Wetlands, Flooding, and the Clean Water Act

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Taylor, Charles A.; Druckenmiller, Hannah
• 署名单位: Columbia University; Resources for the Future
• 刊物名称: AMERICAN ECONOMIC REVIEW
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0002-8282
• DOI: 10.1257/aer.20210497
• 发表日期: 2022
• 页码: 1334-1363
• 关键词: GEOGRAPHICALLY ISOLATED WETLANDS; tropical cyclones; CONSERVATION; landscape; ECONOMICS

摘要

In 2020 the Environmental Protection Agency narrowed the definition of waters of the United States, significantly limiting wetland protection under the Clean Water Act. Current policy debates center on the uncertainty around wetland benefits. We estimate the value of wetlands for lood mitigation across the United States using detailed lood claims and land use data. We find the average hectare of wetland lost between 2001 and 2016 cost society $1,840 annually, and over $8,000 in developed areas. We document significant spatial heterogeneity in wetland benefits, with implications for lood insurance policy and the 50 percent of isolated wetlands at risk of losing federal protection.