Transaction Costs and Institutional Change: An Analysis of Western Water Law Regarding Transfers from Agriculture to Urban and Environmental Uses

Prop ID：0317375 P I：Libecap，Gary D.组织：国家经济研究局标题：交易成本和制度变化：关于从农业向城市和环境用途转移的西部水法分析CO-PI：Robert J.Glennan CO-Pi：Alan Ker机构隶属：亚利桑那大学美国西部半干旱地区的水问题需要将水从农业重新分配到城市和环境用途。研究问题是，水资源法律和制度是否促进了从历史用途到新用途的重新分配或转移。该项目考察了西部各州从农业向城市和环境用途的水转移，以确定水法如何影响转移的交易成本。更具体地说，它通过研究各州的法规、司法意见和行政规则以及联邦法律来分析12个州的水法，这些法律涉及一系列影响转让交易成本的因素；通过确定法律规则相对于经济变量的相对重要性来解释12个州观察到的水转让的差异；以及通过确定水法在1980年至2002年间是否发生了变化，以促进转让，使水能够流向12个州潜在的更高价值的用途。科学价值：该项目增加了关于在存在高交易成本的情况下体制变革过程的科学知识。这项研究将对关于交易成本和制度变迁的经济学和法学文献做出贡献，并将成为关于水的资源文献的一部分。该项目还增加了关于西部各州法律结构对重新分配关键资源水的压力做出反应的方式的科学知识。更广泛的影响：高效利用水是一个日益严重的问题，不仅在半干旱的美国西部，而且在更广泛的世界范围内，相对于不断增长的需求，水的供应越来越有限。该项目将提供对法律、经济和政治因素的见解，这些因素阻碍了将水转移到更有价值的用途，并对经济发展、增长和福利产生了影响。政策建议或许是可能的。经济学、法学和资源经济学的本科生和研究生将集中参与研究、讨论和分析。

Prop ID: 0317375 P I: Libecap, Gary D. Organization:National Bureau of Economic Research Inc Title: Transaction Costs and Institutional Change: An Analysis of Western Water Law Regarding Transfers from Agriculture to Urban and Environmental Uses CO-PI: Robert J. Glennan CO-PI: Alan Ker Institutional Affiliation: University of ArizonaThe water problem in the semi-arid American West requires a reallocation of water from agriculture to urban and environmental uses. The research question is whether water law and institutions facilitate the reallocation, or transfer, from historic uses to new uses. This project examines water transfers from agriculture to urban and environmental uses in western states to determine how water law affects the transaction costs of transfer. More specifically, it analyzes water law in 12 states by examining statutes, judicial opinions, and administrative rules across the states, and also Federal law, with respect to a list of factors that affect the transaction costs of transfer; by determining the relative importance of legal rules relative to economic variables in explaining differences in observed water transfers across the 12 states; and by determining whether water law has changed between 1980 and 2002 to facilitate transfers to allow water to flow to potentially higher-valued uses in the 12 states. Scientific Merit: The project adds to the body of scientific knowledge regarding the process of institutional change in the presence of high transaction costs. The research will contribute to the economics and legal literatures on transaction costs and institutional change, and it will be part of the resources literature on water. The project also adds to the body of scientific knowledge regarding the ways in which the legal structure in western states is or is not responding to pressure to reallocate a critical resource, water. Broader Impacts: Efficient use of water is a growing issue, not only in the semi-arid American west, but also more broadly, throughout the world where water supplies are increasingly limited relative to growing demand. The project will provide insights into the legal, economic, and political factors that inhibit the transfer of water to higher-valued uses with implications for economic development, growth, and welfare. Policy recommendations may be possible. Undergraduate and graduate students in economics, law, and resource economics will be centrally involved in the research, discussion, and analysis.