Macroeconomic Assessment of the Pennsylvania Climate Action Plan

The REMI PI+ model was applied to this study to analyze the impacts of major greenhouse gas mitigation options at the macroeconomic level in Pennsylvania for the policy horizon of 2009-2020, resulting in significantly positive net impacts on the State’s economy. While many mitigation activities had dampening effects or incurred costs, as when electricity production was reduced or when new equipment that does not pay for itself was purchased, these were more than offset by shifts in spending out of energy savings and by the stimulus of business in the state that produced the necessary equipment. The modeling in this study resulted in the macroeconomic impacts of 27 of the 42 work plans being positive, which meant implementing these plans would bring about a positive stimulus to the Pennsylvania state economy by increasing the gross state product and creating more jobs, and the mitigation work plans from the Residential and Commercial sector and the Industrial sector would yield the highest positive impacts on the economy, followed by the work plans from the Agriculture sector and Waste Management sector.

The Center for Climate Strategies – Macroeconomic Assessment of the Pennsylvania Climate Action Plan [full PDF]

Making a Decision on Expanding AHCCCS in Arizona

This report analyzed Arizona’s then-impending decision on whether to accept or decline Federal funds to expand the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS) and projected that the number of covered citizens would approach 280,000 additional people by 2020 while maintaining coverage for the 50,000 childless adults due to lose their eligibility. The assessment also examined that the total amount of expenditures for those covered under AHCCCS would result in an increase of more than 6,000 new jobs in 2014 and 9,000 new jobs by 2020. This employment would not only be in hospitals, clinics, nursing, and other health facilities, but also in those industries that support the Arizona health care industry and the various businesses in Arizona that would benefit from an increase in incomes. While there were some new costs associated with the expansion, these costs would be more than offset by the new state revenue and other health savings that the state could achieve.

George Washington University – Making a Decision on Expanding AHCCCS in Arizona [full PDF]

Impact of Elimination of the Electric Vehicle Tax Credit on the Georgia State Economy: Summary of Results

A partnership between Securing America’s Future Energy and the Electrification Coalition commissioned a study that was prepared by Keybridge Research LLC and relied upon an economic model of Georgia developed by REMI. The study intended on examining the economic effects of a possible elimination of a $5,000 tax credit that supported the purchase of electric vehicles. It was found that without the tax credit, Georgia drivers would pay $33 million more in auto maintenance bills over the next 5 years and $208 million more in such bills over the next 16 years, while giving up a future economic insurance policy for its consumers in the event of a sudden gasoline price spike.

Keybridge Research LLC – Impact of Elimination of the Electric Vehicle Tax Credit on the Georgia State Economy: Summary of Results [full PDF]

Economic Impact Analysis of Orange County Trails

The REMI Policy Insight model was used in this project conducted by the East Central Florida Regional Planning Council to determine the economic impact of the Little Econ Greenway, West Orange and Cady Way Trails on Orange County’s local economy and specifically, on the economy of Downtown Winter Garden. Analysts learned that those three Orange County bicycle trails supported 516 jobs and had an estimated positive economic impact of $42.6 million in 2010 and the West Orange Trail, specifically, supported 61 jobs and represented a direct and indirect estimated economic impact of $5 million for Downtown Winter Garden and its businesses. This report also provided recommendations for actions that could improve the impacts and benefits of these trails, including marketing to attract visitors outside of Orange County and adding more food, beverage, and retail options to the Little Econ Greenway and the Cady Way Trail.

East Central Florida Regional Planning Council – Economic Impact Analysis of Orange Country Trails [full PDF]

Consensus Economic and Fiscal Impact Analyses Associated with the Future of the Vermont Yankee Power Plant

A group of energy and economic experts came together with the cooperation of State government and the two largest Vermont electric utilities to develop sets of detailed model input estimates associated with four different scenarios regarding the future power supply for Vermont. The two State economists involved in this project then used these estimates to assess the impact of these scenarios on the Vermont economy and State budget. The four scenarios included in this study were a “Vermont Yankee Shutdown” scenario, a “Green” scenario, a “Vermont Yankee Relicense” scenario, and a “Hybrid Vermont Yankee Relicense Green” scenario. REMI developed the core economic model used in this study and modeling the inputs for each scenario led to the understanding that a shutdown of the plant would result in job loss up to 2040, a green approach would lose jobs initially but more total jobs would be created over time, and a hybrid relicense green approach would continually generate jobs annually until 2040.

Economic and Policy Resources, Inc. – Consensus Economic and Fiscal Impact Analyses Associated with the Future of the Vermont Yankee Power Plant [full PDF]