tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-74163152442112227432024-01-06T17:24:16.025-05:00THE COST-BENEFIT GROUP LLCWe Quantify What Others OmitCostBenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04071275108594827359noreply@blogger.comBlogger35125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7416315244211222743.post-702827682925074672023-05-11T12:00:00.000-04:002023-05-11T13:31:47.176-04:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="height: 307px; overflow: hidden; width: 528px;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="true" frameborder="0" height="330" mozallowfullscreen="true" src="https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1XuL_-V99KBpVh_bcUt-ATNKXFoi6FqP-DNq2uCUDx4I/embed?start=true&loop=true&delayms=2200&rm=minimal" style="left: -1px; position: relative; top: 10px;" webkitallowfullscreen="true" width="530"></iframe>
<br />
<br /></div>
</div>CostBenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04071275108594827359noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7416315244211222743.post-63293859828241319852023-05-11T11:00:00.000-04:002023-05-11T13:32:19.449-04:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="border: 1px solid black; padding: 20px;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #990000;"><b>For more than 25 years we have provided exceptional services to help clients achieve their goals. </b></span><span style="color: #990000;"><b>We offer rigorous analyses of complex problems in order to optimize the use of limited resources, and to understand tradeoffs arising from the choice of alternative paths</b></span><b style="color: #990000;">. </b><br />
<b style="color: #990000;"><br /></b>
<span style="color: #990000;"><b>We Specialize in Comprehensively Estimating Costs, Benefits, Values and Impacts of Projects, Properties and Policies.</b></span><br />
<b style="color: #990000;"><br /></b>
<span style="color: #990000;"><b>We are known for estimating the economic and financial impacts of environmental hazards and real estate projects and provide numerous related services. </b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #990000;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #990000;"><b>We bring a wide range of state-of-the-art tools </b></span><b style="color: #990000;">to bear </b><b style="color: #990000;">upon the issues so that we can help you prioritize solutions and determine strategies that best suit your needs. </b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #990000;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #990000;"><b>We collaborate with clients, and other experts and stakeholders to move projects and policies forward.</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="color: #990000;"><b>To find out more about our services, previous work, approaches, people and more click the links to the left email us at <a href="mailto:info@costbenefitgroup.com">info@costbenefitgroup.com</a> or call us at 646-705-0664.</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="color: #990000;"><b>Thanks for dropping by.</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><b><br /></b></span>
</div>
</div>
</div>
CostBenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04071275108594827359noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7416315244211222743.post-26692188910829129422023-05-11T10:00:00.001-04:002023-05-11T13:49:40.226-04:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><h2 style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">NEWS ABOUT THE COST-BENEFIT GROUP</span></b></h2></div>
CostBenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04071275108594827359noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7416315244211222743.post-3372502291548337102023-05-11T01:32:00.024-04:002023-05-11T13:46:55.000-04:00Updates Coming<p><b><u>May 10, 2023</u></b></p><p>It's been some time since we updated this site but we will be doing so this month.</p><p>Among the highlights will be our work </p><p>with Plaintiff attorneys in estimating property diminution for a $65 million class action settlement in Millsboro Delaware <span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://tinyurl.com/2lvfhzkk">https://tinyurl.com/2lvfhzkk</a> and subsequently with a judge on apportioning damages </span></p><p><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">with Plaintiff -attorneys in estimating property diminution around a dairy plant in Wisconsin.</span></p><p><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">estimating of property value diminution near a hazardous waste site in Niagara County, NY for Residents for Responsible Government.</span></p><p>Valuations of mixed use buildings in Manhattan, Queens and Nassau and Suffolk Counties, NY; industrial buildings in the Bronx and Suffolk Counties and other properties</p><p>Unfortunately, some of our other work must remain confidential, but we will be providing additional information on these and other activities</p><p>In addition, Kenneth Acks has been an adjunct professor at the NYU Schack Institute for Real Estate, where he has taught Valuation and Feasibility Analysis for more than 4 years.</p><p>We also are happy to report our further emergence from the Covid pandemic with a new address at 1178 Broadway, 3rd Floor, New York 10001.</p><p><br /></p>CostBenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04071275108594827359noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7416315244211222743.post-75688676074263013002018-06-07T23:12:00.000-04:002018-06-14T11:52:14.142-04:00Ken Acks Presents "A Web-Based Land Use Benefit Cost Optimization Tool" at 2018 Annual Conference of the Society for Benefit-Cost Analysis in Washington DC<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Kenneth Acks, presented "A Web-Based Land Use Benefit Cost Optimization Tool" at the Tenth Annual Conference and Meeting of the Society for Benefit-Cost Analysis on March 17, 2018. The talk discussed a superior way to optimize the use and density of scarce land, presenting software under development that can help communities, governments, real estate developers, and others improve decision making. Current zoning regulations and other restrictions can result in high housing costs, lower mobility, inequality, delays, sprawl and unjust dispersion of pollution and other undesirable side effects of human activity.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The Society for Benefit-Cost Analysis (SBCA) is an international group of practitioners, academics and others who are working to improve the theory and application of the tools of benefit-cost analysis. The conference featured experts from around the world, including researchers from Harvard, Cornell and Duke Universities; the Universities of Chicago, Pennsylvania, and California Berkeley; representatives of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the National Institutes of Health, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), the U.S. Forest Service, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA), the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA), the U.S. Coast Guard, Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Congressional Budget Office (CBO); Resources for the Future; and speakers from Germany, the Netherlands, France, the UK, Spain, Italy, India, Australia, Chile, Iran, Sudan, Uruguay, Cote d'Ivoire and Canada</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The abstract follows:</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Currently, zoning and political power dictate land uses and density. This often results in suboptimal outcomes. Negative effects possibly include high housing costs arising from reduced supply and burdensome expenses, lower mobility, inequality, delays, inferior resilience to natural disasters, sprawl, pollution, and unjust dispersion of negative externalities. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Zoning regulations can play a major role in where and how we live and work, and in the strength of economies. They can determine the size of our homes, what they look like, and where they can be located. Current land use regulations often are too static and difficult to change - many industrial and agricultural parcels are better suited to be improved with more dense residential structures, but can only be developed to their “highest and best use” with great difficulty. Most parcels within a particular zone may be well suited to the restriction placed upon uses in a zone, but some parcels may not be and thus remain vacant or used suboptimally. Zoning maps often force the same restrictions upon a large number of contiguous parcels with differing comparative advantages. Liberals, notably Jason Furman (2015), Orzag and Furman (2015) and Joseph Stiglitz (2015) and conservatives, including the Cato Institute, David Brooks (2017) and Edward Glaeser (2002, 2006 ...) alike have criticized these regulations. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
