Regulations provide the basic environmental standards that industry is required to follow. Without environmental regulations, the industry would not be able to meet the same standards on its own. Environmental regulations may not always be in the best interests of the industry due to their costly and sometimes prohibitive nature. In response to these concerns, the establishment of incentive programs increases the likelihood that the industry will meet and potentially exceed minimum environmental standards. Incentive programs motivate industry to meet and exceed environmental standards by allowing them to reap financial benefits by aiming for above-regulatory results