First Name | David |
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Last Name | Powers |
Email Address | katydidbug@gmail.com |
Affiliation | |
Subject | Pricing carbon is ecologically necessary and economically efficient |
Comment | Californians have lead the country in improving our bottom line by protecting the environment, so it's a lot to say that the state has reached a critical historical point with its effort to cut carbon pollution. I think it would be better to say that the efforts we've made so far, and the profits, have been leading up to this big change for decades. We've known that there was such a thing as too much atmospheric greenhouse gases. What we didn't know was that national governments would scandalously ignore their own science academies and leave the cleanup work for local governments to do. Fortunately we have the necessary experience. We know how to grow markets for green practices & products. We know how to set price signals to spur investment in cleaner equipment, safer procurement, and less waste. We know how to reach necessary high standards in progressive steps, and we know how to leap ahead when need & opportunity present. It's no wonder we voted so strongly in support of building a clean energy economy in California: in a time of difficultly, when so many of us are afraid or hurting, we're not the kind of people who walk away from a chance to make a big move forward. That said, because of the state's revenue shortfalls, and both federal & private investor reluctance, I think it would be wise to put that price on carbon pollution as soon as possible, by increasing the share of permits that are auctioned. That may sound counterintuitive to opponents of fast implementation, but the undeniable facts are that the cost of implementation is at a historic low, and new opportunities are more greatly needed now than at any time since the 1930s. Thank you. |
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Date and Time Comment Was Submitted | 2010-12-10 14:46:37 |
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