This paper will discuss the magnitudes of the welfare costs generated by flaws in current land use regulations, and then present a web-based model designed to begin providing superior alternatives by utilizing the tools of benefit-cost analysis. Advances in BCA and a plethora of new geo-locational data sources facilitated model development. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The model compares the benefits and costs of eight alternative uses in four medium density urban/suburban locations. Four 60,000 square foot (SF) sites with 30,000 SF building footprints are analyzed for development with (1) 24 2-story 2,500 SF single family homes, (2) 20 3-story 4,500 SF 2-family homes, (3) a 10-story 250 unit apartment building containing 300,000 SF, (4) a 1-story neighborhood retail shopping center containing 30,000 SF, (5) 10-story 300,000 SF office building (6) a 10-story 300,000 SF mixed-use retail/office/apartment building, (7) a 1-story industrial building containing 30,000 SF and (8) a 50,000 SF park with several recreational options. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Benefits are represented by estimated rents, revenues, consumer surpluses and shadow benefits generated. Costs include construction and other development costs and negative externalities. Benefits and costs are affected by neighboring uses and the proposed project. Environmental impacts of land use can include habitat loss, reduction in biodiversity, flooding reduced water quality from proliferation of impervious surfaces, air pollution from heating, cooling, increased driving, and congestion. The environmental impacts can result in health impacts including reduced life expectancy, respiratory infections, ... In addition, health effects arising from increased driving attendant to sprawl include respiratory diseases and cancers, traffic fatalities, and obesity which increases disease risks. The algorithm maximizes the total value derived from a parcel, which is primarily represented by private value and accrues to the owners and users (possibly renters), but also is a function of how it influences surrounding parcels and people (social value). We find existing processes often don't maximize value.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Mr. Acks has also been selected as a discussant in the “Disastrous CBA” Session from 9:00 AM - 10:30 earlier that day featuring how cost-benefit analyses can be used to mitigate disasters.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The conference, was held at George Washington University; Washington, D.C. 20052 from March 14th through March 16th 2018. More information about the conference is available at <a href="https://benefitcostanalysis.org/2018-annual-conference">https://benefitcostanalysis.org/2018-annual-conference</a>. The slides are at:</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a class="" href="https://benefitcostanalysis.org/sites/default/files/public/E.4%20Acks%20Slides.pdf">https://benefitcostanalysis.org/sites/default/files/public/E.4%20Acks%20Slides.pdf</a> The model is at </div>
<div>
<a href="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1JMUmZghUXJn_TDk25i1xJcsVtdpTWAocC1N2cAvPj54/edit#gid=1020897906">https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1JMUmZghUXJn_TDk25i1xJcsVtdpTWAocC1N2cAvPj54/edit#gid=1020897906</a>.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
This was the seventh time Mr. Acks was invited to make a presentation or chair a session at this prestigious conference. In the past Mr. Acks presented “Economic Rents and Cost-Benefit Analysis-Issues Metrics and Application to Health and Energy Policy”, "The Costs and Benefits of Recycling in New York City"; “A Dynamic Analysis of the Costs and Benefits of a Smart Growth/Sprawl Reduction Program in 1988, 2008 and 2013" https://benefitcostanalysis.org/events/2014-conference/agenda, “The Costs and Benefits of 1,000 Green Roofs in New York City” http://benefitcostanalysis.org/events/2011-conference-agenda and “The Costs and Benefits of a Green Mixed-Use Brownfield Redevelopment Project in NY”http://evans.uw.edu/sites/default/files/public/FINAL_Panel-Summary.pdf at conferences of the Society for Benefit Cost Analysis from 2008 through 2014.<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
</div>
CostBenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04071275108594827359noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7416315244211222743.post-76869175045341961362017-01-06T17:05:00.000-05:002017-01-19T02:46:43.541-05:00Kenneth Acks to Present "Economic Rents and Cost-Benefit Analysis - Issues Metrics and Application to Health and Energy Policy" at 2017 Annual Conference of the Society for Benefit-Cost Analysis in Washington DC<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Kenneth Acks, CEO of the Cost-Benefit Group, LLC <a href="http://www.costbenefitgroup.com/">www.costbenefitgroup.com</a> will present a paper on "Economic Rents and Cost-Benefit Analysis - Issues Metrics and Application to Health and Energy Policy" at the Ninth Annual Conference and Meeting of the <a href="https://benefitcostanalysis.org/">Society for Benefit-Cost Analysis</a>.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://benefitcostanalysis.org/2017-annual-conference">The conference, entitled "Improving the Theory and Practice of Benefit-Cost Analysis"</a> will be held at the The Marvin Center at the George Washington University; 800 21st St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20052 from Wednesday March 15th through Friday March 17th, 2016.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The <a href="https://benefitcostanalysis.org/">Society for Benefit-Cost Analysis (SBCA)</a> is an international group of practitioners, academics and others who are working to improve the theory and application of the tools of benefit-cost analysis. The conference features experts from around the world, and last year included Senators Heidi Heitkamp (D) of North Dakota and Senator James Lankford (R) of Oklahom and researchers from Harvard, Stanford, Princeton and Columbia Universities; the Universities of Chicago, and California Berkeley; the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the International Trade Commission (ITC); Resources for the Future; and from Austria, Canada, Croatia, Finland, the Netherlands and Sweden.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Registration and general conference information is available at <a href="https://benefitcostanalysis.org/2017-annual-conference">https://benefitcostanalysis.org/2017-annual-conference</a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The abstract follows:</div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: justify;">
Liberals and conservatives agree that the use of government power by special interests often produces suboptimal outcomes, market distortions, unfairness and inequality. Much of the influence results in the generation of economic rents. Economic rent is any payment to a factor of production in excess of the cost needed to bring that factor into production. In classical economics, economic rent is any payment made or benefit received for non-produced inputs such as location (land) and for assets formed by creating official privilege over natural opportunities (e.g., patents). In neoclassical economics rent also includes income gained by beneficiaries of other contrived exclusivity, such as corruption. Liberals often attribute rents to natural market dynamics whereas conservatives point to government policies.<span style="text-align: left;"> </span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: justify;">
Rents have been of interest to economists from Adam Smith, who noted that “People of the same trade seldom meet together, even for merriment and diversion, but the conversation ends in a conspiracy against the public, or in some contrivance to raise prices.” Anne Kruger coined the term in 1974. Mancur Olsen (in The Logic of Collective Action), Gordon Tullock and other politico-economists revived and modernized the discussion. Nobel Prize winner Joseph Stiglitz recently emphasized the importance of rents. In “A Firm-Level Perspective on the Role of Rents in the Rise in Inequality” (2015) Jason Furman Chair of the CEA and Peter Orzag use firm-level data to argue that there has been a trend of increased dispersion of returns to capital across firms, with an increasingly large fraction of firms getting returns over 10-30% annually ...</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: justify;">
This paper will discuss how the generation of rents can affect Benefit-Cost Analysis in general, and with respect to the energy, health care and finance industries. The "Theory of the Second Best" will also be applied and discussed.</blockquote>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
This will be the sixth time Mr. Acks has invited to make a presentation or chair a session at this prestigious conference. In the past Mr. Acks presented "The Costs and Benefits of Recycling in New York City"; “A Dynamic Analysis of the Costs and Benefits of a Smart Growth/Sprawl Reduction Program in 1988, 2008 and 2013" <a href="https://benefitcostanalysis.org/events/2014-conference/agenda">https://benefitcostanalysis.org/events/2014-conference/agenda</a>, “The Costs and Benefits of 1,000 Green Roofs in New York City” <a href="http://benefitcostanalysis.org/events/2011-conference-agenda">http://benefitcostanalysis.org/events/2011-conference-agenda</a> and “The Costs and Benefits of a Green Mixed-Use Brownfield Redevelopment Project in NY” <span style="text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://tinyurl.com/z4dk4ag">http://tinyurl.com/z4dk4ag</a></span> at conferences of the Society for Benefit Cost Analysis from 2008 through 2014. He also chaired two sessions for the Society, and has given presentations on “The Social Cost of Carbon” before the Manhattan Chamber of Commerce Environment Committee <a href="http://www.manhattancc.org/events/eventdetail.aspx?EventID=653">http://www.manhattancc.org/events/eventdetail.aspx?EventID=653</a>; “The Economic Impact of Environmental Liabilities on Real Estate Values” before The Auditing Roundtable; "A Framework for Analyzing the Costs and Benefits of Green Roofs: Second Stage Results” at a conference of the United States Society for Ecological Economics (USSEE)2007 <a href="http://www.ussee.org/PDFs/Program_Book_June_21_2007.pdf">http://www.ussee.org/PDFs/Program_Book_June_21_2007.pdf</a> and “Environmental Values” at a Carnegie Council on Ethics and International Affairs colloquium; and given guest lectures at Columbia University, Pratt Institute and Brooklyn College. The talks have drawn upon Mr. Acks' 35 years of expertise as a consultant in Environmental Economics and Real Estate Valuation during during which time he has produced studies of more than 950 projects worth over $4.5 billion in 140 counties and 28 states. Mr. Acks also edits Environmental Valuation and Cost-Benefit News <a href="http://www.envirovaluation.org/">www.envirovaluation.org</a>.<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
