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on Resource Economics |
| By: | Joiner, Emily (Resources for the Future); Walls, Margaret A. (Resources for the Future); Wibbenmeyer, Matthew (Resources for the Future) |
| Abstract: | Increasing development in high wildfire hazard areas contributes to rising damage costs from fires. While researchers have documented expansion of residential development in high wildfire hazard areas, they have paid less attention to businesses and jobs. Yet growth in residential development and in local economic activity can often reinforce one another, and direct and indirect impacts to businesses can be an important component of overall wildfire damages. We use comprehensive data from the National Establishment Time Series Database from 1990-2020 to examine employment growth across wildfire hazard categories within 11 western US states. Our analysis finds that employment grew 0.5 percentage points faster annually, on average, in the highest wildfire hazard areas than in the region as a whole. Many of the jobs—and much of the job growth—is located within six regional “hotspots.” California has the most jobs in high and very high wildfire hazard areas, comprising 60 percent of the total jobs in these areas in 2020. Additionally, we find that jobs in the highest wildfire hazard areas are slightly lower-paying than jobs in lower wildfire hazard areas on average. We identify millions of jobs within high and very high wildfire hazard areas, motivating additional research on job disruption and workplace and employee impacts from wildfires. |
| Date: | 2025–04–14 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:rff:report:rp-25-08 |
| By: | Clay, Karen (Carnegie Mellon University); Severnini, Edson (Boston College); Wang, Xiao (Carnegie Mellon University) |
| Abstract: | This paper uses U.S. TRI data on industrial air lead emissions to provide IV estimates of the e?ects of air lead concentration on infant mortality. The causal e?ect of lead on infant mortality is identified by variation in air fugitive lead emissions interacted with wind speed near reporting plants, which together determine local ambient lead concentration. Unlike stack emissions, which occur routinely and may prompt avoidance behavior, fugitive emissions are intermittent and influenced by both historical and current factors, such as wind speed variation, making them di?cult to avoid. The paper has two main findings. First, higher air lead concentration causes higher infant mortality in the first month and in the first year, suggesting that both in utero and environmental exposures matter. Second, higher lead concentration increases deaths from low birthweight, sudden unexplained infant death, and respiratory and nervous system causes, which is consistent with findings from animal studies, even when accounting for behavioral responses. Back of the envelope calculations indicate that declines in industrial air lead emissions prevented 300+ infant deaths per year, generating benefits of $3.5+ billion annually in 2023 dollars. |
| Keywords: | Toxic Release Inventory (TRI), airborne lead pollution, infant mortality |
| JEL: | I12 Q53 Q58 |
| Date: | 2025–08 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:iza:izadps:dp18090 |
| By: | Wingenroth, Jordan (Resources for the Future); Bartuska, Ann (Resources for the Future); Wear, David N. (Resources for the Future) |
| Abstract: | Anticipated growth in renewable energy will substantially curtail the US energy sector’s greenhouse gas emissions but has implications for land-based sectors of the economy. US climate policies and energy markets now provide especially strong incentives for expanding solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity. As a result, conversion of agricultural and forested lands to utility-scale solar facilities has accelerated over the past decade. Energy projections indicate a rapid expansion in the rate of solar development and land use changes, especially where high electricity demand coincides with access to transmission infrastructure. This implies a concentration of effects on ecosystem services. Rising public alarm regarding solar siting, initially focused on agricultural land, portends challenges for land-based sectors and the clean energy transition.This report provides a rapid assessment of potential conversions of forestland to solar facilities. We evaluate the current land use footprint of solar facilities in the United States and land use conversions to support solar production. We examine the policy structures that currently organize the development of solar capacity and evaluate the potential for future land use change. And we explore the associated economic and ecological implications of changes, social concerns, and emerging policy responses.Our analysis starts with a survey of the literature on solar land use, compilation of available data, and development of a simple projection model. Because the published literature on forest conversion is sparse, we also sought out experts in state forestry organizations, the land trust community, and the energy sector, and we interviewed them about the scope and scale of forest conversion to solar farms, as well as ways in which stakeholders may be affected. We specifically sought insights into patterns of conversion, data sources, and societal issues (e.g., equity, loss of wildlife habitat). Interviewees also weighed in on emerging policies aimed at mitigating the consequences of solar conversions.As is the case for land development more broadly, converting forests and native grasslands to solar facilities alters the provision of ecosystem services, ranging from commodities such as timber and carbon storage to public goods related to water quality, species’ habitat, recreation, and aesthetics. Consequences include those that accrue to deforestation in general but also issues specific to solar operations. The spatial concentration of solar development implies an uneven distribution of effects. As well as balancing the provision of renewable energy with loss of valuable ecosystem services, best practices for the design of new facilities need to address local communities’ concerns. At all levels of government, policy is still adapting to the challenges associated with solar-driven land use change. |
| Date: | 2025–02–07 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:rff:report:rp-25-02 |