Since 1972, the Environmental Protection Agency has regulated discharges of pollution to “waters of the United States.” The meaning of … More
Category: Property Rights
How can we better capture the option value of conservation?
Is it better to pump oil today, tomorrow, or never? Is a tree more valuable if harvested now, in a … More
California waives environmental regulations for forest management: will this become more common as wildfires worsen?
California experienced two of its worst wildfire seasons in 2017 and 2018. Deadly fires shook several communities, while also marring … More
Markets for clean water
Last month, the Environmental Protection Agency published a memo encouraging states, tribes, and local governments to look to markets for … More
What makes conservation “collaborative”?
One of the chief benefits of embracing free market environmentalism is that it will ensure conservation is more collaborative. Where … More
Use it or lose it: sometimes, productive use of land is necessary to its conservation
The Klamath Basin National Wildlife Refuge Complex is a system of refuges straddling the California-Oregon border that are managed for … More
An antiquated California water law encourages political conflict rather than market transactions
California ski resorts are experiencing record snowfall this February, thanks to a storm system that has dropped an estimated 18 … More
Another downside to pervasive permitting: what happens when the government shuts down?
One of the lessons of the recent government shutdown (and expected near miss on a second one) is that there … More
Conservation through compromise or conflict: lessons from California’s Tejon Ranch
High Country News reports on a simmering conflict over the development of California’s Tejon Ranch, an area of the Sierra … More
Detroiters against free trees?
In 2014, a nonprofit tried to give thousands of trees to Detroit residents, but many declined the offer. A recent … More
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