What do we really know? The effect of reporting thresholds on inferences using environmental right-to-know data

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Bennear, Lori S.
• 署名单位: Duke University
• 刊物名称: REGULATION & GOVERNANCE
• ISSN/ISSBN: 1748-5983
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1748-5991.2008.00042.x
• 发表日期: 2008
• 页码: 293-315
• 关键词: RELEASE INVENTORY; toxic releases; INFORMATION; pollution; program; demographics; performance; disclosure; addiction; ISO-14001

摘要

Environmental right-to-know regulations require regulated entities to publicly disclose measures of environmental performance but exempt entities from these disclosure requirements if they manufacture, process, or use a chemical below some threshold level. Environmental right-to-know data are widely used to assess environmental performance by academics, regulators, non-profit organizations, and the public. This paper uses data from Massachusetts to estimate the effect of reporting thresholds in environmental right-to-know programs on the validity of inferences using data from these programs. The analysis indicates that errors in inference introduced by reporting thresholds may be significant. Up to 40% of the observed decline in reported toxic releases in Massachusetts may be attributed to non-reporting due to the reporting thresholds. In addition, quartile rankings of facilities may be in error up to 45% of the time when behavior around the reporting thresholds is not taken into account.