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Cleaner waters and urbanization

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  • Ren, Qianping
  • West, Jeremy

Abstract

The Clean Water Act (CWA) addresses nonpoint source pollution primarily by funding public works projects. Our study evaluates changes in rural watersheds before and after CWA projects are implemented, compared to watersheds without funding. We find that projects significantly reduce water pollution, with corresponding increases in human population and residential construction. Using housing values, we estimate that economic benefits exceed government costs by at least fourfold. Over half of this benefit is attributable to new housing. Our findings show that pollution can impede urbanization, suggesting more broadly that residential development is an important mechanism of revealed preference for environmental quality.

Suggested Citation

  • Ren, Qianping & West, Jeremy, 2023. "Cleaner waters and urbanization," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 122(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jeeman:v:122:y:2023:i:c:s009506962300092x
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jeem.2023.102874
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    Cited by:

    1. Hutchens, Andrew & Scrogin, David, 2024. "Effects of residential self-taxing districts on urban surface water quality," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 224(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Water pollution; Public works; Rural development; Environmental valuation;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • H41 - Public Economics - - Publicly Provided Goods - - - Public Goods
    • O44 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity - - - Environment and Growth
    • Q53 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Air Pollution; Water Pollution; Noise; Hazardous Waste; Solid Waste; Recycling
    • Q56 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Environment and Development; Environment and Trade; Sustainability; Environmental Accounts and Accounting; Environmental Equity; Population Growth
    • R23 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Household Analysis - - - Regional Migration; Regional Labor Markets; Population

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