Idaho lawmakers award potential polluters a major voice in setting clean water standards.

The backbone of the report, said MacGregor, was the "the principle that the polluter, or potential polluter, should pay... The government endorses this approach."

The task of monitoring hundreds of thousands of potential polluters nationwide is clearly beyond Washington's ability.

By diffusing authority, the act effectively makes potential polluters their own watchdogs.

It would be quite wrong to expect society to pay potential polluters (minerals companies) hundred of millions of pounds to compensate them for not damaging the environment.

It also monitors compliance of potential polluters on the basis of the Sewerage and Drainage Act.

"Let Steve's appointment send a message to all potential polluters, large or small, that they will pay for their actions," Mr. Florio said.

Virtual markets can be created either with regards to quantities of water to be used/abstracted or levels of pollution conceded to potential polluters.

The most effective form of prevention is to ensure that any potential polluter is made liable to extremely heavy financial penalties.

If the health of citizens is put at risk, then political debate is pointless and the authorities must take action against the potential polluter.