Cheapening Value Of Human Life

A new Bush administration cost-benefit analysis tool could significantly change the way the government assesses and regulates environmental threats..

1 minute read

April 5, 2003, 11:00 AM PST

By Abhijeet Chavan @http://twitter.com/legalaidtech

The implications of discounting lives are quite significant. If, for example, the government decided the value of life is now worth less than a tenth of what is used to be, policymakers could decide to allow 10 times as many deaths from environmental pollution -- claiming the "benefits" were unchanged -- to keep costs down for industry. Such a review procedure could block federal agencies from adopting meaningful standards for a range of pollutants, and even set the stage for agencies to weaken effective environmental protections that are already in place.

Thanks to Michael Dudley

FULL STORY: Cheapening the Value Of Life: The Bush Administration's Death Discount

Tuesday, April 1, 2003 in Common Dreams

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