Air rules are over the top
By Bruce Fry, SJFB President
I found two articles in The Stockton Record over the last couple of days that I want to comment on: “Cap and trade programs gets passing grade” and “Proposal to increase no-burn days.”
First, let me start on the “Cap & Trade” article. The Air Resources Board [Mary Nichols, Chair] are CAPping carbon emissions and TRADEing credits so the business that “pollute” can be carbon neutral. There was an “auction” held in November to buy the credits [$10.09 per allowance] for these businesses in California which are over their “allowance” of carbon emissions.
They said it was a “success” and an “important milestone” and “putting a price on carbon.” They sold 23.1 million allowances or according to my Cal Poly math, that works up to $230 million worth.
I guess it was all of these descriptors if you feel that extracting more money from Californian business makes the ARB feel better. This is another government money grab. By taking more money from the job creators of this state inhibits expansion of jobs and employee benefits. Nice going ARB, you are successful again! Say bye bye to any economic recovery California!
OK, next article… I’ll I have to say is BAH HUM BUG! There is nothing like sitting around a nice wood fire during Thanksgiving or Christmas enjoying family and friends. Now the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District [SJVAPCD] wants to make a new “rule” and take away more burn days. Stated in the article, they would like to increase no burn days from 18 to 47 each winter in San JoaquinCounty to help reduce particulate pollution since we are in the “Valley Bowl.”
Again, like I have said in several of my previous articles, the air pollution problem are cars driving or should I say idling up and down the “The 99” and “The 5,” not wood-burning fireplaces in our homes. So fix and expand our roadways so there will not be any more cars idling on the roadways. We must do our part to protect our environment, but come on! Merry Christmas SJVAPCD, I’m going to put a lump of coal in your stocking.
Now I’m off to the California Farm Bureau Federation’s 94th Annual Meeting being held in PasadenaDec. 1-5, 2012. All the delegates from all 53 counties [135 total, four from San Joaquin] will be discussing and voting on the delegate floor on all the TBR’s [tentative basic resolutions] or policy changes as I discussed last month. We will also hear from our CFBF President Paul Wenger’s goals for the upcoming year for California agriculture and we will also here from former USDA Secretary Ann Veneman. It should be another good meeting.
Finally, and most importantly… I hope all of you, your family and friends have a safe and MERRY CHRISTMAS and a HAPPY NEW YEAR.