The New York Times today publishes a huge investigative piece on the country’s failure to enforce clean water laws and the troubles that many endure from drinking chemically contaminated water.

It is not surprising to find Arkansas, and its laissez faire record on environmental regulation, doing worse than most.

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Be sure to check a state-by-state assessment of regulatory efforts. The on-line version doesn’t allow the ready comparison shown in the print edition. Only four states have a higher percentage of regulated sources of industrial waste out of compliance with clean water regulations. On a percentage basis — enforcement actions per hundred regulated facilities — we’re tied for 11th worst in the country on averages compiled annually 2004-07. Don’t you remember when industry, here and nationally, said we should trust its good citizens to voluntarily comply with regs; that overzealous regulation was bad for business? Tell that to the sick people with running sores from foul water.

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