BOB MONAGAN ALBERT J. LIPSON

CHIEF CONSULTANT TO THE
ASSEMBLY
445-4651

California Degislature

Assrubly General Research Conunitive

Room 320, STATE CAPITOL

December 19, 1969

Dr. Joshua Lederberg
Genetics Department
Stanford University
Stanford, California

Dear Doctor Lederberg:

Thanks for your note. I hope the following infor-
mation is useful to you:

l. Both Assemblyman Peter F. Schabarum (R. Covina)
and Senator John Nejedly (R. Contra Costa) have announced
plans to introduce legislation that would end leading of
gasoline. Schabarum is Chairman of the Assembly Subcom-
mittee on Air Pollution. His committee will come up with
a series of proposals to tighten air pollution control
legislation.

2. Assemblyman Victor Veysey (R. Brawley) has
announced plans to tax automobiles based upon the amount
of pollution produced. I'm not sure about the immediate
technological feasibility of implementing this proposal in-
asmuch as we apparently don't have a simple acceptable
device which measures exhaust emissions.

3. You ask why not tax lead in gas? It would seem
we would be better off to ban it. The auto industry now
supports this. If we tax it, it means in principle that it
is okay to pollute if you pay to do it. As to the principle,
I'd rather ban activities that should be banned and, if
justified, pay subsidies to those who suffer severe economic
consequences because of necessary prohibition in the public
interest.

4. I understand we have adopted some regulations
which tighten up on transportation of hazardous substance
and will send you the specifics as soon as I receive them.

Sincerely,
Albert J. Lipson

Chief Consultant
AJL:1lhs to the Assembly