The ever-vigilant David Roberts has a new essay up at Vox on SB 775:
The changes that SB 775 proposes for the state’s carbon trading program are dramatic — and, to my eyes, amazingly thoughtful. I know some environmental groups have reservations (on which more later), but in my opinion, if it passes in anything close to its current form, it will represent the most important advance in carbon-pricing policy in the US in a decade. Maybe ever. Yeah, really.
This has got to be the single nicest thing anyone will ever say about carbon pricing:
And for every Californian, it provides rising dividends that offset the pocketbook impacts of carbon prices. The higher the carbon price gets, the higher the dividend checks get (and the more fond recipients become of the program). And of course the whole state benefits from investments in clean energy RD&D.
It’s like some Hegelian synthesis of every proposal in carbon-pricing history!
But please don't ever use that phrase around Sacramento, Dave. You don't want the other climate policies picking on SB 775 for being the weird "Hegelian synthesis" kid.