TCI Regional Policy Design Stakeholder Submissions

I support this initiative 100%. The major avenue to reducing our carbon foot print is to have more transportation options beside a fossil fuel private vehicle. As a professional vocational rehabilitation counselor I also recognize the importance of bringing transportation options to people with disabilities and people living in rural areas that need reliable transportation to employment locations. Additionally, many youth are ready to live without cars but the public transportation system in our small cities and towns are not feasible options to get them to work and life events, grocery stores etc.

It's adding tax on me a guy who owns a small business which uses a vehicle to get around this isn't helping anyone except janet Mills feel warm and fuzzy follow the money she is lining her pockets enough is enough we are already in the worst business climate !!

It's exciting that Maine and other states are passing legislation to address pollution and climate change since there are stalls and roadblocks currently at the federal level. I am particularly interested in moving towards use of more electric cars and buses that could be powered by renewable energy sources such as solar and wind power. I'm happy that TCI is focusing on both reducing greenhouse gas emissions and helping with access to (public) transportation for underserved communities.

An increase in gas taxes will in turn increase the cost of transportation and goods to the consumer. This will hurt those of us on a fixed or minimal income.

Oppose Initiative to Ration and Eventually Ban Fossil Fuels in Virginia
Blossman Gas Inc of Gordonsville VA which employs 14 people is strongly opposed to the "framework for a draft regional policy proposal" which seeks to expropriate the fossil fuel industry. Over time this plan proposes to move Virginia from simple rationing and new taxes to the ultimate prohibition of fossil fuels.
• This plan does not assess the collateral damage it will inflict on state revenue, local tax collections, Virginia's Transportation Trust fund, and consumers.
• Many of the advocates of these policies support regulation to electrify transportation. Those advocates somehow forget to mention that a major component of batteries powering these vehicles is cobalt, 90 percent of which is mined in third world countries under unfavorable working conditions.
• As the number of electric vehicles grows, petroleum marketers will likely have to battle for a share of the electric vehicle charging market with utility companies that see EV charging as a new business opportunity without cost. When utility companies install charging stations, they may seek the ability to include that cost as part of their capital investment. When these costs are approved by governmental regulatory agencies, they can then be passed on to all ratepayers as part of their monthly electric bills.
• Another likely competitor under this scheme is the state government itself. This is not a concept, as just this past session the General Assembly passed legislation to allow the Departments of Conservation and Recreation, General Services, and Transportation to install electric chargers. Fortunately our association was able to narrow this initiative considerably by limiting the number of state agencies involved and mitigating the threat of unfair competition by requiring the state to sell the power at prevailing market rates including taxes.
• As a propane marketer I support a clean environment. There are many ways to achieve this without rationing. Incentivizing the sale of electric vehicles does nothing to meet your stated goals of "equity, environmental justice, and non-discrimination." As one example, the stated goals could be achieved far faster and cheaper via efforts to assist low-income Virginians to purchase more fuel efficient vehicles that meet current and future CAFÉ standards.
• History has proven that rationing followed by prohibition - the ultimate goal of TCI - has led to black markets, unregulated and untaxed sales, and undue burdens on law enforcement.
• The impact of these proposals will not be solely on propane businesses such as mine - what about the auto repair industry, muffler shops, service facilities at new car dealers, quick lubes etc.? What about agriculture, construction and watermen who will be forced to scrap present equipment or pay artificially high prices due to rationing? What about the consumer who will experience not only higher prices to operate their personal vehicles, but higher prices for consumer goods and services?
• Again, we oppose the TCI plan to ration, tax and ultimately eliminate fossil fuels.

• As the number of electric vehicles grows, petroleum marketers will likely have to battle for a share of the electric vehicle charging market with utility companies that see EV charging as a new business opportunity without cost. When utility companies install charging stations, they may seek the ability to include that cost as part of their capital investment. When these costs are approved by governmental regulatory agencies, they can then be passed on to all ratepayers as part of their monthly electric bills. I am against this Bill.

Kathy Small
540.832.0090