs of nutrients and pesticides. We conducted two national surveys in order to gather information on cost, perceptions of wireless sensor networks, and water management practices in greenhouse and nursery operations. The first survey asked for detailed information about a variety of on-farm costs and practices. The second survey focused on a subset ...
Many notable pollution problems occur in industries where production is carried out under vertica... more Many notable pollution problems occur in industries where production is carried out under vertical coordination arrangements that are characterized by conditions of double moral hazard. In contrast to situations characterized by full information, we show that standard prescriptions of environmental economics do not apply. Imposing a Pigouvian tax equal to the marginal cost of pollution does not lead to the first best level of pollution. The equilibrium levels of production and pollution are not independent of which agent is taxed. Making either agent or the industry as a whole financially liable for full environmental damage at the margin similarly does not lead to a first best level of pollution. On the contrary, under conditions of double moral hazard, the industry should pay for less than the full cost of environmental damage. At present, only one agent (if any) is typically liable for environmental damage. We derive conditions under which imposing new regulations that make only ...
While there is current interest in reorienting agricultural policy toward environmental and resou... more While there is current interest in reorienting agricultural policy toward environmental and resource conservation goals, relatively little is known about the influence of cost on conservation adoption decisions or about how farmers combine multiple practices into an overall conservation package. Using farmer survey data combined with information on standard unit installation costs, this study estimates latent demand models for seven
Natural Resource Management and Policy, 2006
ABSTRACT
The Economics and Management of Water and Drainage in Agriculture, 1991
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Papers by Erik Lichtenberg