Think-tank Book Reviews U.S. Pollution-control Progress

The U.S. has yet to address many pollution problems, posing a pressing need for a major overhaul of the country's regulatory system. So reports "Pollution Control in the United States: Evaluating the System," a March-released publication by Washington-based Resources for the Future (RFF).

The 336-page book documents the progress by the U.S. in controlling pollution during the last two decades. It describes and evaluates the nine major federal environmental laws under which the EPA controls air and water pollution, solid and hazardous wastes, pesticides, and toxic substances--plus a variety of other contaminants. It also scrutinizes the process through which the EPA and other agencies develop regulations, and the roles played by the states in environmental regulation.

The book's criteria for judging are whether the system has

• reduced pollution levels;
• targeted the most important problems;
• accomplished its goals efficiently;
• been responsive to a variety of social values;
• ranked favorably with the systems of other developed nations; and
• the substance to deal well with future problems.

The book concludes that, despite successes, the U.S. environmental regulatory system is flawed. The book criticizes the system for condoning disjointed micro-management and a non-unified vision of environmental problems or EPA's mission.

For a more description of the book, as well as the accomplishments and weaknesses of the U.S. pollution control system, go to http://www.rff.org/books/summaries/pollute_control.htm.