Bureaucratic Response to Performance Information: How Mandatory Information Disclosure Affects Environmental Inspections

Information disclosure has become a ubiquitous component of contemporary governance. This study examines how information about the performance regulated entities, which also implicates relevant government agencies, affects bureaucratic behaviors. In context Clean Air Act (CAA) — primary law that regulates air pollution in United States, this shows regulators significantly increased CAA regulatory inspections on facilities started to disclose public following requirements Toxics Release Inventory (TRI), is major environmental program States. Additional analyses suggest increase was because providing new instead mobilizing citizen actions. The findings entities can alleviate asymmetry between bureaucrats and accountability as well agencies.