Economics 359M
Peter J. Wilcoxen
Department of Economics
University of Texas at Austin
Exam 1
Spring 1998
Question 1 (2 parts, 14 points total)
- To find the efficient allocation of a good over several time periods economists
usually recommend maximizing the present value of social surplus. Is it ethical
to discount the future? How should one choose the discount rate? Discuss.
- Is biodiversity likely to be provided efficiently by an unaided market? Discuss
in detail.
Question 2 (2 parts, 14 points total)
Suppose a small town needs a new water treatment plant to clean up its sewage.
The town consists of two neighborhoods which we'll call "H" and "L".
The population of H is 10,000 and each resident has a willingness to pay for treating
sewage given by P = 75-QH, where QH is the amount of water treated per year. The
population of L is 30,000 and each of its residents has a willingness to pay for
sewage treatment given by P=25-QL.
- Derive an equation for the total annual demand for sewage treatment. Suppose
that the plant will be able to treat sewage at a marginal cost of $10 per unit;
how much sewage would the plant have to handle each year? How much consumer surplus
would be received by residents in each neighborhood?
- OK, now let's consider where the plant should be built. Suppose (!) that people
in this town don't like having a sewage treatment plant in their neighborhood. In
fact, residents of H are each willing to pay $750 to avoid having the plant in H,
and residents of L are each willing to pay $120 to avoid the plant. In which neighborhood
should the plant be built? Why? If any compensation is needed to keep this decision
from making anyone worse off, calculate how much it should be. Is there any tension
between efficiency and equity in this decision? Discuss, and be specific about dollar
amount, where possible. Finally, suppose we did the calculation in terms of willingness
to accept (W2A) instead of willingness to pay. Moreover, suppose area H's W2A was
$750 but area L's was no longer $120. Would the decision have been the same? Discuss.
Question 2 (3 parts, 21 points total)
Imagine that you've been put in charge of cleaning up VOC air pollution in Austin.
Suppose the marginal benefit of each ton of VOCs reduced has been estimated to be
$2,000. Moreover, suppose VOCs come from two principle sources: cars and power plants.
Each source is currently uncontrolled and is emitting 500 tons, for a total of 1000.
For cars, the marginal cost of abatement is given by MC1=500*Q1 (where MC1 and Q1
are the marginal abatement cost and quantity of abatement for cars), and for power
plants the marginal cost of abatement is MC2=5*Q2.
- Please calculate the following things: (1) the efficient amount of VOC abatement
for each source, (2) the total amount of VOCs to be abated, (3) the cost of abatement
to each firm, and (4) the total cost of abatement. Be sure to show your work and
explain what you're doing.
- Now suppose that two policies have been proposed to deal with VOCs. Policy A
would require each source to cut its pollution by a percentage equal to the percent
by which emissions were cut in part (a). (That is, if you found that emissions should
be reduced by 20% in total, this policy would achieve that by requiring each source
to reduce by 20%.) Policy B would impose a tax on emissions. Please determine the
tax that would be needed in policy B. Explain how you found it. Then calculate the
effects of each policy on both car drivers and power plants. Which policy would
be preferred by car drivers? Which by power plant operators? Which by economists?
Discuss.
- Now suppose Capitol Metro comes up with a plan to reduce VOCs by building a
light rail system (more or less an above-ground subway, if you can stand the oxymoron!).
Capitol Metro estimates that it will cost $2.5 million to build the system, which
will have to be paid immediately. Construction will take 10 years. Beginning in
year 11, however, the system will reduce VOCs in Austin by 250 tons a year forever.
You may assume that once the project is built, it would cost nothing to operate.
The interest rate is 10%. Is is a good idea to go ahead with this project? What
would your answer be if the interest rate were 5% instead? Please show all your
work. Would the existence of this option change your answer to part (a)? Explain.