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scottwww · 07-11-2008, 01:53 PM

An American Life Worth Less Today
By AP/SETH BORENSTEIN Thursday, Jul. 10, 2008

The "value of a statistical life" is $6.9 million in today's dollars, the Environmental Protection Agency reckoned in May — a drop of nearly $1 million from just five years ago.

When drawing up regulations, government agencies put a value on human life and then weigh the costs versus the lifesaving benefits of a proposed rule. The less a life is worth to the government, the less the need for a regulation, such as tighter restrictions on pollution.

Consider, for example, a hypothetical regulation that costs $18 billion to enforce but will prevent 2,500 deaths. At $7.8 million per person (the old figure), the lifesaving benefits outweigh the costs. But at $6.9 million per person, the rule costs more than the lives it saves, so it may not be adopted.

Some environmentalists accuse the Bush administration of changing the value to avoid tougher rules — a charge the EPA denies.

The EPA made the changes in two steps. First, in 2004, the agency cut the estimated value of a life by 8 %. Then, in a rule governing train and boat air pollution this May, the agency took away the normal adjustment for one year's inflation. Between the two changes, the value of a life fell 11 percent, based on today's dollar.

In 2002, the EPA decided the value of elderly people was 38% less than that of people under 70. After the move became public, the agency reversed itself.

Neurorad · 07-11-2008, 03:42 PM

That's a lot of scratch.

enfield · 07-11-2008, 05:36 PM

Just wait till the US attacks Iran and oil goes to $1000/barrel. A US life will be worth the same as an Iraqi life.

JBZ4 · 07-11-2008, 05:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by enfield

Just wait till the US attacks Iran and oil goes to $1000/barrel. A US life will be worth the same as an Iraqi life.

Dude, chill out.

enfield · 07-15-2008, 08:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JBZ4

Dude, chill out.

Don't feel like it - but thank you for the suggestion.

By the way - did you know that the US was built on the Genocide of the Native American and Slavery of the African?

dr335is · 07-15-2008, 09:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by enfield

Don't feel like it - but thank you for the suggestion.

By the way - did you know that the US was built on the Genocide of the Native American and Slavery of the African?

But that is all forgotten as are rich histories of other countries that we re-arranged...

ganeil · 07-15-2008, 09:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by enfield

Don't feel like it - but thank you for the suggestion.

By the way - did you know that the US was built on the Genocide of the Native American and Slavery of the African?

Would you care to name a modern nation that does not exist on land once inhabited by others or practiced slavery?

dr335is · 07-15-2008, 09:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ganeil

Would you care to name a modern nation that does not exist on land once inhabited by others or practiced slavery?

I definitely did not expect such a dumb question from Ganeil...
Life's full of surprises...

07-11-2008, 01:53 PM	#1
scottwww Brigadier General Drives: 07 BMW 335i Cpe, 05 Mazda RX8 Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: USA Posts: 4,751 iTrader: (0)	An American Life Worth Less Today An American Life Worth Less Today By AP/SETH BORENSTEIN Thursday, Jul. 10, 2008 The "value of a statistical life" is $6.9 million in today's dollars, the Environmental Protection Agency reckoned in May — a drop of nearly $1 million from just five years ago. When drawing up regulations, government agencies put a value on human life and then weigh the costs versus the lifesaving benefits of a proposed rule. The less a life is worth to the government, the less the need for a regulation, such as tighter restrictions on pollution. Consider, for example, a hypothetical regulation that costs $18 billion to enforce but will prevent 2,500 deaths. At $7.8 million per person (the old figure), the lifesaving benefits outweigh the costs. But at $6.9 million per person, the rule costs more than the lives it saves, so it may not be adopted. Some environmentalists accuse the Bush administration of changing the value to avoid tougher rules — a charge the EPA denies. The EPA made the changes in two steps. First, in 2004, the agency cut the estimated value of a life by 8 %. Then, in a rule governing train and boat air pollution this May, the agency took away the normal adjustment for one year's inflation. Between the two changes, the value of a life fell 11 percent, based on today's dollar. In 2002, the EPA decided the value of elderly people was 38% less than that of people under 70. After the move became public, the agency reversed itself. __________________ 2007 BMW 335i E92, Montego Blue on Cream Beige, MT, ZSP, ZPP, CA, PDC, CWP and Style 188 for winter offTopic - politics - ChoppedPhoto
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07-11-2008, 03:42 PM	#2
Neurorad Major Drives: 330xi 6MT Blk/Blk SP Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Location, Location Posts: 1,208 iTrader: (0)	That's a lot of scratch.

07-11-2008, 05:36 PM	#3
enfield Civilian Drives: Range Rover Sport Supercharged Join Date: May 2007 Location: Ontario Posts: 926 iTrader: (0)	Just wait till the US attacks Iran and oil goes to $1000/barrel. A US life will be worth the same as an Iraqi life.