</div>
CostBenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04071275108594827359noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7416315244211222743.post-37121271282788904532017-01-03T02:28:00.000-05:002017-01-19T02:49:02.503-05:00Summaries of Some 2016 Projects<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">January 4, 2017</span></span></h2>
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">The Cost-Benefit Group obtained and completed a variety of complex and challenging assignments in 2016. We cannot disclose some of our work at this time and have eliminated details of other projects due to confidentiality agreements. We may be able to provide additional details upon request. The work for these projects included valuations, feasibility studies, forecasts and/or analyses of real estate markets, local economies, neighborhoods, zoning, taxes, and real estate sales and rental activity.</span></span></h2>
<div class="bText">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Projects include:</span><br />
<ul>
<li>Impacts of maufactured gas site in Westchester, NY</li>
<li>Asphalt Plant - Suffolk County, NY</li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Homes near industrial site in Alabama</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Vacant Land - New Hyde Park and West Hemsptead, NY</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Impacts of hazardous waste site in Niagara County, New York</span></li>
<li>Office buildings in Albertson, Cedarhurst, East Setauket, Hempstead, Hicksville, Huntington, North Babylon and Ronkonkoma, NY</li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Retail buildings in Cedarhurst, Elmont, Riverhead, Roslyn, Southold, and Westbury, NY</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Mixed use retail/apartment buildings in Huntington, Inwood and Valley Stream, NY</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Sports Complex - Indoor Soccer/basketball - Smithtown, NY</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Apartment Complex - Valley Stream, NY</span></li>
<li>Industrial Building - New Hyde Park, NY</li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Rental analysis for mixed use project with affortable housing in Rockaway Park, NY</span></li>
</ul>
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
CostBenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04071275108594827359noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7416315244211222743.post-90197202793190181082016-09-20T19:08:00.000-04:002017-01-25T12:04:04.297-05:00Ken Acks Delivers Guest Lecture at Pratt Institute<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
September 20, 2016</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
On September 19, 2016 Ken Acks delivered his third guest lecture on Cost-Benefit Analysis (CBA) at the Pratt Institute Graduate School of Architecture. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Pratt is ranked among the top design schools by BusinessWeek, with many programs ranked among the top ten and five in the country. Pratt was recently ranked number one for fine arts and studio programs by USA Today. Comprising five schools, the Institute is primarily known for its highly ranked programs in architecture, interior design, and industrial design. U.S. News & World Report lists Pratt as one of the top 20 colleges in the Regional Universities North category. Princeton Review recognizes Pratt as being one of the best colleges in the northeast, making it among the top 25% of all four-year colleges and universities in the United States.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The lecture and discussion provided a brief overview of cost benefit analysis -- what it is, how it is conducted and key issues. The talk focused on examples, in particular Mr. Acks discussed a cost-benefit analysis of green roofs he conducted along with researchers at Columbia University and other institutions. He also briefly discussed his work on Costs and Benefits of Waste Disposal in New York City.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Mr. Acks also talked about career options and what led to his interest in CBA. Mr. Acks was impressed by the students who included many experienced professionals.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</div>
CostBenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04071275108594827359noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7416315244211222743.post-66448465484582904442016-03-28T14:06:00.000-04:002016-08-05T23:11:27.191-04:00Ken Acks Guest Lecturer at Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, NY<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;">April 3, 2016</span></span></h2>
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">For the second year in a row Ken Acks was invited to give a guest lecture on Cost-Benefit Analysis at the Pratt Institute. The lecture and discussion provided a brief overview of cost benefit analysis -- what it is, how it is conducted and key issues. The talk focused on examples, in particular Mr. Acks discussed a cost-benefit analysis of green roofs he conducted along with researchers at Columbia University and other institutions. </span></h2>
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;">Mr. Acks also talked about career options and what led to his interest in CBA.</span></span></h2>
<div>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
CostBenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04071275108594827359noreply@blogger.com200 Willoughby St, Brooklyn, NY 11201, USA40.691936899999988 -73.97974479999999240.691889899999985 -73.979823799999991 40.69198389999999 -73.979665799999992tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7416315244211222743.post-65976358726764799892016-02-07T13:54:00.000-05:002016-12-04T21:18:09.830-05:00Ken Acks to Speak on "Costs and Benefits of Recycling in New York City" at 2016 Annual Conference of the Society for Benefit-Cost Analysis in Washington DC<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>February 7, 2016</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:</b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Kenneth Acks, CEO of the Cost-Benefit Group, LLC <a href="http://www.costbenefitgroup.com/">www.costbenefitgroup.com</a> will present a paper on "The Costs and Benefits of Recycling in New York City" at the Eighth Annual Conference and Meeting of the Society for Benefit-Cost Analysis.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The conference, entitled "Improving the Theory and Practice of Benefit-Cost Analysis" will be held at the The Marvin Center at the George Washington University; 800 21st St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20052 from Friday March 16th through March 18th, 2016.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The Society for Benefit-Cost Analysis (SBCA) is an international group of practitioners, academics and others who are working to improve the theory and application of the tools of benefit-cost analysis. The conference features experts from around the world including Senators Heidi Heitkamp (D) of North Dakota and Senator James Lankford (R) of Oklahomand; and researchers from Harvard, Stanford, Princeton and Columbia Universities; the University of Chicago and University of California Berkeley; the US Environmental Protection Agency, Food and Drug Administration, Department of Agriculture and International Trade Commission; Resources for the Future; and from Austria, Canada, Croatia, Finland, Netherlands and Sweden.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Registration and general conference information is available at <a href="https://benefitcostanalysis.org/2016-annual-conference">https://benefitcostanalysis.org/2016-annual-conference</a> The full agenda is available at <a href="https://benefitcostanalysis.org/2016-annual-conference#Program">https://benefitcostanalysis.org/2016-annual-conference#Program</a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Ken Acks will present the paper on Friday March 18, 2016 from 10:45 AM - 12:15 PM. The abstract follows:</div>
<blockquote>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
On April 22, 2015 NYC Mayor de Blasio declared that by 2030 the city would no longer send any garbage to landfills. New York would join San Francisco, Seattle and other cities in moving toward a “zero waste” policy. </div>
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
On October 3, 2015 in “The Reign of Recycling” the fifth most emailed New York Times article over the past 30 days John Tierney, reprising a 1996 article, argues that recycling was, and is, wasteful when it comes to the bottom line, both economically and environmentally.<br />
<a name='more'></a></div>
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Tierney claims that despite decades of exhortations and mandates, it is still typically more expensive for municipalities to recycle household waste than to send it to a landfill. Prices for recyclables have plummeted. The national rate of recycling has stagnated in recent years. As cities move beyond recycling paper and metals, and into glass, food scraps and assorted plastics, the costs rise sharply while the environmental benefits decline and sometimes vanish. He claims that to offset the greenhouse impact of one passenger’s round-trip coach flight between New York and London, you’d have to recycle roughly 40,000 plastic bottles without counting costs of rinsing. Washing plastic in water heated by coal-derived electricity resulting in a net increase in CO2. He also claims that all the trash generated by Americans for the next 1,000 years would fit on .1% of grazing land, and landfills are typically covered with grass and converted to parkland, like the Freshkills Park on Staten Island. Landfill operators have captured methane for electricity. Modern water-to-electricity incinerators, release so few pollutants that they’ve been widely accepted in eco-conscious Europe and Japan.</div>
