Miranda Freeman

Estimating Macroeconomic Impacts from Increasing U.S. Electric Vehicle Battery Production, United State — Estimated the economic benefits that will stem from a cradle-to-grave domestic electric vehicle supply chain.  Using REMI PI+ forecasting software, estimated the increases in jobs, labor compensation, and GDP that will result from mining battery materials all the way through battery recycling from 2021 through 2040.

Measuring and Valuing Corporatewide Environmental Impacts using EEIO, Global — This project used environmentally extended input-output (EEIO) models to measure and value the client’s environmental impacts on air quality, greenhouse gas emissions, water pollution, waste, and biodiversity across all operations and the supply chain, covering thousands of facilities around the globe.  The client is using the model to identify “win-win” situations that improve environmental quality and the company’s bottom line.

Economic Impact Analysis for Electric Light Trucks, United States — This project analyzed the economic and employment effects associated with the production of a consumer light electric truck. Incorporating data provided by the client and IMPLAN input-output modeling software, estimated the potential direct, indirect, and induced effects on the U.S. economy under different assumptions about the extent to which the electric vehicle supply chain is based in the United States.

Economic Impact Analysis for Zero-Emission Vehicles for Heavy-Duty Trucks, United States — This economic impact analysis evaluated alternative policy scenarios for transitioning heavy-duty trucks from internal combustion engines to electric and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. The analysis included changes to the electricity, petroleum, automotive repair, charging infrastructure, and vehicle manufacturing industries. Using IMPLAN input-output modeling software, estimated the potential direct, indirect, and induced impacts to employment, average compensation, total labor income, and GDP.

Evaluating the Impact of Engine Regulations on Heavy-Duty Vehicle Manufacturing Employment, Production, and Sales, United States — This project used a difference-in-difference econometric model to evaluate whether past engine emission regulations impacted the heavy-duty vehicle manufacturing industry.  The hypothesis was that effects from a regulation would show significantly higher sales in the period prior to the regulation going into effect and significantly lower sales in the period after the regulation goes into effect, termed a “pre-buy/low-buy” effect. The analysis showed that there was no material impact on manufacturing employment and that there was no firm basis for a material pre-buy/low-buy impact on sales or production.

Environmental Cost-Benefit Analysis for Solar Panel Installation, Singapore — To support the development of a solar panel project to add more green power to Singapore’s electric grid, quantified the environmental costs and benefits of the project using tools such as HEA and value (or benefits) transfer.

Valuing Human Capital in Occupational Health and Safety White Paper, Global — Valuation of occupational safety and health (OSH) programs is emerging as an important component of human capital management for companies. Wrote a white paper detailing the business case for investing in these programs and their value to workers and society, including worker well-being. The analysis described the components of OSH human capital assessment and illustrated how to conduct a valuation.

Valuation of Natural and Social Capital Benefits of Sustainable Land Management, Louisiana — An oil and gas client with extensive land holdings wanted to measure and value the impact of its land management activities to local economies, cultural heritage, and environmental sustainability. Conducted a benefit analysis that valued ecosystem services, recreation, economic contributions, land access and donations, and storm surge benefits of coastal land holdings.

Recreation Assessment, Oregon — Developed and administered a conjoint analysis telephone-mail-telephone survey of ocean recreators for the New Carissa Trespass litigation. Conducted focus groups and one-on-one pretests. Designed survey instruments, prepared a training manual, and trained interviewers. Analyzed the data using a random utility model (RUM) and estimated recreation damages using a combination of the RUM results and benefits transfer techniques. Developed trial exhibits, cross-examination support, and draft testimony to present results to a jury.

Beach Use Assessment, Southern California — Using standard econometric models of public beach use data, analyzed beach use patterns in Santa Barbara, Ventura, and Los Angeles counties in California for the summer of 2015 compared to other years before and after the Plains Line 901 oil spill.  Beachfront property owners alleged that the spill resulted in the loss of all beach amenities during the summer months; analysis of the data showed that beach use was unremarkable in 2015, which rebuts the property owners’ claim.  The analysis was further supplemented with satellite imagery, beach photos, property reviews, and media reports to bolster the findings.

Damages to Residential and Commercial Property Values from Invasive Species Eradication, Lake Davis, California — Analyzed economic trend data using statistical techniques to show there was no measurable impact on property values from the efforts to eradicate invasive species from Lake Davis. The report was submitted in 2018, and the jury ruled in favor of our client.

