Southland

Second Air-Pollution Credit Auction: In trading predicted to be livelier than the first auction last July, Southern California businesses and environmental groups on Friday will buy and sell credits to let them emit specified amounts of air pollutants. Under the South Coast Air Quality Management District program, companies that emit less than their quota of pollution earn credits that they can then sell to other companies whose emissions exceed district standards. Environmentalists are also expected to attempt to buy credits this time, to lower pollution by “retiring” them. Since each year’s credits allow less pollution than the previous year’s, pollution throughout the South Coast air basin is lowered just as it is under conventional regulations.