Unwatched Pollution: The Effect of Intermittent Monitoring on Air Quality
American Economic Review · 2021 · Volume 111 · Issue 7
Abstract
Intermittent monitoring of environmental standards may induce strategic changes in polluting activities. This paper documents local strategic responses to a cyclical, once-every-six-day air quality monitoring schedule under the federal Clean Air Act. Using satellite data of monitored areas, I show that air quality is significantly worse on unmonitored days. This effect is explained by short-term suppression of pollution on monitored days, especially during high-pollution periods when the city's noncompliance risk is high. Cities' use of air quality warnings increases on monitored days, which suggests local governments' role in coordinating emission reductions.
Keywords
Environmental, Energy, Health, and Safety Law, Air Pollution, Water Pollution, Noise, Hazardous Waste, Solid Waste, Recycling, Environmental Economics: Government Policy, Regional Economic Activity: Growth, Development, Environmental Issues, and Changes
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