Date of Award:

5-2016

Document Type:

Thesis

Degree Name:

Master of Science (MS)

Department:

Economics and Finance

Committee Chair(s)

William F. Shughart II

Committee

William F. Shughart II

Committee

Randy T. Simmons

Committee

Ryan M. Yonk

Committee

Chris Fawson

Abstract

This thesis is meant to dispel the myths that surround federal environmental policies. The research object of this project is to show that the formation of environmental policies is not altruistic, and the outcomes of these policies often have negative side effects that policymakers and the general public should recognize.

During my time as an undergraduate, I studied environmental geography, which also included environmental policies. We would research environmental problems, but the solution to these problems always seemed to be another government policy. I began to wonder why environmental problems never seemed to actually get better. Once I began my master's program in economics, I learned about economic ways of thinking and public choice theory, which explained why government policies fail. This thesis is meant to merge my undergraduate education with the knowledge from my master's program.

Collective decision-making is a messy, complex process and can lead to policies that backfire. Government policies do not magically solve environmental problems, and they can come with real economic and environmental costs. Understanding the process of how environmental laws are formed and implemented clarifies why undesirable outcomes result. The realities of environmental policies show that even the best intentions do not yield good outcomes.

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