Environmental Protection: Is it Bad for the Economy?

Author
Frank S. Arnold
Date Released
July 1999

This article reviews the evidence that can be brought to bear to verify or refute accusations that environmental regulation is too expensive, reduces economic growth, hurts international competitiveness, and causes widespread layoffs and plant closures.. In all cases, these assertions do not stand up to a careful examination of the facts. First, we do indeed spend a considerable amount on environmental protection, but not as much as we do on health care and national defense