Newsletters
HE Annual Letter 2025
Re-reading the seminal economic treatise from 1776, The Wealth of Nations, by Adam Smith, I reaffirmed my faith in the science of economics and the inevitable march of science itself. Contrary to conventional wisdom of the day, Mr. Smith explained how the mere acquisition of gold or silver by any nation would not advance the economy of that nation or the well-being of its citizens. Unfettered trade through connections among people and nations, he demonstrated, was the path to economic advancement. Over the centuries, this principle has guided many countries to great benefit.
HE Annual Letter 2023
“Believe nothing of what you hear and only half of what you see,” my friend once proclaimed to the 16-year-old me a millennia ago. This sounded like a classic, rural skepticism and unfitting for the coming information age. Well, we have now experienced a heavy dose of the information age, and it would appear my smart aleck friend was right.
Broadly speaking, the media in all its forms has inundated us with sensationalized news about this and that, and politicians of all stripes, entertainers and influencers alike have benefited from our attention to it all. Many of us have, unfortunately, accepted so much of these apocalyptic messages that it has left us distraught, suspicious of our fellow man, and overall feeling pessimistic.
What’s New
Northwest Colorado Council of Governments: Water and the Headwaters Economy, Colorado
Working with the Northwest Colorado Council of Governments (NWCCOG), Harvey Economics (HE) prepared a study focusing on the role of water in the economies of six Colorado River Basin headwaters counties. HE developed an understanding of how water resources have changed in the west slope over the last decade (i.e. water availability, streamflows, temperature, other quality aspects) and the influence of those changes on water-related economic sectors (i.e. recreation, agriculture, municipal use, hydropower). HE addressed the extent to which changes in water resources drive changes in economic or social conditions, and inversely, how economic and social conditions drive changes in water resources.
Kentucky Public Service Commission: Utility Scale Solar Facility Evaluations, Kentucky
Harvey Economics (HE) has an on-going contract with the Kentucky Public Service Commission to complete evaluations of impacts for proposed utility-scale solar facilities across the Commonwealth of Kentucky. These facilities are mainly proposed for rural areas, typically on agricultural land or land previously used for mining activity. HE considers a broad range of potential effects from construction and operational activities, including local economic benefits (jobs, tax revenues), visual impacts, property value changes, changes in agricultural activity, noise levels, and traffic volumes. To date, HE has completed almost 20 evaluations for facilities ranging from 50 MW to 200 MW.
Leaburg Hydroelectric Project Triple Bottom Line Analysis, Oregon
The Eugene Water and Electric Board (EWEB) owns and operates the Leaburg-Walterville Hydroelectric Project on the McKenzie River, located about 20 miles east of the City of Eugene, OR. Although separate projects with separate facilities, the Leaburg and Walterville Projects are operated under a single FERC operating license for the purpose of providing baseload hydroelectric generation for the utility. The canal systems also provide recreational opportunities and other benefits to the local community. The Leaburg Project was completed in the early 1930s and includes the Leaburg Dam and Lake, fish ladder, canal, bridges, forebay, penstock, power plant, substation and other infrastructure. In late 2018, EWEB dewatered the canal and ceased power generation at the Leaburg Powerhouse due to observations of increased seepage and internal erosion of canal embankments.
Together, EWEB and the consultant team developed a series of alternative actions, ranging from decommissioning to a full return to service. Harvey Economics’ (HE) responsibility focused on development of a Triple Bottom Line (TBL) analysis, identifying and quantifying to the extent possible, the economic, environmental and social benefits and costs associated with each alternative.
HE worked with EWEB subject matter experts and other Project consultants to gather information about specific alternative impacts and the relative importance of each component for decision-making. The TBL analysis incorporated resource scoring and weighting into the final comparison of alternatives.
Economic components of the TBL focused on items such as construction costs, on-going O&M costs, revenues from power generation, impacts to ratepayers and future price uncertainties. Environmental components addressed resources such as water quality, aquatic resources, carbon footprint, wetlands, and terrestrial habitat. Social components included public safety, recreational amenities, local economic activity, historic preservation, surface water and groundwater availability to residents, property values, aesthetics, wildlife response and mitigation, property values, transportation networks and noise levels.
White Mountain Apache Tribe Cibecue Creek Irrigation Project - Watershed Plan and EA, Arizona
Harvey Economics (HE) has a long and cherished history of working with Tribal entities. Some projects include feasibility studies for a tribal run laundromat and a cement batch plant, helping negotiate a hydroelectric pump storage project, and working with the Inter-Tribal Council of Arizona. Currently, HE is working with the White Mountain Apache Tribe to evaluate the costs and benefits of irrigation infrastructure rehabilitation and other watershed improvements in the Cibecue area of the Fort Apache Reservation. Infrastructure improvements, including maintenance of headgates and ditches, would allow formerly irrigated lands to once again be put into agricultural production. HE’s work is focused on economic feasibility of the structural improvements and the resulting socioeconomic benefits to the community. An ecosystem services approach to benefits evaluation identified a comprehensive suite of economic, environmental and social benefits. This work will be incorporated into a comprehensive watershed plan and Environmental Assessment led by the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS).