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Clean identification? The effects of the Clean Air Act on air pollution, exposure disparities and house prices

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  • Sager, Lutz
  • Singer, Gregor

Abstract

We analyze the effect of the U.S. Clean Air Act standards for fine particulate matter (PM2.5). Using high-resolution air pollution data, we find that nonattainment designations in 2005 led to reductions in PM2.5 levels by 0.4µm/3 over five years, with larger effects in more polluted areas. Standard difference-in-differences would overstate these effects by a factor of three due to time trends that differ by baseline pollution. We propose three alternative approaches which respectively control for baseline pollution levels, match similar attainment and nonattainment areas, and exploit the discontinuous regulatory nonattainment cutoff. We show that nonattainment designations contributed to narrowing Urban-Rural and Black-White PM2.5 exposure disparities, but less than in a difference-in-differences framework. Pollution damages capitalized into house prices, however, are understated by difference-in-differences when using nonattainment as instrument and thus larger than previously thought.

Suggested Citation

  • Sager, Lutz & Singer, Gregor, 2023. "Clean identification? The effects of the Clean Air Act on air pollution, exposure disparities and house prices," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 115528, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
  • Handle: RePEc:ehl:lserod:115528
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    Cited by:

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    2. Gong, Da & Shang, Zhuocheng & Su, Yaqin & Yan, Andong & Zhang, Qi, 2024. "Economic impacts of China's zero-COVID policies," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 83(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    air pollution; clean air act; environment justice; regulation; house prices;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • R14 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General Regional Economics - - - Land Use Patterns
    • J01 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - General - - - Labor Economics: General

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