This volume, Proceedings of the Conference ACID RAIN: Economic Assessment, is meant to present the areas of agreement which economists have established and the uncertainties which they have discovered in their attempts to use the methodology of economics to better understand the nature of the acid rain issue. Scientific articles about acid rain initially appeared in 1972. The public turned its attention to the issue in the mid-1970s. In April 1979, the first acid rain bill was introduced in the Senate, authored by New York's Senator Daniel P. Moynihan. The bill sought to establish a federal research program dedicated to filling the gaps in understanding of the phenomena of long-range transport of air pollutants and their environmental, health and economic impacts. 'The bill was passed into law in 1980. Since then, tens of bills have been proposed to control emissions of S02 and NO , x thought to be the precursors of acid rain. And yet, in contrast with the pattern set by the majority of environmental issues, where legislation followed very quickly on the heels of public anxiety and involvement, by July 1985 not a single federal acid rain control bill had been passed.

This collection of essays by noted academicians, lawyers, energy agency administrators, and research analysts focuses on the political and legal aspects of the acid rain debate, the policy options for resolving the controversy, and the international dimensions of acid rain control. The contributors highlight concerns drawn primarily from the developing study of acid rain in political science, economics, public administration, and policy analysis--concerns that are the focal point of the public debate over the nature, impact, and cost of acid rain and the mitigation of its effects. The book complements the impressive body of research from the natural sciences and responds to the need for applied study to help resolve the current policy stalemate on this critical environmental issue. The Acid Rain Debate features a comprehensive annotated bibliography on acid rain and relevant social science research.

The primary purpose of this report is to present a summary of themethodologies developed by consultants retained by the Ministryof the Environment to estimate monetary values of the biophysicaleffects of acid rain. These studies focussed on the followingreceptors which may be affected by acid deposition: outdoorrecreation and tourism, agriculture, forestry, commercialfisheries, commercial furs, selected materials and environmentalamenities.

Concern about acid deposition, commonly referred to as acid rain, as a widespread pollution problem with severe ecological consequences has heightened public awareness. Many authorities fear that acid deposition may be the worst environmental crisis of our industrialized society because of both the global implications and possible widespread, irreversible damage to lakes, soils, and forested ecosystems. Neither state nor international boundaries are exempt from the transport and deposition of airborne pollutants resulting from local and distant emission sources. The dilemma and debate will continue as long as society requires fossil fuels for its energy needs without regard to emission constraints. This book started as a modest attempt to provide a status report on atmospheric transport, the chemical processes which produce acidifying agents, and resultant ecological and economic consequences. The materials in this book have been substantially revised from those presented at the conference in 1983. It became obvious that additional chapters were required when sudden and profound changes occurring in European forests were reported. It is felt that perhaps such damages could be an early warning to forested ecosystems in the northeastern United States and Canada as well as other places throughout the world. Most importantly, it is essential that gained scientific knowledge be translated into required legislation - a section on Policy Issues was incorporated to address these concerns. It is hoped that the reader will become informed and concerned enough to be involved in ll this IIglobal debate. Donald D. Adams Halter P.

Acid Rain and Environmental Degradation is a succinct yet comprehensive survey of emission trading - a significant research and policy field of increasing importance for both Europe and the USA. Against the background of environmental policy instruments in general, Dr Klaassen presents a state-of-the-art survey of both the theory and actual applications of tradable permits. This survey also analyses international theory and experience. Later chapters examine the European acid rain issue and discuss how it can be addressed by means of tradable permits with particular relevance to sulphur emissions. Acid Rain and Environmental Degradation responds to current European policy discussions to apply emission trading on a continental scale. Because of its unique blend of theory and practice, this volume not only sets the tone for future discussions in Europe on transboundary pollution control, but also offers something for the academic economist, the environmentalist and the policymaker.