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The federal government has fined the municipality of Centreville
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03 Feb 2024, 15:23
03 Feb 2024, 15:23
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Question Stats:
50% (02:08) correct
50%
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based on 202
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The federal government has fined the municipality of Centreville for not enforcing federal antipollution laws, which require local industries to buy expensive new pollution-control equipment. Centreville had not enforced these laws because the municipality feared that antagonizing local industries would cause them to relocate to other municipalities.
Which of the following, if true, indicates most strongly that Centreville had not been unreasonable in deciding not to enforce the antipollution laws?
A. Municipal sewage-treatment plants in general are ill equipped to handle industrial wastes, which contain both chemical and metal pollutants.
B. The antipollution laws require all industries to meet the same standards, regardless of the fact that compliance is far more difficult for some industries than for others.
C. The federal government consistently fines only a small fraction of the municipalities that have failed to enforce federal antipollution laws.
D. Several nearby municipalities have nonpolluting industries within their municipal boundaries.
E. For some polluting industries currently located in Centreville, the cost of relocating to another municipality would be prohibitively high because of new construction that would be required.
Which of the following, if true, indicates most strongly that Centreville had not been unreasonable in deciding not to enforce the antipollution laws?
A. Municipal sewage-treatment plants in general are ill equipped to handle industrial wastes, which contain both chemical and metal pollutants.
B. The antipollution laws require all industries to meet the same standards, regardless of the fact that compliance is far more difficult for some industries than for others.
C. The federal government consistently fines only a small fraction of the municipalities that have failed to enforce federal antipollution laws.
D. Several nearby municipalities have nonpolluting industries within their municipal boundaries.
E. For some polluting industries currently located in Centreville, the cost of relocating to another municipality would be prohibitively high because of new construction that would be required.
Tutor
Joined: 11 Aug 2023
Posts: 1033
Given Kudos: 90
GMAT 1: 800 Q51 V51
Re: The federal government has fined the municipality of Centreville
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03 Feb 2024, 16:52
03 Feb 2024, 16:52
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Expert Reply
The federal government has fined the municipality of Centreville for not enforcing federal antipollution laws, which require local industries to buy expensive new pollution-control equipment. Centreville had not enforced these laws because the municipality feared that antagonizing local industries would cause them to relocate to other municipalities.
We see that the passage presents some facts about what Centreville did and why.
Which of the following, if true, indicates most strongly that Centreville had not been unreasonable in deciding not to enforce the antipollution laws?
Reading the question stem, we see that the correct answer will support the following conclusion:
Centreville had not been unreasonable in deciding not to enforce the antipollution laws?
In other words, the correct answer will indicate that, even though the federal government has fined the municipality of Centreville for not enforcing federal antipollution laws, Centreville was reasonable in deciding not to enforce the laws.
A. Municipal sewage-treatment plants in general are ill equipped to handle industrial wastes, which contain both chemical and metal pollutants.
If anything, this choice goes the wrong way by providing a reason why Centreville should have enforced the laws.
After all, if it's true that municipal sewage-treatment plants are ill equipped to handle industrial wastes, then industries should buy their own pollution-control equipment so that they can handle wastes they produce.
Eliminate.
B. The antipollution laws require all industries to meet the same standards, regardless of the fact that compliance is far more difficult for some industries than for others.
This choice is a little tricky because it indicates that there is an issue with the laws, which is that they impact some industries more than others because some industries have more dififculty complying than others.
So, we could get the impression that Centreville was reasonable in deciding not to enforce the laws because they are unfair.
However, the passage mentions two things going on: Centreville was fined for not enforcing the laws, and Centreville did not enforce the laws because the municipality feared that antagonizing local industries would cause them to relocate to other municipalities.
So, here's the thing.
Other municipalities would be fined as well, and the laws would be just as unfair in other municipalities. So, Centreville wouldn't have to worry about industries relocating to other municipalities just because Centreville enforced unfair laws.
Eliminate.
C. The federal government consistently fines only a small fraction of the municipalities that have failed to enforce federal antipollution laws.
This choice is interesting.
If what this choice says is true, then, in general, municipalities, including Centreville, don't have to be particularly worried about being fined by the federal government for failing to enforce the laws.
So, we see that Centreville has more reason to be worried about antagonizing industries by enforcing the laws than about getting fined.
Also, we see that other municipalities are in the same situation. So, they probably won't enforce the laws.
Thus, Centreville had reason to believe that other industries would relocate to other municipalities if Centreville enforced the laws because Centreville had reason to believe that other municipalities would not enforce the laws.
Thus, given what this choice says, for the above reasons, we could argue that Centreville made a reasonable choice, or took a reasonable risk, in deciding not to enforce the laws.
So, this choice indicates that Centreville had not been unreasonable in deciding not to enforce the laws.
Keep.
D. Several nearby municipalities have nonpolluting industries within their municipal boundaries.
This choice has no effect on the conclusion that Centreville was not unreasonable in deciding not to enforce the laws.
After all, the fact that other municipaliities have nonpolluting industries doesn't mean that Centreville shouldn't enforce laws that require industries located in Centreville to buy pollution-control equipment. After all, that information doesn't mean that Centreville should have risked having to pay a fine or that Centreville should be concerned that polluting industries in Centerville will leave if antagonized.
Eliminate.
E. For some polluting industries currently located in Centreville, the cost of relocating to another municipality would be prohibitively high because of new construction that would be required.
This choice goes in the wrong direction.
After all, if twhat this choice says is true, then Centreville's concern that, if it enforced the laws, industries would relocate to other municipalities is baseless. After all, if "the cost of relocating to another municipality would be prohibitively high," then industries are almost certain not to relocate.
