First 'Smog Fee' On New Development

"Convinced that sprawl begets smog, Central Valley air quality officials are expected today to become the first regulators in the nation to force builders to pay air pollution fees for new development.

...The idea is to prod builders to cut down on traffic in an area where huge growth, and the cars that come with it, have combined with factory farming to create some of America's dirtiest air.

The proposal for the San Joaquin Valley, the southern part of the Central Valley, is being closely watched by regulators around the country. It pits the building industry, which loathes the idea and fears that it may spread, against farm groups, the valley's other major industry."

Officials would give breaks to developers that built complexes and houses that limited car usage, and could waive the fee entirely if they build completely green.