Comment Log Display

I would like to thank state officials for taking global warming
seriously and developing a plan to reduce global warming pollution
while at the same time creating jobs and making California a
healthier and more prosperous place to live. The proposed program
will decrease global warming emissions from the state’s largest
polluters and establish a market price on these emissions. This
program is one of many policies CARB is using to reach the state’s
goal of reducing global warming emissions to 1990 levels by 2020,
along with renewable energy, energy efficiency, and cleaner
transportation standards.

Note that parts of the proposal are strong, such as setting a limit
that declines each year, and setting a minimum price on carbon
pollution. This steady price signal will help businesses make
long-term investments in strategies to reduce global warming
emissions. Yet I recommend that the program be strengthened by
requiring more of the state’s largest polluters to pay for their
global warming emissions instead of giving permits away for free.
By forcing polluters to pay for the emissions they generate by
purchasing permits in an auction, we can then re-invest the auction
funds into efforts that will help us transition to a cleaner
economy and help lower energy costs for Californians—such as making
homes and businesses more energy efficient, increasing public
transit options, and developing wind and solar projects in
California.