“Free” federal money always has costs. In the case of some families in Dakota County, Minnesota, it could cost them their property. They own land that is surrounded by a park that the county has been assembling for a while, along the Mississippi River. Spurred by the lure of an offer of funds from the federal government (an offer that will expire soon), the county wants […]
Environmental policy
EPA logic: Let’s fix the problem we created by making another one
First, the EPA requires that you burn corn in your car engine. A follow-on step from the agency may be that it will establish minimum-purchase requirements–to help address a problem it has helped create. From Power Sports Business: “An Environmental Protection Agency official has reported that the agency will require customers to buy a minimum of four gallons of gasoline for certain pumps as a solution […]
West Michigan Diary: Badgering the Badger
The business of regulators is to regulate, even when it makes little sense. After all, there are jobs to protect. As a result, regulations often neglect the principle of diminishing marginal utility. (Here’s a quick illustration: The first doughnut you eat may be very enjoyable. The second, less so, and by the fourth, you may be sick.) Air and water quality in the United States […]
New EPA regs to hit Michigan hard
Regulators regulate, and if there’s any government office that’s good at coming up with new regulations, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is one of the top contenders. The regulations will have economic effects (read: your wallet or even your job), sometimes with minimal environmental benefit. A new report on the EPA pegs Michigan as getting hit harder than all but four other states. Expect […]
The pro-global warming caucus
Like Dan Calabrese, I’ve taken my bike out of the garage several times this warm winter. Since the first snowfall, I’ve been my skis once, my snowboard twice, and my bike six times. While I find the brown landscape depressing, I’m probably in the minority. After all, the warmer weather means no “winter driving,” no shoveling, no ice dams, and being able to wear shirts and […]
Our Lady of Global Warming
Due to a quirk in the calendar, we get a three-for-one Holy Week this week. Christians celebrate Good Friday and Easter. Jews celebrate Passover, and everyone else (including some Christians and Jews) can celebrate “Earth Week.” Earth Week is an expansion of Earth Day, which Wikipedia describes as “is a day that is intended to inspire awareness and appreciation for the Earth’s natural environment.” Appreciating the Earth’s natural […]
Anti-human environmentalists
Henry Payne was spot-on in his observation that increased societal wealth brings about changes that help a country minimize the loss of life that comes from natural disasters such as earthquakes. Yet too often we hear disdain for policies that bring about economic growth. Usually these are phrased in terms of “protecting the environment.” A few years ago, there was an earthquake in western China. It […]