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This dissertation consists of three essays studying the effects of environmental regulations and policies in the transportation sector in China. The first chapter studies the effectiveness, efficiency, and distributional effect of using trade restrictions on used vehicles to protect the local environment. Leveraging comprehensive data on the bilateral trade of vehicles across Chinese prefecture cities and the staggered rollout of import restrictions on used vehicles implemented by city governments from 2013 to 2015, this chapter shows empirical evidence that import restrictions reduce net imports of used vehicles, and cities’ import restrictions are strategic complements. With a multi-sector multi-region structural trade model, this study shows that unilaterally restricting imports of used vehicles leads to welfare trade-offs between economic losses vs. environmental benefits. Restricting heavy-polluting vehicles makes some cities better off, especially lower-income cities. However, decentralized restrictions are socially inefficient due to strategic interactions, and the effectiveness and efficiency of using import restrictions as an environmental instrument are limited compared to emission taxes. The second chapter, joint with Jie Bai, Danxia Xie, and Shanjun Li, explores the import restrictions on used vehicles in China from the perspective of local protectionism. Leveraging the universe of new and used vehicle registration/sales data and the staggered removal of the restriction across cities from 2016 to 2018, this analysis shows that the removal of restriction led to a sharp increase in the cross-city flow of used vehicles but had no significant impacts on local air quality in the short run. Interestingly, the new vehicle market points to a prisoner’s dilemma among city governments: a unilateral removal of the policy would reduce new vehicle sales in a city but increase new vehicle sales in other cities. The effect is stronger in cities with a large automobile industry. The findings highlight alternative motives behind local environmental regulations and the need for coordinated efforts at the national level. The third chapter, joint with Shanjun Li, Xianglei Zhu, Yiding Ma, and Fan Zhang, examines the effectiveness of various policy measures that underlie the rapid development of the EV market in China, based on detailed data on EV sales, local and central government incentive programs, and charging stations in 150 cities from 2015 to 2018. This research finds that consumer subsidies for vehicle purchases accounted for more than half of EV sales in China. Nevertheless, investments in charging infrastructure were much more cost-effective than consumer subsidies. An inexpensive policy that merely provided EVs with a distinctive, green license plate was strikingly effective. These findings demonstrate the varying efficacy of different policy instruments and highlight the critical role of the government in promoting clean technologies.

Residential solar panels have great promise to reduce dependence on energy from carbon-emitting sources. However, the high cost of solar panels puts the technology out of reach for many residents and compels utilities to provide subsidies for their purchase. This master’s thesis investigates the manifestation of economic, environmental, and social equity interests in Austin Energy’s residential solar rebate program through the perspective of the utility and of the residents of Austin, Texas. I situate the thesis in the context of climate change, local inequality, and the externalities of conventional energy choices. I then evaluate the expression of sustainability values embedded within solar technology policy and implementation through three areas of inquiry: an examination of residential solar incentives, including interviews with utility personnel at Austin Energy and CPS Energy in San Antonio; an analysis of survey data indicating resident perceptions of solar technology; and a comparison of the energy used by solar panel owners and non-owners. I found that, as hypothesized, economic interests dominate a more moderate showing of environmental values and a smattering of social issues in terms of policy design and residential perceptions. However, energy use data showed that solar panels do significantly reduce household energy consumption drawn from the grid, including during times of peak demand. Research findings indicate a need for a better connection of social interests with economic and environmental values when it comes to residential solar technology policy and adoption.

Food Security is a situation that exists when all people, at all times, have physical, social, and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life (FAO, 1996). 17% of Kentuckians are food insecure (Kentucky Department of Agriculture, 2016). This study explored the quality of life (QoL) impact of the Bluegrass Double Dollars (BGDD) program on Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) participants through secondary data analysis. Utilizing the categories of quality of life indicators established by The Commission on the Measurement of Economic Performance and Social Progress (CMEPSP) the results from this study concluded that participating in the BGDD program provides some level of quality of life benefits.

Maine faces a challenge providing primary care services to over half of its residents, as they live in rural areas – even though Maine has enough primary care physicians practicing in the state to service the needs of the population. Maine has a primary care physician distribution problem. Androscoggin, Oxford, Sagadahoc, Somerset, Waldo, Washington, and York Counties, all fall well below the national average of primary care physicians per 100,000 residents. Maine has no true financial incentive program to help rural area’s recruit and retain primary care physicians, though Maine does have two programs that attempt to get primary care physicians to rural areas, The Maine Health Professions Loan Program, and the Doctor’s for Maine Future Scholarship. Based on the analysis conducted in this paper, five recommendations/policy options were made, to increase the number of primary care physicians practicing in the states rural and underserved areas. Reverting the changes made to the Maine Health Professions Loan Program would provide Maine with financial incentive package (even though the changes may need to be adapted to compete with other states). Expanding the Opportunity Maine Tax Credit Program to physicians who practice in rural areas, would increase the overall financial incentive package that Maine could offer to attract physicians. The state should not consider a community-state matching programs, yet could consider working with rural hospital networks to set up residency programs that directly train physician to practice in Maine’s rural and underserved areas. The state needs to continue targeting medical students who have rural backgrounds and strong ties to the state – the Maine Health Professions Loan Program, and the Doctor for Maine Future Scholarship already list this as a core criteria of each of the programs. And lastly, with 40% of physicians seeking financial incentive programs post residency to assist them in paying their school debt, it’s imperative that Maine provide a competitive financial incentive program for primary care physicians.