Energy use, environmental quality, and ethanol production: an analysis of the impacts of alternative policies on western New York
This thesis examines the impacts on the agricultural sector of western New York State of alternative environmental and energy policies. Environmental quality is measured by gross soil loss and an index measuring the environmental exposure to pesticides. One of the measures of energy use is the amount of diesel fuel used in the cropping activities. Another measure is the indirect energy encompassed in the pesticide and fertilizer inputs. In addition to investigating the impacts of reduced fuel supplies and lower soil-loss levels, the impacts of several ethanol production policies are investigated with respect to their effect on the regional levels of the energy and environmental variables included in this study. A synthesis of the regional and representative farm approaches to modelling agricultural production responses is used within a linear-programming model. A multiple objective form of the model is constructed which considers the simultaneous policy objectives of maximizing farm income, minimizing energy use, and the maintenance of environmental quality. The programming models reveal that efforts to reduce energy use and improve environmental quality require tradeoffs in terms of the levels of the other policy variables of concern in this study. These tradeoffs can be affected by the type of policy used.
- OSTI ID:
- 5658193
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: Thesis (Ph. D.)
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
POLICY AND ECONOMY
09 BIOMASS FUELS
AGRICULTURE
ENERGY CONSUMPTION
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
NEW YORK
ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
ETHANOL
PRODUCTION
ALCOHOLS
FEDERAL REGION II
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
INDUSTRY
NORTH AMERICA
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
USA
293000* - Energy Planning & Policy- Policy
Legislation
& Regulation
290300 - Energy Planning & Policy- Environment
Health
& Safety
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090222 - Alcohol Fuels- Preparation from Wastes or Biomass- (1976-1989)