[philwelch]

Environmentalists do things like this sometimes for specifically that reason.

Another way of simply buying more environmental protection from the federal government is to purchase SO2 allowances at auction. The US government runs a “cap and trade” system for sulphur dioxide emissions where prospective SO2 emitters have to buy allowances at auction for the tonnage of SO2 they will emit. Environmentalists frequently buy a chunk of allowances and refuse to resell them, reducing emissions even more while raising costs for polluters.

[ChainOfFools]

Is this one of the strategies used by the Nature Conservancy?

[philwelch]

I don't know. The Acid Rain Retirement Fund is a nonprofit that primarily bids in the SO2 allowance market.

[0_gravitas]

I'm surprised they don't get eminent-domain'd, not that I think they should, but I feel like that would be a ripe target for something like that

[gruez]

But why would it be subject to eminent domain? The land still belongs to the federal government. I don't think you can seize a lease just because the government doesn't think you're making optimal use of it.

[gowld]

Yes it can.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kelo_v._City_of_New_London

[abj]

Wow this is unbelievable. Thanks for the link.

"The case arose in the context of condemnation by the city of New London, Connecticut, of privately owned real property, so that it could be used as part of a "comprehensive redevelopment plan." However, the private developer was unable to obtain financing and abandoned the redevelopment project, leaving the land as an _undeveloped empty lot._"