What laws, processes, and institutions exist to protect the American environment? To what degree do they succeed, and where do they fall short? This important new book concisely describes and evaluates America's pollution control system. It concludes, "For all its accomplishments... the pollution control regulatory system is deeply and fundamentally flawed."The authors, analysts with RFF's Center for Risk Management, examine the fragmented tangle of statutes, regulatory bodies, and programs designed to control environmental degradation in the United States. CRM Director Davies and Mazurek employ carefully chosen criteria such as pollution reduction, economic efficiency, and responsiveness to social values in order to judge the effectiveness of the various instruments -- and the system as a whole -- in protecting the environment. Their description of the system is concise and clear, and their selection of criteria is an important contribution to program evaluation. The book also compares U.S. performance with that of other countries. The authors' goal is a critical understanding of pollution regulation in the United States, thus laying the groundwork for improving it.Regulating Pollution emerges from a major research project undertaken by RFF's Center for Risk Management with support from the Andrew W. Mellon and Smith Richardson foundations. The three-year project constitutes the first in-depth, systematic evaluation of U.S. pollution control efforts.

Regulating Pollution: Does the U.S. System Work? (RFF Press)

Science & Math

Davies, Professor J. Clarence

Mazurek, Professor Jan

Earth Sciences

RFF Press

This important new volume emerges from the most extensive evaluation of American pollution control ever undertaken. The authors provide authoritative analysis of how our efforts are succeeding and how they are lacking. This is crucial reading for concerned citizens, scholars, and students, and of course policymakers as new environmental, political, and economic realities reshape pollution issuesThe authors present a clear and detailed description of the pollution control regulatory "system," a complex tangle of conflicted institutions, procedures, and intentions. Examining the character and functioning of the federal Environmental Protection Agency, which is at the center of the system, the authors pinpoint the system's goals and consider which of its priorities are appropriate. While acknowledging the successes of American pollution control in recent decades, the report finds the current system to be seriously flawed and misguided in important ways. Many of the problems can be traced to the structure of the system, a fact that buttresses the case for a more integrated approachDavies and Mazurek tackle the daunting task of evaluating the system, measuring it against meaningful and wide-ranging criteria. They assess the its effectiveness in reducing and controlling pollution, as well as its efficiency in pursuing those tasks. To what degree is the system accomplishing the purposes specified in legislation and regulation? The authors employ monitoring and other data to address that question. And are those the most appropriate goals, or does the system address lesser risks at the expense of more important concerns?The book uses comparative risk analysis to examine that crucial issue.The authors assess the system's efficiency in many dimensions. For example, are its programs cost-effective? How do their benefits compare to the costs? What are the effects on international competitiveness? How does U.S. pollution control fare regarding societal concerns, such as equity and intrusiveness? Those important considerations, often overlooked, receive full attention here, as they are important factors in a program's success and survival. The authors also examine the role and extent of public involvement in the environmental policymaking process. Pollution Control in the United States judges how the American system stacks up against those of other nations, thus providing a useful comparative perspective. In a particularly innovative chapter, the authors consider how well equipped the U.S. system is to meet its likely future challenges. They conclude with some guiding principles for improvement.

Pollution Control in the United States: Evaluating the System (RFF Press)

Biological Sciences

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Mazurek, Professor Jan. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by Mazurek, Professor Jan