Cleaner Power: The Benefits and Costs of Moving from Coal Generation to Modern Technologies
Author
Byron Swift, Environmental Law Institute
Date Released
May 2001
Cleaner Power: The Benefits and Costs of Moving from Coal Generation to Modern T

This paper analyzes benefits and costs of reducing by half the use of coal for electric generation in the United States by the year 2010, making use of the Haiku electricity market model developed and maintained at Resources for the Future. The analysis indicates that the coal generation would be replaced by generation from modern power technologies such as natural gas turbines, together with a small contribution by wind power and other sources.

Innovation Cost and Regulation: Perspectives on Business Policy and Legal Factors Affecting the Cost of Environmental Compliance
Author
Byron Swift, Environmental Law Institute
Date Released
May 1999

This report presents and synthesizes current research regarding the Porter hypothesis that theorizes the cost of implementing environmental regulations may be significantly reduced by low-cost processes and other innovations. The report offers various perspectives on the hypothesis, drawing from economics, organizational, and legal theory. An appendix to the report presents the summary of a workshop held on April 30th, 1999 that brought together some of the leading researchers on the subject.

How Abundant? Assessing the Estimates of Natural Gas Supply
Author
Byron Swift, Environmental Law Institute
Date Released
May 1999

This report analyzes the legal and economic factors, and provides an assessment of the cost and benefits, associated with increasing the use of natural gas for electric generation. It looks at the important preliminary issue of whether there is an adequate supply of natural gas available. Five scenarios of future natural gas supply, based on similar data but differing assumptions of the rate of technical progress or price changes are presented below. These scenarios include, Official Estimates, Historical Trends, Rapid Technology Growth, Low Prices and High Prices.

Implementing an Emissions Cap and Allowance Trading System for Greenhouse Gases: Lessons from the Acid Rain Program
Author
Environmental Law Institute Staff
Date Released
September 1997

This report discusses specific lessons learned from the Acid Rain Program, contained in Title IV of the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 (CAAA), that apply to an emissions cap and allowance trading system for greenhouse gases (GHGs). Chapter II discusses the basic design features in applying an emissions cap and allowance trading system to emissions of CO2, methane and other GHGs. Chapter III evaluates lessons from Title IV, and discusses specific issues in establishing a similar regulatory system for GHGs.

Fresh Air: Innovative State and Local Programs for Improving Air Quality
Author
Suellen T. Keiner, Environmental Law Institute
Date Released
December 1997

This report discusses state and local air initiatives based on the 1990 Amendment to the Clean Air Act to improve air quality. These include new market incentives, permit requirements, enforcement tools, and greater citizen involvement. Information is taken from 21 case studies, with a focus on determining how and why particular state and local air initiatives have been successful and what specific results have been achieved in terms of reduced air emissions.

Sun Ready to Set on Breaks for Coal-Based Liquid Fuels
September 2013

(Washington, DC) — A new study from the Environmental Law Institute (ELI) finds that the federal government provided approximately $25.425 billion in financial support for coal production, transport, use, or waste disposal during the period 2002-2010. The majority of these dollars — $16.214 billion — are attributable to tax benefits. Of these tax benefits, the single largest category was the nonconventional fuels tax credit, providing $12.22 billion to coal.

Local Elected Officials Hold Keys to America's Wind Energy Future
February 2013

(Washington, DC) — The Environmental Law Institute (ELI) today released a guide to the key issues local elected officials will face when deciding where to site large wind energy facilities. The nation’s local governments will be dealing with the more than 100 new commercial scale wind farms that will be sited across America this year, and with thousands more to come in the next decade. With 60,000 megawatts of wind energy facilities already in place, this is the fastest growing source of electric power generation in American communities.

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