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
This paper will utilize a variety of sources to estimate total costs of recycling and alternatives now and in 2030. Costs/Benefits include CO2, methane, air pollution, traffic congestion, water use, energy, transportation, land use, and materials.</div>
</blockquote>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Mr. Acks must be doing something right as this was the fifth time he was invited to make a presentation or chair a session at this prestigious annual conference. In the past Mr. Acks presented “A Dynamic Analysis of the Costs and Benefits of a Smart Growth/Sprawl Reduction Program in 1988, 2008 and 2013" <a href="https://benefitcostanalysis.org/events/2014-conference/agenda">https://benefitcostanalysis.org/events/2014-conference/agenda</a>, “The Costs and Benefits of 1,000 Green Roofs in New York City” <a href="http://benefitcostanalysis.org/events/2011-conference-agenda">http://benefitcostanalysis.org/events/2011-conference-agenda</a> and “The Costs and Benefits of a Green Mixed-Use Brownfield Redevelopment Project in NY”<a href="http://evans.uw.edu/sites/default/files/public/FINAL_Panel-Summary.pdf">http://evans.uw.edu/sites/default/files/public/FINAL_Panel-Summary.pdf</a> at conferences of the Society for Benefit Cost Analysis from 2008 through 2014. He also chaired two sessions for the Society, and has given presentations on “The Social Cost of Carbon” before the Manhattan Chamber of Commerce Environment Committee <a href="http://www.manhattancc.org/events/eventdetail.aspx?EventID=653">http://www.manhattancc.org/events/eventdetail.aspx?EventID=653</a>; “The Economic Impact of Environmental Liabilities on Real Estate Values” before The Auditing Roundtable; "A Framework for Analyzing the Costs and Benefits of Green Roofs: Second Stage Results” at a conference of the United States Society for Ecological Economics (USSEE)2007 <a href="http://www.ussee.org/PDFs/Program_Book_June_21_2007.pdf">http://www.ussee.org/PDFs/Program_Book_June_21_2007.pdf</a> and “Environmental Values” at a Carnegie Council on Ethics and International Affairs colloquium; and given guest lectures at Columbia University, Pratt Institute and Brooklyn College. The talks have drawn upon Mr. Acks' 35 years of expertise as a consultant in Environmental Economics and Real Estate Valuation during during which time he has produced studies of more than 950 projects worth over $4.5 billion in 140 counties and 28 states. Mr. Acks also edits Environmental Valuation and Cost-Benefit News <a href="http://www.envirovaluation.org/">www.envirovaluation.org</a>.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The panel (Session E6 on the Costs and Benefits of Social Investments" is Chaired by Lynn Karoly of the RAND Corporation. Other presentations are:</div>
<blockquote>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Reasonable Accommodation and Sheltered Workshops for People with Disabilities: Costs and Returns of Investments, by Gareth Harper,* Optimity Advisors; Rory Tierney; and Quentin Liger</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Money Talks: Applying Cost-Benefit Analysis to Policies Combatting Intimate Partner Violence, Nicholas Mastron,* The George Washington University</div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Can the Ticket to Work Program Be Self-Financing? Craig Thornton,* Mathematica Policy Research</div>
</blockquote>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
CostBenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04071275108594827359noreply@blogger.comMarvin Center - Foggy Bottom, Washington, DC 20052, USA38.900149 -77.04670499999997413.378114499999999 -118.35529899999997 64.4221835 -35.738110999999975tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7416315244211222743.post-74119821208611611102016-01-05T13:58:00.000-05:002016-08-06T12:26:08.045-04:00Summaries of Some 2015 Projects<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">January 5, 2016</span></h2>
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">The Cost-Benefit Group obtained and completed a variety of complex and challenging assignments in 2015. We cannot disclose some of our work at this time and have eliminated details of other projects due to confidentiality agreements. We may be able to provide additional details upon request. The work for these projects included valuations, feasibility studies, forecasts and/or analyses of real estate markets, local economies, neighborhoods, zoning, taxes, and real estate sales and rental activity.</span></h2>
<div class="bText">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Projects include:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Homes near industrial site in Alabama</li>
<li>Impacts of hazardous waste site in Niagara County, New York</li>
<li>Contaminated single family homes in East Meadow and Farmingdale, NY</li>
<li>Office buildings in Albertson, Hempstead, Hewlett, Hicksville, North Babylon and Ronkonkoma, NY</li>
<li>Retail buildings in Brightwaters, Elmont, Farmingdale, Lynbrook and Roosevelt, NY</li>
<li>Mixed use building in Hempstead and Westbury, NY</li>
<li>Renovated residential building in Brooklyn, NY</li>
<li>Apartment rental analysis for vacant land in Rockaway, NY</li>
<li>Hotels in Massapequa and Montauk, NY</li>
</ul>
</div>
<br /></div>
</div>
CostBenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04071275108594827359noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7416315244211222743.post-8196737095442531842016-01-01T12:20:00.000-05:002016-08-06T12:23:41.879-04:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><b>FOR MORE NEWS ABOUT THE COST BENEFIT GROUP GO TO</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span>
<a href="http://www.costbenefitgroup.com/search/label/CBG%20News"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>http://www.costbenefitgroup.com/search/label/CBG%20News</b></span></a></div>
CostBenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04071275108594827359noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7416315244211222743.post-52220430483396046002015-02-17T14:01:00.000-05:002016-08-05T22:36:02.365-04:00Ken Acks Guest Lecturer at Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, NY on Cost-Benefit Analysis<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;">February 17, 2015</span></span></h2>
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;">Ken Acks was invited to give a guest lecture on Cost-Benefit Analysis at the Pratt Institute. The lecture and discussion provided a brief overview of cost benefit analysis -- what it is, how it is conducted and key issues. The talk focused on examples, in particular Mr. Acks discussed a cost-benefit analysis of green roofs he conducted along with researchers at Columbia University and other institutions. </span></span></h2>
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;">Mr. Acks also talked about career options and what led to his interest in CBA.</span></span></h2>
<div>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div>
</div>
CostBenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04071275108594827359noreply@blogger.com200 Willoughby Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11205, USA40.691805 -73.96355879999998716.307434500000003 -115.27215279999999 65.0761755 -32.654964799999988tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7416315244211222743.post-64362703181948618262015-01-05T18:09:00.000-05:002016-08-05T18:15:49.369-04:00Summaries of Some 2014 Projects<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<h2>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;">January 5th, 2015</span></span></h2>
<div class="bText">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The Cost-Benefit Group obtained and completed a variety of complex and challenging assignments in 2014. We cannot disclose some of our work at this time and have eliminated details of other projects due to confidentiality agreements. We may be able to provide additional details upon request. The work for these projects included valuations, feasibility studies, forecasts and/or analyses of real estate markets, local economies, neighborhoods, zoning, taxes, and real estate sales and rental activity.</div>
<br />
Projects include:<br />
<blockquote>
Homes near gas drilling site in industrial site in Alabama<br />
Impacts of hazardous waste site in Niagara County, New York<br />
Impacts of refinery in Illinois<br />
Impacts of gasoline pipeline leak in Wisconsin<br />
Contaminated single family homes in East Meadow and Farmingdale, NY<br />
Office buildings in Albertson and Cedarhurst, NY<br />
Retail buildings in Ronkonkoma, Roosevelt and Southampton, NY<br />
Mixed use buildings in Syosset, Hicksville and Lynbrook, NY<br />
Gas Station ad Repair Garages in Jamesport and Miller Place, NY<br />
Marina in Sayville, NY</blockquote>
<br /></div>
</div>
CostBenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04071275108594827359noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7416315244211222743.post-79733538254119183172014-03-17T18:11:00.000-04:002016-08-05T18:16:13.246-04:00Ken Acks Presents Paper on “A Dynamic Analysis of the Costs and Benefits of a Smart Growth/Sprawl Reduction Program in 1988, 2008 and 2013" at the 2014 Annual Conference of the Society for Benefit-Cost Analysis<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: left;">
