Readers React: Tax carbon to prevent cheap oil from thwarting efforts to fight climate change

To the editor: Steve Yetiv claims that reduced oil prices are good for American and global economies, but bad news for the climate because consumers tend to use more gas when prices are low yet continue to resist increased fuel taxes. (“There is a downside to cheap oil. Really,” Opinion, Dec. 21)

There is a perfect solution for this problem. Instead of raising taxes, let’s levy a fee on fossil fuel extractors at their sources, and distribute the money raised to consumers via rebates. Rather than the fees going to government, they would be returned to the public.

Of course the oil and coal companies would raise their rates, but consumers and producers would have the incentive to move toward alternative energy sources. Everybody wins.

Margaret Baker Davis, La Verne

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To the editor: California motorists have just received their annual “bah humbug” from the state’s oil refiners. (“Average U.S. gasoline price falls below $2 for first time since 2009, but not so for L.A. area,” Dec. 21)

While the price of regular gas has plummeted to below $2 per gallon nationwide, we are paying almost 50% more here. This is due to an alleged 30% reduction in refining capacity, for which the industry trots out all the usual excuses: unplanned outages, routine maintenance and so on.

This is the same litany we’re given every year. When will our legislators and regulators finally act in the public’s interest instead of the oil refiners’?

Noel Johnson, Glendale

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To the editor: A few weeks ago, my wife and I noted that it was very nice to have reasonably low gas prices. Since then, gas prices at our local station have risen 20 cents in less than a week.

Is it an amazing coincidence that refinery issues occur whenever gas prices are reasonable?

Ivan Kass, Huntington Beach

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