The Influence of Neoliberalism Upon Environmental Regulation in the U.S. and Chile.

Since its growth and popularization in the 1970's and 1980's, Neoliberalism has undermined efforts to regulate environmental contamination caused by corporations in United States and Chile. Under neoliberalist policies, when a corporation contaminates the environment, adequate environmental protection typically only occurs when the corporation involved can reap benefits from environmental compliance. When regulated corporations have little to gain, environmental policies fail to provide communities with long-term protection against contamination, or merely institute small scale, short-term solutions. This phenomenon will be illustrated by examining the parallel histories of the Bingham Canyon Copper Mine in Utah, and the El Salvador Copper Mine in Northern Chile. I will examine these mine's growth over the twentieth century and the contamination they disposed upon surrounding communities. Next, I will discuss landmark environmental policies that prompted these mines to begin remediating their pollution. Finally, I will explore how neoliberalism has impacted environmental remediation efforts both within these mining communities and the US and Chile as a whole. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]