March 15th, 2014</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="bText">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The presentation was at the Location Based Analysis Panel of the Conference entitle: Benefit-Cost Analysis for Evidence-Based Decision Making which was held at the The Marvin Center at the George Washington University; 800 21st St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20052 from March 13th through March 14th, 2014.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
More information about the conference including the agenda is available at <a href="https://benefitcostanalysis.org/events/2014-conference/agenda">https://benefitcostanalysis.org/events/2014-conference/agenda</a>.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The abstract follows:</div>
<blockquote>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Sprawl can produce the following costs:</div>
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
1) increased travel costs and time lost in travel;</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
2) increased tax burdens arising from road, utility and school construction and maintenance costs;</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
3) increased health care costs due to pollution and increased obesity from automobile-centered neighborhood designs and possibly stress from commuting;</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
4) Loss of productive agricultural and forestry land</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
5) Reduced availability of natural lands that support recreation, tourism and wildlife related activities</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
6) Endanger species</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
7) Decrease the economic vitality of urban centers;</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
However, most of the world's large cities are growing outward and it appears as if "sprawl" is preferred by many as a lifestyle. Most Americans have chosen to live in single detached homes and commute to work by automobile. Supporters of sprawl also argue that actual commuting times may be shorter due to sprawl, and sprawl separates residences from noxious uses, facilitates reduced prices for consumer goods by easing the development of Walmarts and other discounters, and enhances consumer choice by promoting competition between localities..</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The critics of sprawl retort by pointing to distorted prices, such as automobile subsidies and mortgage interest deductions, and claimed but unregistered costs of sprawl.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Many, notably Leigh Gallagher in The End of the Suburbs: Where the American Dream is Moving have pointed to recent shifts towards cities that accelerated during the financial crisis.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
This paper will analyze the costs and benefits of a program to support higher density walkable mixed-use development and discourage lower densities in 1988, in 2008 (before the Great Recession affected this area significantly) and in 2013 in New York’s Hudson Valley. The paper will estimate the benefits of the program at three points in time and evaluate changes over time arising from increased density, preference shifts, new information,and other factors.</div>
</blockquote>
<br /></div>
</div>
CostBenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04071275108594827359noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7416315244211222743.post-88866699245619275112014-01-06T18:16:00.000-05:002016-08-05T18:27:15.208-04:00Summaries on Some 2013 Projects<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;">January 6, 2014</span></span></h2>
<div class="bText">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The Cost-Benefit Group obtained and completed a variety of complex and challenging assignments in 2013. We cannot disclose some of our work at this time and have eliminated details of other projects due to confidentiality agreements. We may be able to provide additional details upon request. The work for these projects included valuations, feasibility studies, forecasts and/or analyses of real estate markets, local economies, neighborhoods, zoning, taxes, and real estate sales and rental activity.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
These projects include:<br />
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
A contaminated commercial property in Long Island City, NY</div>
<blockquote>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<blockquote style="text-align: left;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
</blockquote>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Vacant land at a former contaminated industrial plant in Nassau County, NY</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
A contaminated commercial property in Long Island City, NY</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Properties near a refinery in Illinois</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Automotive car wash and repair garages in Bellmore, Hicksville and Franklin Square, NYCommercial/Religious Buildings in Levittown and Plainview, NY</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Industrial Buildings in Maspeth Queens and Medford, NY</div>
Mixed-use structures in Central Islip, East Meadow, Oyster Bay, St. James and Woodmere, NY</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Office Buildings in Albertson, Hempstead, Hicksville, North Babylon and Ronkonkoma</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Residential projects in Bergen County, NJ and Sullivan County, NY</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Retail Facilities in Bay Shore, the Bronx, Glen Cove, Great Neck, Ronkonkoma, Roosevelt, Rosedale Queens and Southold, NY</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Vacant Residential Land in Great Neck, NY</div>
</blockquote>
<br /></div>
</div>
CostBenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04071275108594827359noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7416315244211222743.post-13427074023592685772013-12-12T18:21:00.000-05:002016-08-05T18:21:45.972-04:00Ken Acks Discusses "The Social Cost of Carbon" Before the Manhattan Chamber of Commerce<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
December 12th, 2013</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="bText">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Mr. Acks described the Social Cost of Carbon, how it is measured, potential benefits of its use and issues that have arisen with respect to this controversial concept on December 11, 2013 - see <a href="http://www.manhattancc.org/events/eventdetail.aspx?EventID=653">http://www.manhattancc.org/events/eventdetail.aspx?EventID=653</a>. The Powerpoint is available upon request from <a href="mailto:info@damagevaluation.com">info@damagevaluation.com</a>.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</div>
</div>
CostBenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04071275108594827359noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7416315244211222743.post-77538471007257425702011-09-19T20:37:00.000-04:002016-08-05T22:26:13.030-04:00Ken Acks, CEO to Chair Session and Present Paper at 2011 Annual Conference of the Society for Benefit-Cost Analysis in Washington DC<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;">September 19th, 2011</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="bText">
<div class="post_link" style="text-align: justify;">
Link: <a href="http://benefitcostanalysis.org/events/2011-conference-agenda">http://benefitcostanalysis.org/events/2011-conference-agenda</a></div>
<div class="post_link" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Kenneth Acks, CEO of the Cost-Benefit Group, LLC will chair a session and present a paper at the Fourth Annual Conference and Meeting of the Society for Benefit-Cost Analysis.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The conference, entitled "Expanding the Scope of Benefit Cost Analysis: Practical Applications and Analytical Frontiers" will be held at the L'Enfant Plaza Hotel in Washington, D.C. from Friday October 21st through Saturday October 22, 2011.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The Conference will continue the focus of past conferences on the practical use of Benefit-Cost Analysis (BCA) in a variety of institutional and national settings, with special attention to the role of BCA in both prospective and retrospective program evaluation; and to broadening and improving measurement of benefits and/or costs. As in past years, the conference will convene a large number of guests, including researchers, and practitioners working in academia, nonprofits, businesses, and government around the world. The annual membership meeting of the Society will be held during lunchtime on October 22.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Registration and general conference information is available at <a href="http://benefitcostanalysis.org/events/2011-conference-and-meeting-society-benefit-cost-analysis">http://benefitcostanalysis.org/events/2011-conference-and-meeting-society-benefit-cost-analysis</a>. The full agenda is available at<a href="http://benefitcostanalysis.org/events/2011-conference-agenda">http://benefitcostanalysis.org/events/2011-conference-agenda</a>.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br />
Ken Acks will present the paper "Estimated Costs and Benefits of one Thousand Green Roofs in New York City" at the Panel 14 session: "Alternative Energy, Green Roofs, and BCA in the Netherlands" on Saturday October 22nd from 1:30 PM - 3:00 PM in the Renoir Room. The abstract follows:</div>
