Environmental Justice and Patterns of State Inspections

Abstract

Objective: This article analyzes state patterns of environmental inspections to determine if the government enforces environmental laws equitably. Methods: This article examines state inspections of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) nationwide from 2002 to 2011. It uses negative binomial regression models to test for disparities in levels of inspections at the county level. Results: Results indicate evidence of race-based disparities in levels of state inspections in counties with larger populations of African Americans. Results also suggest evidence of age-based disparities in levels of inspections, as well as disparities in socially disorganized counties. Conclusions: Although the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has addressed class-based disparities in levels of inspections of the RCRA, the findings indicate that the EPA should examine its inspection efforts based on age and structural characteristics of communities.