Editors' Summary: One of the most serious tasks Americans face in the near future is electing a President to lead the nation into the 1990s. Environmental law and policy are heavily influenced by the decisions made by elected officials and their senior appointees, and environmental issues should command close attention as voters and opinion leaders approach the 1988 election.

The Environmental Law Reporter has invited several leading presidential candidates to present their views on environmental law and policy. This month, Pete du Pont emphasizes the need to consider whether the environmental laws enacted to deal with early environmental hazards are still the most appropriate instruments as the nature of the threats change. Some governmental programs, he observes, have created perverse incentives which have actually harmed the environment or increased cleanup costs. He suggests increased private stewardship of designated resources, and strict adherence to a "polluter-pays" approach to cleanup. Market incentives and the action of voluntary associations, he concludes, must be more fully integrated into management of the nation's environment.