TCI Regional Policy Design Stakeholder Submissions

As a Family Physician I am solidly in favor of having Virginia join the TCI. My patients will benefit from cleaner air resulting in fewer asthma attacks and fewer heart attacks. If if we build a multimodal transit system, my patients will benefit from being able to walk and ride bikes safely becoming more fit and less obese. It is imperative that we join both the Regional Green house Gas Initiative and the Transportation and Climate Initiative to ensure a livable world for our children.

I strongly support the Transportation and Climate Initiative TCI) because we have an urgent need to reduce our greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in order to slow the devastating impacts of climate change. Connecticut and other states have set goals and made some progress, but we cannot meet this challenge by working separately. The success of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) shows the power of regional cooperation.

Transportation is now the largest source of GHG in Connecticut, accounting for 43% of GHG emissions, most of this coming from non-diesel light vehicles, in other words, our cars! Each year, American passenger cars and trucks, through vehicle tailpipe and oil extraction and transport emissions, spew upwards of three trillion tons of carbon pollution into the air by burning about 121 billion gallons of gasoline. In Connecticut, GHG emissions have risen since 2012, mostly in the transportation sector, likely due to lower gas prices, increased driving and increased popularity of inefficient vehicles (e.g., SUVs). TCI would support a switch to plug-in electric vehicles (EVs), which require no gasoline and emit no tailpipe pollution, presents a critical opportunity to slash pollution, create American jobs, reduce oil dependence, and benefit our state and regional economies.

Sales of electric cars are growing every year, but we need more EV-friendly policies to encourage a faster transition to an electrified transportation system. I own a fully electric vehicle and can attest to the benefits and savings, however we needed to add a level 2 charger to our garage to make charging faster and convenient. Many people, apartment dwellers and renters, cannot make these kinds of modifications to their residence. Of course, initial expense is also a barrier to adopting EVs for residents, municipalities and businesses. We must act now to remove barriers and make electric vehicles less expensive and more convenient. Connecticut should ensure long term funding for our successful EV incentive program, expand EV charging infrastructure, and encourage electrification of public transportation, school bus fleets, trucks and ships.

TCI will help us achieve our clean transportation goals by working cooperatively and will create a large regional market resulting in cost savings. We can achieve success by working regionally through the TCI to set goals and implement a cap on CO2 emissions from transportation, and fund clean transportation efforts by limiting, pricing, and reducing carbon pollution from transportation fuels.

Greetings: I would like to say that we must have
a cap on carbon emissions of at least 25% by 2032 and an increase in the minimum investment in overburdened and underserved communities (>35%)
It would be fitting to use investments to promote active transportation: sidewalks, bicycle infrastructure, and high quality public transit.
Thank you for your attention.

Standards matter. We can improve air quality and our quality of life at the same time. Asthma effects every color, every age, etc. Reducing air pollution, benefits all living things.

Any additional taxes on gasoline, or any other tax, is ludicrous. The people of the state of Maine have been devastated by Janet mills and her spending with the intention of our pocketbooks paying her bills. This is fiscal irresponsibility and needs to stop.

Thank you for your practical, bipartisan work. I hope you will quickly develop and states will implement an ambitious plan to:
-- set a price high enough to drastically reduce emissions, relying on the latest science.
-- roll out the plan in a way that will build public (bipartisan, business, broad) support, with gradual implementation but an ambitious target (businesses and other people can adapt, but they need predictability).
-- build in a strong component of social equity so it doesn't hurt rural or low/moderate income people (e.g., rebating to all citizens equally, not just rebating in a way that those who use more fuel get more rebate - see citizensclimatelobby.org)

We must decongest our streets and detoxify our air. Our cities need more public transportation options. Most people in cities shouldn't have to need a personal vehicle.

I support all plans for Public Transportation to be expanded and decrease cars on our roads. I am a member of Vision Zero, Families For Safe Streets and Phila Bicycle Coalition.....We need to decrease dependence on oil.....and move to clean energy. I have asthma and the polluted air is a huge problem....I make every attempt to either bike, walk or use public transportation...

If we want a half decent world for our grandchildren to live in we must act to curb our emissions now. This is a great plan to start that work. So many of us in Maine have no option but to drive everywhere if we cannot walk because of distances to needed resources. This is a world challenge and breaking up into regions to find viable solutions seems to be a sensible way to proceed. I support this approach.