EXPLORING NONMARKET VALUES FOR THE SOCIAL IMPACTS OF ENVIRONMENTAL-POLICY CHANGE

Although the majority of contingent valuation studies have been for en vironmental goods, the method can be applied to public goods in genera l. Further, a specific environmental policy may generate both positive and negative nonmarket values. This exploratory study investigates th e presence of nonmarket values for maintaining the status quo land use and avoiding social impacts from an environmental policy change. The test case, grazing reform on federal lands in New Mexico, was chosen b ecause of the complexity of the public debate. By switching the tradit ional perspective, we demonstrate the need to accommodate multi-dimens ionality in nonmarket research into controversial policies. (C) 1998 E lsevier Science B.V.