Regulating Nonpoint Source Pollution Under Heterogeneous Conditions
分析加州萨利纳斯谷两种土壤上的生菜生产，比较统一投入税和统一规制在非点源污染治理中的成本差异，发现统一工具相对于高效基准可能成本不高，但农民在规制下利润更高。
Abstract Because of difficulties in measuring effluent from nonpoint pollution, proposals for regulating agricultural runoff often suggest instruments applied to inputs or management practices. When pollution functions vary across sources, uniform input instruments cannot achieve a least‐cost pollution reduction, but efficient instruments may be difficult to administer. In this paper we analyze lettuce production on two soils in California's Salinas Valley to consider empirical costs associated with uniform input taxes and regulations. The results suggest that uniform instruments may not be costly relative to an efficient baseline. Though taxes are more efficient, farmers have higher profits with regulations.