Question

Suppose that a government agency is trying to decide between two pollution reduction policy options. Under the permit option, 100 pollution permits would be sold, each allowing emission of one unit of pollution. Firms would be forced to shut down if they produced any units of pollution for which they did not hold a permit. Under the pollution tax option, firms would be taxed $250 for each unit of pollution emitted. The regulated firms all currently pollute and face varying costs of pollution reduction, though all face increasing marginal costs of pollution reduction. Suppose the permit policy is adopted.

Required:
1. A firm will be willing to pay the tax if $250 is less than or equal to __________.Select one:a. the cost of reducing its existing pollution by one unit.b. its marginal revenue.c. its average total cost of production.d. the average cost of eliminating one unit of pollution.

Answer 1

a. the cost of reducing it's existing pollution by one unit.

Step-by-step explanation:

Marginal cost refers to the addition to total cost when one more unit of output is produced. Marginal cost in the given case would refer to the additional cost incurred for reducing the current pollution level by one unit.

In the given case, a firm is charged $250 for each unit of pollution emitted under the pollution tax option.

It is also stated that all the firms experience increasing marginal costs of pollution reduction.

This means, as additional units of pollution are reduced, the additional costs would go on increasing.

If a firm finds that, reducing 1 unit of pollution from the current level costs it equal or more than $250, it will opt to pay $250 since, for each subsequent unit of pollution reduction, the additional costs would rise.