View Public Input on TCI-P

Hello. I support Virginia's adoption of the Transportation & Climate Initiative (TCI). Transportation is the largest contributor of carbon emissions in the Commonwealth. TCI provides the opportunity for all Virginian's to have a cleaner, healthier, more efficient, and more equitable transportation system. Feel free to contact me to further discuss how TCI can enable many ambitious projects to realize a better future for Virginia. Thank you.

Stuart Gardner

Virginia should not join TCI. It will impact average citizens, truckers and businesses alike. We can not afford to pay these suggested fuel prices.

Please, VA, do not join the TCI. As a long time Virginia tax pair, I don't want to see my taxes increase. But beyond that, there are people who are struggling in a pandemic right now where cents on the dollar at the pump means a meal for their children, or getting to work that day or not. Gas taxes are often associated with spending on corporate welfare, the last thing we need. So please do not join the TCI!

I am opposed to Virginia joining the TCI (Transportation Climate Initiative) for a number of reasons:
1) The technology for developing alternative, carbon-neutral energy sources has not reached a point where it is affordable, available and environmentally safe, and with regard to certain “sustainable” energy systems, will enrich the coffers of the CCP where at least 80% of solar panels are manufactured;
2) We have not learned the lesson of decimating the coal industry without having suitable energy source replacements or job training for conversion;
3) Virginia is attempting to restore its economic footing and presumably regain its ranking as one of the best states in which to do business – to attract new or transferring industry;
4) This will contribute significantly to inflation as the costs of everything that requires delivery will escalate dramatically, particularly what is delivered by the trucking industry;
5) This includes new or re-hab housing costs, which are already suffering from distribution delays;
6) This will affect the affordability of food – and hence will have dramatic effects on the nutrition and health of the American public, particularly those at the lower end of the economic spectrum (see in particular fruits and vegetables);
7) The disadvantage to rural citizens is immense – access to health care – even with telemedicine since broadband is certainly less available – access to employment, and access to life in general will be disproportionately affected;
8) The resultant increase in gas at the pump will disproportionately affect senior citizens – who suffer from more than enough isolation as it is – because they are on fixed incomes and not at an age where they can find or qualify for employment – and rural seniors are often in areas with minimal transportation alternatives as it is;
9) It will have the greatest impact on small businesses that can ill afford the related costs this entails and will throw a major wet blanket over entrepreneurial endeavors;
10) It will, I have no doubt, increase unemployment in Virginia – and the Commonwealth seems to be having a “slight” problem handling the unemployment claims we currently have.
I sincerely hope this is rejected – or at least tabled until technology actually makes it remotely feasible.
Kim Smith, Madison

Hello,
I am a business owner and environmentally minded resident of Vermont. I am also an EV driver and have been since 2014. Since I purchased my first EV 7 years ago I have seen the number of electric vehicle in Vermont increase substantially, yet the charging infrastructure has remained almost unchanged. How can the state claim to encourage EV ownership and use without providing the charging infrastructure to support that? Specifically, Level II chargers are good for park and ride and workplace locations only. Regular drivers need Level III chargers in locations near stores, restaurants or other facilities in order to make EV's a viable option. Level II chargers in easy to find locations with multiple chargers. This is what Tesla did from the beginning. The gas car companies that are producing the rest of the EV's on the road are apparently not interested in providing the charging infrastructure to support their products, so it must then fall to the state. Level III chargers. The state does not need to expend any more funds on Level II chargers. These are inexpensive and businesses can provide these as a courtesy to their employees. Level III chargers allow EV drivers the freedom and mobility to take longer trips and go more places without worrying about running out of charge. Level III chargers please, and at least 4 at each location. Thank you

I am opposed to VA joining the TCI. It will cost businesses and consumers too much at the gas pumps.

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. 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. Rapidly reducing carbon emissions from transportation through more robust public transit and multimodal options and conversion of vehicles to electric or zero-carbon fuels is essential to avoiding the worst consequences of the climate crisis.

In this time of extreme hardship for businesses and individuals due to COVID shutdowns and recession, it is hard to imagine any elected leader considering imposing additional hardship on consumers that ultimately bear all tax and regulatory burdens.

What the HELL are you doing to Virginians with this INANE "climate initiative"???? You are hurting the very people who WORK! You are accomplishing NOTHING -- CO2 is what plants need, and plants give us OXYGEN back. The Chinese are busy scarfing up all of the world's fossil fuels so that they will be the engines of the world -- while IDIOTS like you are starving us all.
We have: world-wide commodity shortages, increased production and raw material costs, , a stock market bubble, and an increase in monetary growth by 336 percent over the last 12 months… inflation is building rapidly… Soon no one will be able to afford ANYTHING let alone TRANSPORTATION.
WHY are you making Virginians suffer? HOW will this "save the planet"????? Are you INSANE??? (Answer: yes)
The elites who rule this country, and especially VIRGINIA, are stupid, selfish, careless, destructive and will cause world-wide suffering and devastation. This is how Hitler came to power. OH WAIT, HITLER IS ALREADY IN POWER.