Bureaucratic and Public Attitudes toward Environmental Regulation and the Economy

In: State and local government review: a journal of research and viewpoints on state and local government issues, Band 40, Heft 3, S. 139-149

Abstract

Environmental Regulation and its effect on the economy are of primary concern to public policymakers who are responsible for ensuring the protection of the environment. This study analyzes responses to surveys of senior-level officials working in state environmental agencies and the results of a nationally representative public opinion poll in order to explore the attitudes of these populations toward environmental regulation and the economy. The findings suggest that bureaucrats and the public generally agree on the appropriate level at which businesses should be regulated but differ in their understanding of the role of environmental regulation in industry investment decisions. Exploring such examples of attitudinal congruence can yield insight into the policy preferences of the public and the decisions of regulatory officials. Adapted from the source document.