Environmental quality management: Economic efficiency valuation of Environmental Protection Agency's mandated Clean Air Act in southeast Michigan

The purpose of this dissertation was to develop a management policy position through research for implementation based on Southeast Michigan's Clean Air Act Amendment (CAAA) mandate. The 1990 U.S.A Clean Air Act Amendment created several options for attainment of air quality standards within the regions classified for noncompliance. The experience gained from previous environmental management attempts have been marginally successful and new paradigms for change are being debated. A new approach outlined in the CAAA for managing the mobile source emissions included the incentive buy back of gross polluting vehicles.;Alternative decision models were created to test the vehicles exempt from complying with the annual Inspection and Maintenance (I/M) programs. Since environmental policy is the outcome of public decision process, whether the implementation is direct or mandatory, a survey of attitudes was used for a recheck. General acceptance of the benefits realized through the I/M was reported.;This research tested the economic effectiveness of the buy back program and found that such a policy will do more to bring Southeast Michigan in compliance more quickly than any other procedure. The research evaluated older vehicles placed in service between 1977 and 1984 which were no longer subjected to the annual I/M program within SE Michigan. The result indicated that gross polluting vehicles cannot be detected through the model year alone and therefore must be tested.;The research concluded that, using...