<blockquote>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
In this paper we develop a model designed to estimate and tally the private and social costs and benefits of installing green roofs in New York City. Model inputs include baseline data on roof areas and other parameters, and variable assumptions reflecting high, medium, and low green roof performance scenarios with respect to various cost and benefit parameters. Key cost and benefit components estimated include: installation costs (generally higher for green roofs); service lives (greater for green roofs); architecture and engineering costs; maintenance costs; energy used for cooling; the urban heat island effect; Stormwater runoff operating costs and capital expenditures; potential economies of scale for installation and maintenance costs; administrative costs; sound reduction; aesthetic benefits; potential greenhouse gas reduction; air pollution reductions; food production and recreation. Costs and Benefits will also be compared to painted white roofs and installation of solar panels. Sensitivity analyses will consider the role of scale, and uncertainty of various estimated benefits.</div>
</blockquote>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Other papers in the panel are: "A Model for the Financial and Economic Analysis of Wind Farms For Electricity Generation with Application to Santiago, Cape Verde by Sener Salci, Graduate Student, Department of Economics, University of Birmingham, UK and Glenn P. Jenkins, Professor, Department of Economics, Queen’s University, Canada and Eastern Mediterranean University, North Cyprus and "The Practice of Valuing the Environment in Cost-Benefit Analysis by Jan Anne Annema, Assistant Professor, Transport Policy, Delft University of Technology (Presenter) Carl Koopmans, Professor, VU University, Amsterdam.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Mr. Acks will moderate Panel 5: "Air/Water Pollution" in the Renoir Room from 4:30 - 6:00 PM on Friday October 21, 2011 which will feature the following papers:</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<span style="text-align: justify;">** "Does Electronic Reporting of Emissions Information Generate Environmental Benefits?"</span><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
by Ron Shadbegian, Senior Economist, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency National Center for Environmental Economics (Presenter); Ann Wolverton, Senior Economist, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency National Center for Environmental Economics; and Wayne Gray, Professor, Clark University</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
** "Uncertainty and Estimates of the Benefits of Reducing Fine Particle Pollution" by Randall Lutter, Visiting Scholar, Resources for the Future and Art Fraas, Visiting Scholar, Resources for the Future</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
** "The Cost-Effectiveness of Alternative Approaches to Residential Radon Control" by Erik Johnson, Assistant Professor of Economics, Georgia Institute of Technology (Presenter); Paul Courant, Harold T. Shapiro Collegiate Professor of Public Policy Professor of Economics and of Information, University of Michigan; David Mendez, Associate Professor, University of Michigan and Kenneth Warner, Avedis Donabedian Distinguished University Professor of Public Health, University of Michigan</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
** "Reference-Dependent Valuations of Environmental Health Risks" W. Kip Viscusi, Distinguished Professor of Law, Economics, and Management, Vanderbilt University (Presenter) and Joel Huber, Schwartz Professor of Marketing, Fuqua School of Business, Duke University</div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</div>
</div>
CostBenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04071275108594827359noreply@blogger.comWashington, DC, USA38.9071923 -77.03687070000000938.9071923 -77.036870700000009 38.9071923 -77.036870700000009tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7416315244211222743.post-50431288564987417722011-07-06T22:21:00.000-04:002016-08-05T22:24:09.737-04:00Summary of First Half 2011 Assignments<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;">July 6th, 2011</span></h2>
<div class="bText">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Despite weaknesses in the real estate market and the economy the Cost-Benefit Group obtained and completed a variety of challenging assignments. Unfortunately much of this work involved litigation support, foreclosures, estates or dispute resolution rather than the production of new and better goods and service for the economy. We cannot disclose some of our work at this time and have eliminated details of other projects due to confidentiality agreements. We may be able to provide additional details upon request. The work for these projects included valuations, feasibility studies, forecasts and/or analyses of real estate markets, local economies, neighborhoods, zoning, taxes, and real estate sales and rental activity.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Projects include:</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Vacant land - Bushwick, Brooklyn, NY</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Mixed-use retail/office building - Sayville, NY</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Mixed-use retail/residential building - Port Washington, NY</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Mixed-use retail/residential building - Midtown West, Manhattan, New York</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Mixed-use retail/residential building - Ridgewood Queens, Manhattan, New York</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Apartment building - Queens Village, Queens, NY</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Marina - Oceanside, NY</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Flex industrial/office building - Hauppauge, NY</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Contaminated residences - New Paltz, NY</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Contaminated residence - Nassau County, NY</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Contaminated residence - Carmel, NY</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Two auto repair garages - Glendale, Queens, NY</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Laundromat - Glendale, Queens, NY</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Small retail store - Ridgewood, NY</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</div>
</div>
CostBenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04071275108594827359noreply@blogger.comNew York, NY, USA40.7127837 -74.00594130000001840.3275957 -74.651388300000022 41.0979717 -73.360494300000013tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7416315244211222743.post-42404467823773120752011-03-08T22:31:00.000-05:002016-08-05T22:32:10.078-04:00Paper by Ken Acks CEO Accepted for First Annual Association of Environmental and Resource Economists (AERE) Summer Conference<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;">March 8th, 2011</span></h2>
<div class="bText">
<div class="post_link" style="text-align: justify;">
Link: <a href="http://www.webmeets.com/aere/2011/Prog/">http://www.webmeets.com/aere/2011/Prog/</a></div>
<div class="post_link" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
From the Conference Committee:</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
We are happy to inform you that your paper, A COST-BENEFIT ANALYSIS OF AN OUTERBOROUGH GREEN MIXED-USE BROWNFIELD REDEVELOPMENT PROJECT IN NEW YORK CITY (Reference No: 472), has been accepted for presentation at the inaugural AERE Summer Conference that will be held at the Seattle Renaissance Hotel, June 8th - June 10th 2011. We received more than 550 submissions and the selection process has been highly competitive</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The conference will expand upon the AERE workshop format to include up to 12 parallel sessions and 375 attendees. With generous support from sponsors, the conference will also include a sponsored session related to the topic "Metropolises, Urbanization, and the Environment," with keynote speaker Edward Glaeser of Harvard University, as well as many sessions related to any topic of interest.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The conference program can be found at <a href="http://www.webmeets.com/aere/2011/Prog/">http://www.webmeets.com/aere/2011/Prog/</a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Note: due to a scheduling conflict Mr. Acks had to withdraw the paper.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</div>
</div>
CostBenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04071275108594827359noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7416315244211222743.post-631989834805824602011-01-04T22:44:00.000-05:002016-08-05T22:51:29.262-04:00Summary of 2010 Assignments<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>January 4th, 2011</b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="bText">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Despite weaknesses in the real estate market and the economy the Cost-Benefit Group obtained and completed a variety of challenging assignments. Unfortunately much of this work involved litigation support, foreclosures, estates or dispute resolution rather than the production of new and better goods and service for the economy. We cannot disclose some of our work at this time and have eliminated details of other projects due to confidentiality agreements. We may be able to provide additional details upon request. The work for these projects included valuations, feasibility studies, forecasts and/or analyses of real estate markets, local economies, neighborhoods, zoning, taxes, and real estate sales and rental activity.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Projects include:</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<span style="text-align: justify;">Vacant commercial land developed with a bank branch - Amityville, NY</span><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Vacant golf course with proposed residential development - Dix Hills, NY</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Vacant commercial land with proposed shopping center development - Dix Hills, NY </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Vacant land - Arverne, Queens, NY</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Vacant commercial building - Huntington Station, NY</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Religious Building - New Hyde Park, NY</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Mixed-use retail/residential building - Port Washington, NY</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Complex of industrial buildings - Freeport, NY</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Flex industrial/office building - Hauppauge, NY</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Supermarket - Cobble Hill, Brooklyn, NY</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Supermarket - South Bronx, NY</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Restaurant - Astoria, Queens, NY</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Mixed use industrial/retail building - Jamaica, NY</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Commercial building - Amaganset, NY</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Commercial building - Rockville Centre, NY</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Industrial Building - Huntington, NY</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Contaminated residence - New Paltz, NY</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Contaminated residence - Nassau County, NY</div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Reports and testimony regarding effects of Chinese drywall in Louisiana, Virginia Beach and Williamsburg Virginia;</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</div>
</div>
CostBenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04071275108594827359noreply@blogger.comNew York, NY, USA40.7127837 -74.00594130000001840.3275957 -74.651388300000022 41.0979717 -73.360494300000013tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7416315244211222743.post-40992367294322503582010-04-16T22:50:00.000-04:002016-08-05T23:08:20.885-04:00Ken Acks, CEO Testifies in Federal Lawsuit on Chinese Drywall<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>
April 16th, 2010</b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="bText">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Kenneth Acks, CEO of the Cost-Benefit Group, LLC prepared a report and testified on the impact of Chinese Drywall in testimony presented before United States District Judge Eldon E. Fallon in New Orleans.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Mr. Acks inspected the homes and prepared extensive reports on impacts of drywall on homes in Williamsburg and Virgina Beach Virgina and in Louisianna, including discussions of the economy and real estate markets in these areas and conducted a contingent valuation study.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Judge Fallon recognized Mr. Acks as an expert in the valuation of environmental damages to real estate.</div>
<br />
<br /></div>
</div>
CostBenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04071275108594827359noreply@blogger.comNew Orleans, LA, USA29.951065799999991 -90.071532329.51111779999999 -90.7169793 30.391013799999993 -89.4260853tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7416315244211222743.post-55055619842352369072009-04-17T22:53:00.000-04:002016-08-05T23:07:54.284-04:00The Cost-Benefit Group Prepares Report on the Effect of Potential Superfund (NPL) Designation of the Gowanus Canal upon Nearby Property Values<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>
April 17th, 2009</b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="bText">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Within 24 hours of being contacted the Cost Benefit Group, produced a 12-page report on the Effect of Potential Superfund (NPL) Designation of the Gowanus Canal upon Nearby Property Values for Toll Brothers; Sive, Paget & Reisel; and Environmental Liability Management.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The Gowanus Canal, located in northwest Brooklyn, New York is connected to the Gowanus Bay in Upper New York Bay. The canal borders the neighborhoods of Red Hook and South Brooklyn to the west and Carroll Gardens to the east.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
\</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Kenneth Acks directed the research which reviewed the literature on the effects of potential Superfund designation upon property values, and determined that the evidence indicates that Superfund designation will generally increase risk associated with a site and surrounding properties -- and thus diminish property values. The designation will reduce values beyond diminution levels expected from the contamination absent placement on the list. The report also noted that the current economic crisis increases the likely diminution from Superfund designation. In a buyers’ market developers and homebuyers will be able to easily find properties at affordable prices that do not face the risks posed by Superfund designation. In addition, risks tend to be multiplicative, and the combination of greater financial risk, market risk, economic risk, environmental risk and regulatory risk is likely to prove devastating.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The Gowanus neighborhood was originally a tidal inlet of navigable creeks in original saltwater marshland and meadows. The first gristmill patented in New York was built in Gowanus after1635. On May 29, 1664, several residents were granted permission to dredge a canal at their own expense in order to supply water to run the mill.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
In 1849, the New York Legislature authorized the construction of the Gowanus Canal by deepening Gowanus Creek, to transform it into a mile and a half long commercial waterway connected to Upper New York Bay. After exploring numerous alternative (and some more environmentally sound) designs, the final was chosen for its low price tag. The canal was essentially complete by 1869.<br />
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Despite its relatively short length, the Gowanus Canal was a hub for Brooklyn's maritime and commercial shipping activity. Factories, warehouses, tanneries, coal stores, and manufactured gas refineries sprang up as a result of its construction. Much of the brownstone quarried in New Jersey and the upper Hudson was placed on barges with lumber and brick and shipped through the canal to build the neighborhoods of Carroll Gardens, Cobble Hill, and Park Slope. In addition, the industrial sector around the canal grew substantially over time to include: stone and coal yards, flour mills, cement works, and manufactured gas plants, tanneries, factories for paint, ink, and soap, machine shops, chemical plants, and sulfur producers, all of which emitted pollutants.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Thriving industry brought many new people to the area but important questions about wastewater sanitation had not been properly addressed to handle such growth. All the sewage from the new buildings drained downhill, into the Gowanus. The building of new sewer connections only compounded the problem by discharging raw sewage from neighborhoods even farther away into the Canal. By the turn of the century, the combination of industrial pollutants and runoff from storm water, fortified with the products of the new sewage system, rendered the waterway a repository of rank odors, euphemistically called by wise-cracking locals "Lavender Lake". After World War I, with six million annual tons of cargo produced and trafficked though the waterway, the Gowanus Canal became the nation's busiest commercial canal.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The US Army Corps of Engineers completed their last dredging of the canal in 1955 and soon afterward abandoned their regular dredging schedule, deeming it to be no longer cost effective.<br />
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
In 2002, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers entered into a cost-sharing agreement with the DEP to collaborate on a $5 million Ecosystem Restoration Feasibility Study of the Gowanus Canal area to be completed in 2005, studying possible alternatives for ecosystem restoration such as dredging, and wetland and habitat restoration. The DEP also initiated the Gowanus Canal Use and Standards Attainment project, to meet the City's obligations under the Clean Water Act.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Toll Brothers has vowed to abandon plans to build 460 condos and townhouses along the waterway if it becomes a Superfund site, saying the stigma attached to the program will make it impossible to finance the project or sell the homes.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Shortly after the report was issue Mayor Michael Bloomberg came out against Superfund Designation (We have no evidence, however, of a causal connection, or even that Mayor Bloomberg saw the report).</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
According to an April 20, 2009 press release</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
