View Public Input on TCI-P

I am a Fairfax County resident working to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through the Countywide Energy and Climate Action Plan. It is critical that we all urgently work to reduce the biggest source of GHG emissions in our Commonwealth – transportation. TCI-P will help our county and all of Virginia improve air quality near roads and highways, lower health problems like asthma, lower healthcare costs and generate revenue for many environmental initiatives! This will particularly correct historic inequities in overburdened and underserved communities that are more greatly impacted by environmental pollution. We must have a vision to move toward a future using clean, renewable energy. TCI-P can help us do that.

I support a strong TCI-P Model Rule that (1) ensures meaningful climate action to address Virginia's largest driver of our climate crisis, (2) directs significant investments to correcting historic inequities in overburdened and underserved communities; and (3) affords Virginia the opportunity for a cleaner, healthier transportation system.

In addition, I call for the TCI-P Model Rule to include (1) a minimum investment amount to ensure overburdened and underserved communities in Virginia receive a greater-then-proportional share of investments from the program, (2) integration of air quality commitments across Virginia, and (3) robust empowerment of Virginia's Equity Advisory Body.

This is a wonderful idea and I hope a serious, effective program will be enacted. I hope the program managers use lessons learned from other similar “cap and trade” programs, which involve emissions allowances, in order to create an effective system that reduces emissions quickly and equitably. I also hope the program discourages the use of carbon offsets in which participants take credit for emissions reductions while actually not reducing emissions.

I hope the TCI-P Model Rule includes (1) a minimum investment amount to ensure overburdened and underserved communities in Virginia receive a greater-then-proportional share of investments from the program, (2) integration of air quality commitments across Virginia, and (3) robust empowerment of Virginia's Equity Advisory Body.

Thank you!

I do not have the background to understand the technical aspects of your draft model. However, I do feel that it is important to make known to the public the plans being incorporated in the various districts. This can be through church organizations, climate change groups, and those involved in civic review. I just received this request for input this afternoon from Virginia Interfaith Power and Light the last day of comment period, but the last day was to be April 1st. It appears to me that there needs to be better outreach to grassroots organizations. The LWV of Richmond Metro has a Transportation Committee that want to know about these efforts and could spread the word in the community. It seems to me that more needs to be planned in the outreach area if you truly want to have the underserved and overly burdened to be able to have a say in what is happening.

EDF respectfully offers the attached comments and recommendations for consideration to the Draft Model Rule of the Transportation and Climate Initiative Program. We appreciate your consideration of these comments.

Transportation emissions account for almost half of climate pollution in Vermont. In order to meet our requirements under the Global Warming Solutions Act, we must substantially decrease emissions in this sector.
One area where the TCI-P could be stronger is its emphasis on equity.
Governor Scott please Support an Equitable TCI-P

The proposal for Virginia to join this initiative presents a lose-lose situation for the state and its citizens. The transportation corridors in Virginia are some of the most heavily traveled on the East Coast and have NEVER been adequately maintained due to the political decision making at the Federal level, while the lifeline to the Federal government lies in the direct availability to Washington provided by Virginia's highways, which are maintained poorly with waning help from the area that benefits most from it.
There is a net negative benefit to Virginia's highway maintenance coffers with an almost infinitesimal reduction (0.000018 degrees Celsius) in the global temperature as a result. The cost of increased taxes levied on corporations will be passed on to consumers who will additionally pay higher energy costs. Virginia taxpayers lose all the way around.
Virginia should NOT join this fools errand.