CARB Piles On

Writing in the San Diego Union Tribune, Mchael Gardner looks at CARB's commitment to forging ahead with unprecedented global warming initiatives, which could mean more economic pain for businesses already feeling the crushing blow of the current recession.

In the past few weeks CARB has targeted everything from the production of microships to air conditioner maintenance. Now Gardner notes that:

"Among the measures under review: fees on gas-guzzling vehicles, taxes on energy producers, rebates for junking old refrigerators, automatic tire pressure checks during smog checks and oil changes, and cleaner fuels for home heating and cooling.

The agenda also includes the nation's first program to reduce the carbon content in transportation fuels, launching a business-friendly trading market for emission credits, and continuing the state's campaign to cut tailpipe emissions.

The 65 pending initiatives, when coupled with several others that have been adopted, could eliminate as much as 125 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions annually starting in 2020. With 33.5 million vehicles registered, the state estimates that cutting 1 million tons of emissions is equivalent to taking 200,000 cars off the road for a year. "

CARB responds to criticism that now is not the time by asking the disarmingly simple, but not necessarily welcome, question: "When is a good time?"

Air regulators show no letup in their war on emissions [San Diego Union Tribune]