Roger E. Meiners and Bruce Yandle

In the past, disputes regarding pollution were handled by the court system. Those found guilty of polluting were subject to strict penalties and thus many potential polluters took measures to avoid being sued. In the following viewpoint, Roger E. Meiners and Bruce Yandle argue that the fear of lawsuit was an effective deterrent to pollution. The authors believe that when pollution ceased to be a concern of the courts and was instead turned over to government agencies, the effectiveness of pollution control was diminished. In the authors’ opinion, a return to court- regulated pollution control would protect the environment and its residents better than any laws and regulations. Meiners is a professor of law and economics at the University of Texas in Arlington. Yandle is alumni professor of economics and legal...