Enforcement and Over-Compliance

Jay Shimshack and Michael Ward

No 706, Discussion Papers Series, Department of Economics, Tufts University from Department of Economics, Tufts University

Abstract: Economists generally view environmental enforcement as a tool to secure compliance with regulations. This paper demonstrates that credible enforcement significantly increases statutory overcompliance with regulations as well. We find that many plants with discharges typically below legally permitted levels reduce discharges further when regulators issue fines, even on other plants. Also, likely non-compliant plants often respond to sanctions by reducing discharges well beyond reductions required by law. Thus, increased enforcement generates substantial discharge reductions above and beyond those expected from simply deterring violations.

Keywords: Over-compliance; Fines; Compliance; Enforcement; Regulation; Pollution Policy (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: K42 Q53 Q58 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2007
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-env, nep-law and nep-reg
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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Journal Article: Enforcement and over-compliance (2008)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:tuf:tuftec:0706

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