Comment Log Display

Greetings Chairwoman Nichols and Board Members:


   I am an energy management student at the wonderful
Environmental Studies Division of De Anza Community College, and an
Environmental Programs intern at the City of Morgan Hill.  I am
inspired by AB 32 legislation, and am committed to helping
California succeed in it's specified goals.  

   As you know, climate chaos due to human-caused actions
contributing to global warming may very well mean the end of our
lives as we know them on this beautiful planet.  Because California
is a sentinel for our country, and indeed the world, we need solid
and exact measures to ensure we meet AB 32 emissions reductions
requirements.  

   I am concerned that with a number of aspects to the the
proposed cap-and-trade program. First, a cap-and-trade program is
vulnerable to special interests manipulation which is often hard to
prove.  Entities can fudge accounting so that CO2 emissions
actually increase, even though reductions are claimed. Emissions
reductions results would be too hard to quantify, enforce, and
verify. 

   Although certain businesses would profit from the market
mechanism of cap-and-trade, the customer will pay more, while
getting less.  The Scoping Plan proposes that up to 49% of
emissions reductions will be allowed to take place from offsets. 
Much less innovation and alternatives would be encouraged with a
cap-and-trade program allowing offsets, than would with a carbon
tax.  Californian residents will also see less benefits as offsets
for California emissions are allowed to occur outside of the state.
 

As you know, many environmental and economic experts are in favor
of a carbon fee.  The IPCC estimates that in order to stabilize GHG
emissions at an acceptable level, a tax of around $50 for each
metric ton would be needed worldwide.  I believe a cap-and-fee
program would be a much better alternative and should be thoroughly
considered before California sets the precedent with measures which
are inadequate to get the job done.

Thank you for reading my comments! 

       -Jennifer De Lurgio