Thus, this choice shows that Centreville's deciding not to enforce the laws was unreasonable rather than reasonable.
Eliminate.
Correct answer:
We see that the passage presents some facts about what Centreville did and why.
Which of the following, if true, indicates most strongly that Centreville had not been unreasonable in deciding not to enforce the antipollution laws?
Reading the question stem, we see that the correct answer will support the following conclusion:
Centreville had not been unreasonable in deciding not to enforce the antipollution laws?
In other words, the correct answer will indicate that, even though the federal government has fined the municipality of Centreville for not enforcing federal antipollution laws, Centreville was reasonable in deciding not to enforce the laws.
A. Municipal sewage-treatment plants in general are ill equipped to handle industrial wastes, which contain both chemical and metal pollutants.
If anything, this choice goes the wrong way by providing a reason why Centreville should have enforced the laws.
After all, if it's true that municipal sewage-treatment plants are ill equipped to handle industrial wastes, then industries should buy their own pollution-control equipment so that they can handle wastes they produce.
Eliminate.
B. The antipollution laws require all industries to meet the same standards, regardless of the fact that compliance is far more difficult for some industries than for others.
This choice is a little tricky because it indicates that there is an issue with the laws, which is that they impact some industries more than others because some industries have more dififculty complying than others.
So, we could get the impression that Centreville was reasonable in deciding not to enforce the laws because they are unfair.
However, the passage mentions two things going on: Centreville was fined for not enforcing the laws, and Centreville did not enforce the laws because the municipality feared that antagonizing local industries would cause them to relocate to other municipalities.
So, here's the thing.
Other municipalities would be fined as well, and the laws would be just as unfair in other municipalities. So, Centreville wouldn't have to worry about industries relocating to other municipalities just because Centreville enforced unfair laws.
Eliminate.
C. The federal government consistently fines only a small fraction of the municipalities that have failed to enforce federal antipollution laws.
This choice is interesting.
If what this choice says is true, then, in general, municipalities, including Centreville, don't have to be particularly worried about being fined by the federal government for failing to enforce the laws.
So, we see that Centreville has more reason to be worried about antagonizing industries by enforcing the laws than about getting fined.
Also, we see that other municipalities are in the same situation. So, they probably won't enforce the laws.
Thus, Centreville had reason to believe that other industries would relocate to other municipalities if Centreville enforced the laws because Centreville had reason to believe that other municipalities would not enforce the laws.
Thus, given what this choice says, for the above reasons, we could argue that Centreville made a reasonable choice, or took a reasonable risk, in deciding not to enforce the laws.
So, this choice indicates that Centreville had not been unreasonable in deciding not to enforce the laws.
Keep.
D. Several nearby municipalities have nonpolluting industries within their municipal boundaries.
This choice has no effect on the conclusion that Centreville was not unreasonable in deciding not to enforce the laws.
After all, the fact that other municipaliities have nonpolluting industries doesn't mean that Centreville shouldn't enforce laws that require industries located in Centreville to buy pollution-control equipment. After all, that information doesn't mean that Centreville should have risked having to pay a fine or that Centreville should be concerned that polluting industries in Centerville will leave if antagonized.
Eliminate.
E. For some polluting industries currently located in Centreville, the cost of relocating to another municipality would be prohibitively high because of new construction that would be required.
This choice goes in the wrong direction.
After all, if twhat this choice says is true, then Centreville's concern that, if it enforced the laws, industries would relocate to other municipalities is baseless. After all, if "the cost of relocating to another municipality would be prohibitively high," then industries are almost certain not to relocate.
Thus, this choice shows that Centreville's deciding not to enforce the laws was unreasonable rather than reasonable.
Eliminate.
Correct answer:
General Discussion
GMAT Club Legend
Joined: 31 Jan 2020
Posts: 4477
Given Kudos: 16
The federal government has fined the municipality of Centreville
[#permalink]
04 Feb 2024, 03:55
04 Feb 2024, 03:55
The federal government has fined the municipality of Centreville for not enforcing federal antipollution laws, which require local industries to buy expensive new pollution-control equipment. Centreville had not enforced these laws because the municipality feared that antagonizing local industries would cause them to relocate to other municipalities.
Which of the following, if true, indicates most strongly that Centreville had not been unreasonable in deciding not to enforce the antipollution laws?
C. The federal government consistently fines only a small fraction of the municipalities that have failed to enforce federal antipollution laws.
Answer choice (C) is the answer. From an environmental standpoint this answer choice may not make sense. From a financial or economic standpoint, however, it may be easier to notice. Centreville probably gets money from these local industries through local taxes and probably significantly hire locally. Basically, they could be financially important to Centreville. If Centreville thought that the chances of being fined by the federal government are low, why would it want to do anything that could potentially push these companies out of the area? Imagine it was getting a $100,000 dollars a year from these companies and there was only a 1 percent chance it could be fined for not following a certain rule. From a financial standpoint, Centreville may have been willing to take that risk to keep things the same.
Which of the following, if true, indicates most strongly that Centreville had not been unreasonable in deciding not to enforce the antipollution laws?
C. The federal government consistently fines only a small fraction of the municipalities that have failed to enforce federal antipollution laws.
Answer choice (C) is the answer. From an environmental standpoint this answer choice may not make sense. From a financial or economic standpoint, however, it may be easier to notice. Centreville probably gets money from these local industries through local taxes and probably significantly hire locally. Basically, they could be financially important to Centreville. If Centreville thought that the chances of being fined by the federal government are low, why would it want to do anything that could potentially push these companies out of the area? Imagine it was getting a $100,000 dollars a year from these companies and there was only a 1 percent chance it could be fined for not following a certain rule. From a financial standpoint, Centreville may have been willing to take that risk to keep things the same.
