Consider cost while cleaning air

Re “Cap-and-trade rules,” editorial, Oct. 1

Your editorial regarding using markets to reduce greenhouse emissions was right, in that the state does need to develop well-designed markets.

But the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power has estimated that the so-called auctions program championed in the editorial would increase electricity costs by $700 million for its customers.

Further, the auctions system would impose billions of dollars in hidden taxes on California’s existing businesses, which could drive jobs and business out of the state.

The suggestion to limit offsets is also counterproductive because offsets, which are recognized in the Kyoto Protocol, would reliably reduce greenhouse-gas emissions while saving consumers billions of dollars and saving 300,000 jobs.

Before embracing auctions or discouraging the use of offsets, we should seriously consider minimizing the costs of achieving greenhouse-gas reductions -- especially in this economy.

Shelly Sullivan

Sacramento

The writer is executive director of the AB 32 Implementation Group.