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Koontz v. St. Johns River Water Management District

Today the Supreme Court will hear oral argument in a potentially important takings case, Koontz v. St. Johns River Water Management District. In this case, a landowner is challenging the state’s refusal to grant a permit to develop wetlands unless the landowner agreed to various conditions, including the performance of off-site mitigation. When the landowner refused,Continue reading “Koontz v. St. Johns River Water Management District”

Greener Than Thou: Free Parking for Electric Cars

Remarking on his Toyota Prius, Jack Luu says it is “expensive, underpowered, and not really all that green.” It’s not so green because the vehicle runs only 12 miles before switching to gas. Then why buy? For the cheap parking, of course – at least according to Luu, who can park at LAX for a month’sContinue reading “Greener Than Thou: Free Parking for Electric Cars”

Should Congress end ethanol subsidies?

For more than two decades, special interests have persuaded Congress to mandate Americans buy ethanol whether they want to or not. As a result, 40 percent of the U.S. corn crop is now used for ethanol rather than food. The ethanol mandate means that ordinary Americans pay more for a poorer quality automobile fuel andContinue reading “Should Congress end ethanol subsidies?”

Trade Bans and Wildlife Poaching

On the John Batchelor Show, Terry Anderson discusses how trade bans hurt the very species the regulations try to protect. He continues to describe how a property rights approach, along with liberalizing trade, could improve  outcomes for these species.   https://www.perc.org/sites/default/files/media/JBS%20Andeson%2020130111_0.mp3

The Tortoise Can Win the Race for Candidate Species Conservation

In June of 2012, the world mourned the loss of the giant tortoise, Lonesome George. The 100-year-old tortoise lived in the Galapagos and was believed to be the last of his sub-species. George served as an ambassador for endangered species—especially in Ecuador where many groups are working to restore not only tortoise populations throughout the archipelago but also to improve the status of other rare species.