This guidebook presents concepts and techniques that can be used to estimate monetary benefits for changes in visibility aesthetics resulting from alternative levels of air pollution control. There are several defensible methodologies that can be used to place a monetary value on visibility aesthetics. This guidebook focuses upon this one aspect of air quality analysis, which can be combined with other aspects, such as health damages of air pollution and costs of emission controls to producers, to assist in policy decision making relating to air quality management. This guidebook introduces these benefit estimation techniques in recognition of the EPA's need to provide technical support to those who must evaluate impacts related to clean air regulations and in recognition that improved benefit measurement will lead to more accurate benefit-cost analysis. Finally, documentation of the assumptions, strengths, and limitations of each method provides inexperienced users with some technical basis for interpreting the results of the various approaches.

EPA Project Officer: Tom Walton. "August, 1981." "EPA-450/5-81-001." "PB82-126129." Final Report. Prepared for United States Environmental Protection Agency Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards Economic Analysis Branch by Abt/west.