Central government limitations on local policy options for environmental protection

The advantages of centralized environmental policy-making are widely assumed, but a corrective may be overdue. Central government environmental policy limits local policy options in at least three ways: (1) through federal pre-emption imposing solutions on local government; (2) through federal mandating of policy for implementation by subnational government; or (3) through federal disincentives to local adoption of innovative solutions. These constraints are illustrated by policy controlling the disposal of high-level radioactive waste, hazardous waste, and solid waste, respectively. The constraining effect of central environmental policy is felt regardless of whether the formal structure of environmental rule-making and implementation is centralized or decentralized. The analysis suggests the need for greater flexibility and coordination in the geographic structuring of environmental policy-making.