Environmental Quality Possibilities (E.Q.P.): A Procedure for Evaluating Economic/Environmental Trade-Offs

Two co-equal objectives exist in water quality planning: national economic development—that is increased production of goods and services—and environmental quality—the enhancement of physical, ecological, and aesthetic characteristics. This paper presents a methodology for evaluating possible trade-offs between these two objectives and demonstrates its feasibility. Values of environmental quality are first quantified using the S.Q.P.I. (System for Quantified Planning Inquiry) methodology. The resulting environmental goal structure is then linked to a separable mathematical programming procedure. This produces a production possibilities curve which illustrates the impacts of alternative choices on the two objectives. An example is presented to illustrate the application of the procedures.