Does Self-Policing Help the Environment? EPA's Audit Policy and Hazardous Waste Compliance.” Forthcoming in Vermont Journal of Environmental Law

Abstract: EPA's Audit Policy is a voluntary self-policing program that reduces penalties for violations of environmental regulations. This paper examines the Audit Policy's effect on hazardous waste compliance using data for 9,500 facilities across the U.S. The analysis also considers the state audit and self-policing programs. Both federal and state policies appear to be combined with changes in inspection targeting. While there is little basis for any finding that the Audit Policy has decreased compliance, there is no strong evidence that it has increased compliance either. However, state audit and self-policing policies do appear to have significantly decreased the probability of violation