Governments and public agencies face different challenges in regulatory compliance than their private counterparts.
A study from an Indiana University researcher is looking into why government agencies are less likely to comply with environmental regulations, as well as less likely to enforce rules when regulating other government agencies.
Researcher and IU associate professor David Konisky says the lack of compliance is due in part to the political and monetary issues public agencies face.
"The challenge is a little different for government agencies, who have a harder time raising the revenue they need perhaps to meet these standards. They have to go through a more political process," said Konisky.
But private firms facing regulatory compliance can simply raise prices to offset the cost of compliance.
It's more complicated for governments to do that.
"If a government agency feels like it is constrained in a way, where it can't meet these environmental obligations, they can pursue relief by contacting political officials, who may be able to influence the enforcement process," said Konisky.
Konsiky says more studies are needed to see whether the patterns his research uncovered exist in a wider variety of environmental regulations.