Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Does Decentralization Matter in Environmental Management?

Smith1

  • 1West Central Regional Office Virginia Department of Environmental Quality 3019 Peters Creek Rd., N.W. Roanoke, Virginia 24019, USA

Environmental Management
|February 18, 1998
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

FORUM: Enforcement Lessons from the Vienna Übahn.

Environmental management·1999
Same author

A High-Resolution Analysis of the nu3 and nu9 Absorption Bands of Difluoromethane.

Journal of molecular spectroscopy·1999
Same author

A Quantitative Method for Estimating Probable Public Costs of Hurricanes.

Environmental management·1999
Same author

Dynamic holographic imaging of the beating human heart

Circulation·1999
Same author

Dynamic holographic imaging of the beating human heart : february 9, 1999

Circulation·1999
Same author

Code Growth, Explicitly Defined Introns, and Alternative Selection Schemes.

Evolutionary computation·1999
Same journal

Social-ecological drivers of sustainable soil management in Ghana: farmer typologies and regional disparities.

Environmental management·2026
Same journal

Hydraulic Optimization of Shaft Hydropower Plant Intake Configurations Using 3D-CFD: the At-Bashy Case, Kyrgyzstan.

Environmental management·2026
Same journal

Co-producing Knowledge on Ecosystem Services: A Multidimensional Participatory Mapping Study in the Kat River Catchment, South Africa.

Environmental management·2026
Same journal

Development of Legal and Practical Framework for Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials (NORM) Management.

Environmental management·2026
Same journal

Integrating Community Perception, Climate Vulnerability Index, and Driver-Pressure-State-Impact-Response Approaches for Climate Risk Assessment of the Persepolis World Heritage Site.

Environmental management·2026
Same journal

How are Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) Revolutionizing Forest Operations? A Systematic Review of Current Applications and Future Opportunities.

Environmental management·2026
See all related articles

Decentralized National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) programs demonstrate superior efficiency and effectiveness in permit compliance compared to centralized ones. Local knowledge appears to be a key factor driving these positive outcomes in environmental regulation.

Area of Science:

  • Environmental Science and Policy
  • Public Administration
  • Environmental Law

Background:

  • The National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) regulates pollutant discharges into U.S. waters.
  • Program structure, centralized versus decentralized, may influence NPDES program efficiency and effectiveness.
  • Understanding factors driving compliance is crucial for environmental protection.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare the efficiency and effectiveness of centralized versus decentralized state NPDES programs.
  • To identify key mechanisms, such as local knowledge, that influence program outcomes.
  • To explore the impact of internal program adjustments on efficiency and effectiveness.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of questionnaires from 39 state NPDES agencies.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Application of principal component analysis and multiple regression.
  • Case studies of five selected states for in-depth analysis.

    • Main Results:

    • Decentralized NPDES programs showed significantly better efficiency (fewer expired permits) and effectiveness (lower unit-cost compliance).
    • Centralized programs did not outperform decentralized ones on any measured indicator.
    • Internal program adjustments may lead to convergence in outcomes regardless of centralization.

    Conclusions:

    • Decentralization, potentially driven by superior local knowledge, enhances NPDES program efficiency and effectiveness.
    • Environmental regulatory agencies may improve outcomes through strategic internal program adjustments.
    • Findings support theories linking local knowledge to better environmental compliance.