TCI Regional Policy Design Stakeholder Submissions

It is a great first step in cooperation and recognizing the importance of reducing carbon emissions.

I ask for:

A cap on carbon emissions of at least 25% by 2032
An increase in the minimum investment in overburdened and underserved communities (>35%)
Request that investments be put towards active transportation like better sidewalks, bicycle infrastructure, and high quality public transit

According to a recently released study by Harvard and other institutions, if the program is designed appropriately, up to 1,100 lives can be saved annually, and the region could see $11 billion in health benefits each year.

Transportation is the number one source of climate pollution in the United States. That means it's time to totally reimagine the way that we transport people and goods.

The states of Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, and the city of Washington, D.C., are working on a groundbreaking policy to modernize the transportation sector under the Transportation and Climate Initiative.

In order for this regional plan to work, governors of these states and the mayor of Washington, D.C., must ensure that this transportation plan is bold enough to cut harmful transportation pollution at the scale needed to avert the climate crisis. We need a plan that holds large transportation polluters accountable for the pollution they create and invests in clean transportation solutions including:

More public transit and electric vehicle infrastructure in rural areas
Expansion of commuter rail, electric vehicles, and streets in the suburbs that are safe, walkable, and bikeable
Sustainable and equitable housing near transit and electric bus fleets in urban communities

I live in Bedford, VA, that does not currently provide options for public transportation. I am a senior citizen with a medical condition that may not allow me the privilege of driving a personal vehicle for the rest of my life even though I may be able to continue to live reasonably independently with some occasional assistance. Having access to public transportation would enable me to continue to do what I need to do as well as improve the quality of life for the planet and all of its inhabitants. I totally support the effort to provide an Amtrak train station here in Bedford as well as providing public transportation in some other form that will permit individuals of all physical capabilities to travel throughout the Town / County of Bedford as well as the surrounding region including Lynchburg and Roanoke.

Raising gas prices is cruel and unusual punishment for having to drive! Maine is a rural state and we have to drive to go anywhere. This is not going to do anything for climate control! Do not raise the gas tax!

Our transportation system is stuck in the dark ages. Traffic congestion from millions of cars and trucks are polluting our lungs and planet more than ever before. But as we enter this new decade, we have an opportunity modernize how we get from point A to point B. Request that your state formally join the plan to reduce emissions. We need a policy that has a strong component of equity by prioritizing clean investments in areas overburdened by pollution and/or for those who don't have access.

Maine should use TCI as an opportunity to invest in local transportation solutions that help Maine people get to where they need to go in an affordable way that’s good for our environment.
Mainers deserve creative new choices and new investments to meet our transportation needs; the one thing we know is that pouring pollution into the atmosphere and sending our hard-earned money out of state for the oil that causes that pollution are NOT the way forward.

It's high time we get serious about saving this planet. Transportation can be made cleaner with a little vision, courage and determination. It can wait no longer!

We need a strong Transportation Climate Initiative. According to a recently released study by Harvard and other institutions, if the program is designed appropriately, up to 1,100 lives can be saved annually, and the region could see $11 billion in health benefits each year.

Please include;
1. A cap on carbon emissions of at least 25% by 2032
2. An increase in the minimum investment in overburdened and underserved communities (>35%)
3. Investments put towards active transportation like better sidewalks, bicycle infrastructure, and high quality public transit

Thank you.

I travel from mid-coast Maine to Bangor and Boston regularly, and occasionally to New York City to visit family. I usually travel by Concord Trailways. I do not own an electric car because there is not yet a model with AWD that is affordable. But I would very happily take an electric bus and willingly pay extra for it and arrange my schedule to fit its ride schedule if it existed. If these options are made available, people will use them and we will at least make a dent in the regional transportation sector's contribution to Greenhouse Gas emissions.
Much more could be done to reduce those emissions if there were better freight rail service.