Property Value Analysis, Colorado Springs, Colorado — Prepared a report addressing the impact of individual risk perceptions and individual market decisions on property value damages associated with groundwater contamination. Report was used to support attorneys’ motion against class certification for property value litigation. Developed repeat sales and hedonic models to measure potential property value impacts from groundwater contamination. Managed database development and data cleaning to remove invalid transactions. Also worked with academic researchers and reviewed the plaintiff’s damage claim.

Property Valuation Analysis for Groundwater Contamination, California — Developed a repeat sales model to assess the potential impact of groundwater contamination on property values for a litigation case.  Modeled changes in sale price for the same properties before and after the contamination announcement to statistically test for an impact, controlling for any unrelated spatial and temporal changes in price.  Critiqued expert opinions and analyses (including a sale-resale analysis, matched pairs analysis, and a contingent valuation survey).  Drafted associated sections of the expert critique report, developed trial exhibits, and provided trial support. Federal jury ruled in favor of client and awarded no damages to plaintiffs.

Critique of Property Value Impact Expert Reports, Multiple Locations, United States — Critiqued expert opinions and analysis on diminution in property value (residential and industrial) from groundwater contamination for a variety of locations and cases around the country. Conducted verbal protocol study of commercial real estate professionals and residential homeowners. Developed survey instruments and conducted interviews.  Used results to assess the performance of a contingent valuation survey conducted by the plaintiffs’ expert. Developed expert reports, cross-examination questions, and trial exhibits. Reviewed literature, market trends, case studies, paired sales analysis, market interviews, contingent valuation and other surveys, hedonic modeling, and market trends.

Human Use Natural Resource Damage Assessments, United States — Researched recreational natural resource damages at a variety of sites for fishing, boating, hunting, beach use, trail use, and other outdoor recreation activities.  The projects typically included estimating the potential damages and the gains from restoration projects using random utility modeling, benefits transfer analysis, original data collection, existing data evaluation and analysis, survey design and analysis, focus groups, and Monte Carlo analysis.  Prepared critiques of trustee analyses and participated in cooperative assessments.  Developed estimates for settlement as well as litigation, and reviewed adherence to regulations.  Examples of projects include:

• Onondaga Lake, New York
• Coastal Oil Spill, California
• Deepwater Horizon Spill, Gulf of Mexico
• Albemarle Sound, North Carolina
• Ashtabula River, Ohio
• Brunswick River, Georgia
• Commencement Bay, Washington
• River in northeastern United States
• Kalamazoo River, Michigan.

Habitat Equivalency Analysis, Global — Developed HEAs at numerous sites to analyze potential ecological loss scenarios and associated remediation alternatives.  Provided critiques of alternative HEAs.  Developed an HEA primer with detailed explanations of the technique and a stylized example to demonstrate HEA. Designed accompanying spreadsheets with HEA templates for performing customized HEA calculations.  Examples of project locations include California, New Jersey, Peru, and Nicaragua.

Critique of Ecosystem Service Damages from Mine, Southeast Asia — Prepared a critical analysis of the purported ecological and societal damages caused by a mining site in Southeast Asia.  The analysis focused on methodological issues and economic values used in the analysis.

Critique of Groundwater Damages, Brazil — Developed a critique of the alleged ecological and societal damages caused by groundwater contamination from a site in an urban area in Brazil. The analysis focused on methodological issues with the proposed government regulations for estimating damages.

Economic and Natural Resource Damages, South Pacific — Researched economic and natural resource damages for the MV Kyowa Violet grounding and oil spill to support the expert report.  Critiqued opinions and analysis provided by the trustees’ expert and developed a rebuttal report.

Ecological Damage Assessment, New Jersey — Prepared critique and report rebutting the trustee’s HEA and estimate of restoration costs for ecological injuries.

Critique of Groundwater Contamination Natural Resource Damage Assessment, New Mexico — Critiqued groundwater contamination natural resource damage assessment for the South Valley Superfund Site. Reviewed and replicated spreadsheets; demonstrated the impact of analysis flaws on damages.  Prepared trial exhibits and support materials for trial.

