The state of Michigan is considering a bill that would ban the use of road salt on highways and bridges during icy conditions. Road salt is known to be toxic, costly, corrosive, and caustic. Chevron Chemical Company produces a calcium magnesium acetate (CMA) deicer and sells it for $600 a ton as Ice-B-Gon. Road salts, by contrast, sold for an average of $14 a ton. Michigan needs about 600,000 a tons of road salt each year. (The state spent $9.2 million on road salt annually.) Chevron estimates that each ton of salt on the road costs $650 in highway corrosion, $525 in rust on vehicles, $150 in corrosion to utility lines, and $100 in damages to water supplies, for a total of $1,425. Unknown salt damage to vegetation and soil surrounding areas of highways has occurred. Michigan would ban road salt (at least on expensive steel bridges or near sensitive lakes) if state studies support Chevron's cost claims.
(a) What would be the users' benefits and sponsor's costs if a complete ban on road salt were imposed in Michigan?
(b) How would you go about determining the salt damages (in dollars) to vegetation and soil?