Posted by
Aaron McLucas on Wednesday, May 21, 2008 10:48:55 AM
This is gonna hurt:
The Bay Area Air Quality Management District's board of directors was set to vote on new rules Wednesday that would impose fees on factories, power plants, oil refineries and other businesses that emit carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping gases.
If the board approves the plan, the agency, which regulates air pollution in the nine-county Bay Area, would be the first in the country to charge companies fees based on their greenhouse gas emissions, experts say. The new rules would take effect July 1.
The modest fee — 4.4 cents per ton of carbon dioxide — probably won't be enough to force companies to reduce their emissions, but backers say it sets an important precedent in combating climate change and could serve as a model for regional air districts nationwide.
4.4 cents! My God, they will put them out of business!
Seriously though, why bother? It will cost more to manage the system of collecting this stupid fee then they will take in from it.
Some are questioning thier authority to even impose this fee, but since everthing can be linked to global warming, the board is not
worried.
Bay Area district officials believe the agency has that authority because global warming is raising surface temperatures, which worsens air quality.
"We see a direct connection between the climate and air pollution," said Jack Broadbent, the district's executive director. "We believe think the changing climate is going to require effort on the federal, state and local level,"
Told you so! Since they 'believe/think it', then it is true!