ECONOMICS AND HEALTH-BASED ENVIRONMENTAL STANDARDS

Many federal laws dealing with environment, safety, and health contain language directing that certain kinds of standards be set on the basi s of health evidence alone. That is, economic considerations are not t o be taken into account in setting these standards. This paper present s arguments in defense of this position and then suggests why these ar guments are not convincing. In other words, it makes the case that reg ulators should strive to balance economic, health, and other considera tions for sensible policymaking.