Save the planet! Collect more money!

I am going to make this very easy for those of you who think that this “we have to stop global warming” is more for the future of the earth, rather than a way to just raise revenue. Just read this story below and you will see how bad off that the nut jobs in near broke California really are.

Pollution board considers global warming fees
By Denis Cuff/MediaNews Group
Article Launched: 05/19/2008 06:54:33 AM PDT
Environmentalists and regulators say the Bay Area's air pollution district is taking an important first step toward saving the Earth by proposing to charge businesses for global warming gases they emit.
Oil refineries say the agency is threatening to set a bad precedent that could lead to a patchwork of local fees and rules that could disrupt state efforts against global climate change. Those conflicting views move to center stage Wednesday when the Bay Area's air pollution board considers what is thought to be the nation's first pollution fee aimed expressly at global-warming gases from oil refineries, power plants, factories, gas stations, bakeries and other businesses.
The annual fee - up to $190,000 for a large oil refinery such as Valero in Benicia, $85 for a large bakery, and $1 for a service station - would pay for district efforts to estimate and study sources of global warming gases, and consider ways to reduce them. The biggest fees would be imposed on the biggest emitters of carbon dioxide, a global warming gas from fossil fuel combustion.
"I think the best place to institute strong policy is at the federal level, but we do not have leadership from the Bush administration on global warming," said John Gioia, a member of the Bay Area Air Quality Management District board.
An industry trade group representing five oil refineries in the region contends that the local intervention could confuse and disrupt the California Air Resources Board's efforts to Advertisement Avery Greene Motors carry out an historic 2006 state law to reduce global warming gases by 25 percent by 2020. "We're committed to working with the state on a thoughtful program to address climate change," said Tupper Hall, spokesman for the Western States Petroleum Association. "What's troubling is if (the Bay Area proposal) leads to a patchwork of local programs with their own fees and goals. It's very hard for the state to meet its goals, and this could make it more difficult." The petroleum association questions whether the Bay Area pollution board - 22 county supervisors and members of city councils - has clear authority to raise the fees. Hall also said the group worries that any new fee imposed on gasoline refineries could lead to higher prices for gasoline, already near $4 a gallon. The five refineries in the trade association include Chevron in Richmond, Shell in Martinez, Tesoro between Martinez and north Concord, Conoco-Phillips in Rodeo, and Valero in Benicia. Jack Broadbent, the air district's chief executive officer, said oil refiners would pay the largest share of the proposed fees because they are the largest carbon dioxide emitters. The district would collect $1.1 million in greenhouse gas fees annually from 2,500 Bay Area businesses that already have district permits and pay fees for emissions of other pollutants, such as smog-forming reactive gases. Nearly two-thirds of the businesses would pay less than $1 per year, according to a district report. About 850 would pay $1 or more. Five oil refineries and the two power plants in Antioch and Pittsburg each would pay in excess of $50,000 because of their large carbon dioxide emissions from burning fuel.
"The fees are very modest," Broadbent said. "Tackling climate change is a big challenge. We need the combined efforts of federal, state and local agencies."

Now you will have to ask yourselves the question “what is this going to cost me”, and by that I mean you the consumer. I can guarantee you that these businesses are not going to dig deep into their pockets and pay these fees, you know our of the kindness of their heart. These fees that will be assessed to them will be passed onto you in the form of increased prices, for example, increase gasoline prices, increased utility bills to cover the cost of electricity to your home. We are so stupid if we think that we will never see an increase in the cost of business if this goes into effect. Did you not also see the part that stated that the money collected will go to research that “would pay for district efforts to estimate and study sources of global warming gases, and consider ways to reduce them.” This is code for there are some people who need some money to waste so that they can make themselves important. The only “gases” that we should worry about, are those coming from the politicians and others that are proposing this waste of other peoples money.
I am still waiting for the day when they will start charging everybody for the CO2 that we exhale as a NATURAL process of life. You know someone has thought about it and actually considered it!