A Cost-Benefit Analysis of the Environmental Protection Fund

The mission of the Environmental Advocates of New York is to protect the air, land, water and wildlife, and the health of all New Yorkers. Their work includes monitoring the Environmental Protection Fund (EPF), New York State’s primary source of funding for environmental programs. The Capstone team utilized a cost-benefit analysis to determine the true economic impact of two EPF-funded projects across New York State: the Greenwich Village segment of the Hudson River Park and Municipal Recycling in Suffolk County. For Hudson River Park, quantified benefits included increased property values, commercial benefits, pollution control, and health benefits for New Yorkers resulting in lower healthcare spending. The recycling portion examined savings from reduced pollution, transportation costs, and cost of recycled materials as compared to landfill. The analysis was used to help legislative decision-makers and the public understand the positive impacts of the EPF.