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Mercury pollution, information, and property values

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  • Tang, Chuan
  • Heintzelman, Martin D.
  • Holsen, Thomas M.

Abstract

In the State of New York, atmospheric deposition of mercury ranks among the 10 most prevalent causes of adverse impacts on water quality. This paper examines the impacts of mercury pollution by exploring the relationship between property values and fish consumption advisory (FCA) designation on New York lakes. We find that New York State property values within one mile of an FCA-designated lake decrease by 6–7 percent on average. This negative impact decreases as the distance between properties and lakes increases. Regressions using samples derived with Mahalanobis metric matching find an even larger FCA effect, ranging from 7 to 10 percent. Our results can serve as a partial indication of the benefits of the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS), which includes the first mercury emission standard in the United States.

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  • Tang, Chuan & Heintzelman, Martin D. & Holsen, Thomas M., 2018. "Mercury pollution, information, and property values," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 92(C), pages 418-432.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jeeman:v:92:y:2018:i:c:p:418-432
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jeem.2018.10.009
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