Natural Resource Damages Baseline Evaluation, New Jersey — Researched historical influences on baseline service levels for two Atlantic Coast waterways.  Collected information on environmental impacts and service levels over a 200-year period.  Prepared reports summarizing the changes over time and a detailed bibliography summarizing information sources and key points.

Sampling and Analysis Plan, Alabama — Developed a sampling and analysis plan for a fish consumption study at the Anniston Superfund Site.

Potential Groundwater Damages Valuation, New Jersey — Valued groundwater contamination using the New Jersey groundwater injury valuation formula at the Rocky Hill Municipal Well and Montgomery Township Housing Development Superfund Sites.  Critiqued use of formula for valuation purposes.

Natural Resource Damages Settlement Database, United States — Researched, analyzed, summarized, and compiled a database of all the natural resource damage settlements since 1988.

Habitat Mitigation Analysis, Virginia, West Virginia, and North Carolina — Developed a habitat mitigation model to measure and value the potential impacts of a pipeline on bird habitat and compute the mitigation requirements.  The model was used by the client in negotiations with state agencies.

Industrial Water Use Benefit Cost Analysis, United States — Developed a regulatory analysis to help a power utility assess the impacts from impingement and entrainment of fish at a power plant. Prepared to support 316(b) permit applications, the analysis evaluated alternative approaches to minimizing impacts. The analysis included the comparison of costs of alternative technologies to reduce impacts and the value of the alternatives on recreational and commercial fishing and endangered species. The analysis was applied at numerous sites in the United States.

Net Environmental Benefit Analysis, Southeast Asia — Developed a HEA model to compare the ecological impacts of alternative approaches to oil rig decommissioning.

Annual Economic Impact Analysis, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia — Prepared an annual EIA to quantify how the operations of the largest natural gas company in the United States contribute to the economy in terms of supporting GDP, employment, labor income, and state and local taxes.  Used IMPLAN software, a proprietary input-output modeling system, to estimate direct, indirect, and induced effects on the state economies in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia, as well as impacts on the rest of the U.S. economy.

Economic Impact Analysis, Upper Midwest — Prepared an EIA to quantify the impacts of a proposed mine in the Upper Midwest on state and local jobs, GDP, and taxes.  Used projected mine output and employment as well as IMPLAN software, a proprietary input-output modeling system, to estimate the direct, indirect, and induced effects on the county- and state-level economies.

Economic Impact Analysis, Nevada — Prepared an EIA to quantify the impacts of a gold mine in Nevada on state and local jobs, GDP, and taxes.  Used projected mine output and employment as well as IMPLAN software to estimate the direct, indirect, and induced effects on the county- and state-level economies.

Economic Impact Analysis, New Jersey — Prepared an EIA using IMPLAN to quantify the historical operations of an oil refinery and tank farm and their impacts on state and local jobs, GDP, and taxes.

Estimating Macroeconomic Impacts from Increasing U.S. Electric Vehicle Battery Production, United State — Estimated the economic benefits that will stem from a cradle-to-grave domestic electric vehicle supply chain.  Using REMI PI+ forecasting software, estimated the increases in jobs, labor compensation, and GDP that will result from mining battery materials all the way through battery recycling from 2021 through 2040.

Economic Impact Analysis for Electric Light Trucks, United States — This project analyzed the economic and employment effects associated with the production of a consumer light electric truck. Incorporating data provided by the client and IMPLAN input-output modeling software, estimated the potential direct, indirect, and induced effects on the U.S. economy under different assumptions about the extent to which the electric vehicle supply chain is based in the United States.

Environmental, Health, and Safety Risk Assessment, Global — Developed an environmental, health, and safety risk ranking model for a Fortune 100 manufacturing company. The company has hundreds of facilities, each of which uses its criteria to measure and prioritize risk. The model has the facilities answer questions about risks in up to 65 different areas and computes both the inherent and mitigated risks to the environment, people, and reputation. The model allows risk to be systematically rolled up and compared on a facility, business unit, and enterprise basis.

Recreation Assessment, Oregon — Developed and administered a conjoint analysis telephone-mail-telephone survey of ocean recreators for the New Carissa Trespass litigation. Conducted focus groups and one-on-one pretests. Designed survey instruments, prepared a training manual, and trained interviewers. Analyzed the data using a random utility model (RUM) and estimated recreation damages using a combination of the RUM results and benefits transfer techniques. Developed trial exhibits, cross-examination support, and draft testimony to present results to a jury.