(http://www.tollbrothers.com/homesearch/servlet/HomeSearch?app=IRhome) Toll Brothers, Inc. is the nation's leading builder of luxury homes. The Company began business in 1967 and became a public company in 1986. Its common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "TOL". The Company serves move-up, empty-nester, active-adult and second-home home buyers and operates in 21 states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia and West Virginia. It was ranked #1 in five of the nine rating categories among Home Builders in Fortune magazine's recently released list of World's Most Admired Companies 2009.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
According to its website Sive, Paget & Riesel (http://www.sprlaw.com/thefirm/index.html) has been a leader in Environmental Law and Litigation since the early 1960's. More than four decades ago, Sive, Paget & Riesel lawyers led the administrative and judicial proceedings that followed after the initial landmark Storm King Mountain litigation in New York's Hudson River region. Their attorneys also led the successful fight to stop the Hudson River Expressway, which resulted in an opinion that is the first reported decision contained in the Environmental Law Institute’s Environmental Law Reporter<a href="http://www.eli.org/">http://www.eli.org</a>. The Storm King Mountain disputes preceded the first Earth Day in 1970, the enactment of the National Environmental Policy Act and the creation of the United States Environmental Protection Agency. Sive, Paget & Riesel continues to be a leader in this field, having been selected by two independent ranking agencies – Chambers and Partners USA and Who’s Who Legal – as the leading firm for environmental law and litigation in New York <a href="http://www.chambersandpartners.com/us/">http://www.chambersandpartners.com/us/</a>, <a href="http://www.whoswholegal.com/">http://www.whoswholegal.com</a>.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
According to their website Environmental Liability Management of New York, LLC (ELM - <a href="http://www.elmofny.com%29/">http://www.elmofny.com)</a> is an environmental, engineering and risk management firm. ELM's professional staff has demonstrated expertise in assisting you in the management of multimedia environmental concerns. They combine in-depth regulatory knowledge along with project management expertise and technical insight to control costs while meeting in-house objectives, and obtaining any necessary agency approvals. ELM's services range from simple consultations to the management of day-to-day operations for multimillion dollar environmental compliance and remediation programs.<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
</div>
</div>
CostBenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04071275108594827359noreply@blogger.comGowanus Canal, Brooklyn, NY, USA40.6716264 -73.99891020000001240.6475399 -74.039250700000011 40.695712900000004 -73.958569700000012tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7416315244211222743.post-84753954157265687422009-03-17T23:01:00.000-04:002016-08-05T23:09:28.995-04:00Jury Awards $150 million in damages including $61 million in property damages arising from Jacksonville Maryland Exxon Gas Spill - Kenneth Acks CEO of the Cost-Benefit Group testified on Diminution in Property Values<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
March 17th, 2009</span></h2>
<div class="bText">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
On March 12th a jury awarded about $150 million in compensatory damages to 91 households in Jacksonville Maryland due to a gasoline leak that occurred at a nearby Exxon Mobil Corp. gas station.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
For emotional distress most adult plaintiffs in the suit received $500,000 in non-economic damages, plus $50,000 in non-economic damages for their children for emotional distress resulting in a total award of about $71 million. ExxonMobil was also held responsible for lifetime medical monitoring, which is expected to cost nearly$14.5 million.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Each family also received the full appraised value of their home resulting in total property damages of more than $61 million. The Maryland Daily Record reported “The fact that plaintiffs were, for the most part, compensated for the full value of their homes, some of them worth as much as $1.3 million, was surprising and cathartic to many homeowners.”</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
On December 30th and 31st 2008 Ken Acks CEO of the Cost-Benefit Group testified before the jury regarding the diminution in property values resulting from the underground gasoline storage tank leak. Jacksonville is an affluent community about 20 miles north of the City of Baltimore. The tank spilled about 26,000 gallons of gas over 37 days until it was discovered on February 16, 2006. Jury selection began October 1st 2008, and the trial started on October 14th. Several environmental and health experts, and most plaintiffs testified before Mr. Acks.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Mr. Acks directed the valuation estimates for 91 properties. As part of the process Richard Kern, SRA, a local appraiser, estimated property value as uncontaminated at the time of the spill, The average property value was determined to be about $690,000. Mr. Acks then used a variety of techniques to estimate expected diminution levels, based upon contamination probabilities provided by Whitman Associates and other environmental consultants, an extensive search of academic literature, surveys, interviews, investigations of real estate activity in the area, and other research..</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Mr. Acks had been deposed over four days by attorneys for the defendant, ExxonMobil, in the year prior to the spill. Robert Weltchek a name partner at Snyder, Weltchek & Snyder, the attorneys for the plaintiffs, directed questions to Mr. Acks on December 30th. He then faced cross examination from attorneys for the defendant, and a redirect by Mr. Weltchek.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Mr. Acks has been assessing the economic impacts of environmental factors, conducting financial analyses, valuing real property, providing litigation support, and producing cost-benefit analyses for more than 30 years. He has estimated property damages from nuclear power plants, oil spills, dry cleaners and numerous toxic chemicals. In conjunction with the NASA-Goddard, Columbia University he produced a cost-benefit analysis of green roofs in New York City and presented a Cost-Benefit Analysis of a Green Brownfield Redevelopment Project at the Society for Benefit-Cost Analysis in June 2008.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</div>
</div>
CostBenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04071275108594827359noreply@blogger.comJacksonville, MD 21131, USA39.5181618 -76.55941210000003115.133792800000002 -117.86800610000003 63.9025308 -35.250818100000032tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7416315244211222743.post-16083162037130657482009-03-04T23:13:00.000-05:002016-08-05T23:15:04.652-04:00Kenneth Acks, CEO of the Cost Benefit Group LLC, Spoke before the Regional Meeting of the Auditing Roundtable in New York City on “The Economic Impact of Environmental Liabilities on Real Estate Values”<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>March 4th, 2009</b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="bText">
On March 3rd 2009 Kenneth Acks, CEO of the Cost Benefit Group LLC, spoke before the Regional Meeting of the Auditing Roundtable in New York City. The title of the talk was “The Economic Impact of Environmental Liabilities on Real Estate Values” The presentation reviewed the issues surrounding the valuation of contaminated properties, basic valuation methods and procedures, and included a summary of empirical results. It also presented a positive spin on the issue by discussing how greening buildings can increase values.<br />
<br />
The conference was entitled “Valuing Environmentally Toxic Assets”. The program of the conference follows:<br />
<br />
I. Welcome – Howard Apsan/Jerry Atlas (9 AM – 9:15 AM)<br />II. Introduction – Jeffrey Teitel, EHS Consultant (9:15 – 9:30 AM)<br />A. "Toxic Assets" – Financial community borrows a term from the EHS world<br />B. Greater role for the EHS Auditor – Discovering and Valuing Impaired Assets<br />III. How and Why The Financial Crisis Has Changed the Role of the EHS Auditor: The Legal Perspective - Holly Cannon, Principal, Beveridge & Diamond PC (9:30 – 10:30 AM)<br />Coffee Break (10:30 – 10:45 AM)<br />IV. Discovering and Valuing Environmental Liabilities - Muriel Robinette , CEO, New England EnviroStrategies Inc. (10:45 – 11:45 AM)<br />Lunch (11:45 AM - 1:00 PM)<br />V. Economic Impact of Environmental Liabilities on Real Estate Values – Kenneth Acks, CEO, Cost-Benefit Group, LLC (1:00 – 2:00 PM)<br />Auditing Roundtable Announcement – Jerry Atlas, Consolidated Edison<br />VI. Environmental Considerations Impact Banking Industry – Eric Rothenberg, Partner, O'Melveny & Meyers LLP (2:15 – 3:15 PM)<br />Q & A (3:15 – 4:00 PM)<br />ADJOURNMENT<br />
<br />
The Auditing Roundtable is a Professional Organization for Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) Auditors. For more information on the Auditing Roundtable go to:<br />
<a href="http://www.auditing-roundtable.org/">http://www.auditing-roundtable.org</a><br />For more information on The Cost-Benefit Group, LLC go to:<br /><a href="http://www.costbenefitgroup.com/">http://www.costbenefitgroup.com</a><br />
<br />
<br /></div>
</div>
CostBenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04071275108594827359noreply@blogger.comNew York, NY, USA40.7127837 -74.00594130000001840.3275957 -74.651388300000022 41.0979717 -73.360494300000013