Seattle Times CCA “Basics”

 The Sunday Seattle Times Opinion Editorial “Cringeworthy Error in CCA Numbers Proves Need to Focus on Basics”, laments the Ecology Departments “mistakes”.  The Department of Ecology estimates the price of preventing a metric ton or climate pollution jumped from about $40 to $313 per ton. The editorial concluded “Washington must get the basics right and put politics as usual aside in favor of making the biggest gains in the shortest possible time.”

The editorial asks the question “Are the climate protections worth the cost?”.  Yet Washington’s climate benefits from the CCA’s carbon marketing fee is limited to the state only emitting 1.2% of the country’s CO2, 11% of planets, or ~0.12% of the total planet’s CO2 emissions.  That “benefit” is dwarfed by CO2 on the jet stream from China and its 30% of planet’s.

That “Getting the basics right” should include recognition CCA carbon allowance fees and future fees will deter less than half the future CO2 emissions. The 5 oil refiners in the state will pay for the 6.7 lbs of CO2 emission from refining crude oil into gas and transferring the gas to the fuel pump but no one will pay for the 20 lbs of CO2 emissions from burning the gas. in their vehicle.   Washington’s power companies will pay for the  CO2 emissions from burning natural gas to generate electricity.  But, except for those using natural gas for concrete,  those burning the natural gas won’t pay for the emissions.  

The bottom line is any Seattle Times “basic” should not be limited to some Ecology Department’s updated report on the cost of Washington’s  CCA’s CO2 emissions but to a recognition any benefits are limited by the state’s small impact on the planet's emissions and failure to impose fees on most of those emissions.