Two coal-burning electric power plants are emitting mercury which impairs cognitive development in children. Plant A's marginal abatement cost is MCA= 1.2q and plant B's marginal abatement cost is MCB = 0.3q. Each firm initially emits 50 units and the EPA would like to reduce total emissions to 40.   If the EPA follows a command-and-control policy and tells each firm to abate by the same amount, what will be the total costs?     If firms could trade permits, what would happen to total costs? Why?

ENGR.ECONOMIC ANALYSIS
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Chapter1: Making Economics Decisions
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  1. Two coal-burning electric power plants are emitting mercury which impairs cognitive development in children. Plant A's marginal abatement cost is MCA= 1.2q and plant B's marginal abatement cost is MCB = 0.3q. Each firm initially emits 50 units and the EPA would like to reduce total emissions to 40.

 

  1. If the EPA follows a command-and-control policy and tells each firm to abate by the same amount, what will be the total costs?

 

 

  1. If firms could trade permits, what would happen to total costs? Why?
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