Several studies on Phase I of the Title IV SO2 Trading Program have found that actual compliance costs realized by the electric power industry have far exceeded the least-cost outcome in spite of allowance prices being much lower than expected. Prior work has either conjectured or shown that some of these excess costs could be a result of inefficiencies related to state regulatory constraints, ...

This research examines the technological diffusion of scrubbers, a sulfur dioxide (SO2) abatement technology, in response to Title IV of the Clean Air Act. Title IV implemented a tradable pollution permit system for SO2, which is radically different from the state emission rate standards that were in place previously. I find that power plants with strict state regulations (or command-and-contro...

Volatile organic compound emissions from painting operations are of primary concem in the automotive industry and require costly control measures using vapor-phase activated-carbon adsorption. At Ford Research Laboratory, Dearborn, Michigan, a process modification has been proposed as a supplemental or an alternative control measure to convert an existing paint-sludge pit, part of a spray-booth...