TCI Regional Policy Design Stakeholder Submissions

We know that reductions in emissions from the transportation sector are essential if we are to lower the threats posed by climate change. We also know that emissions reductions are considerably cheaper than suffering the increases in damages that inaction brings. Further we know that the longer we wait to lower those emissions, the higher the cost will be. As someone who has studied these kinds of systems for my entire career I know of no more cost-effective and fairer approach than this type of system. I look forward to reading the comments of those who propose an alternative system capable of achieving achieve similar emissions reductions that can be demonstrated to be both fairer and more cost-effective than this proposal.

Maine is fueled by tourism. Maine residents and visitors must drive there vehicles to go most places. Public transportation isn't a option here. Any increase in taxes on fuel only hurts residents and visitors alike.

Transportation is the country’s and region’s leading source of carbon emissions. The Transportation and Climate Initiative will help to clean this sector up, This program could help to create safe roads for biking and walking, more frequent and reliable public transportation, greater access to electric vehicles, and a more equitable system with cleaner transportation options for everyone in the region.

My hybrid automobile is my only usage of fossil fuels. (I have lived in fossil fuel free homes since 1980- my electricity is now powered by solar and heat is geothermal). I would like to switch to an electric vehicle if there was an affordable one that met my family's needs. In villages and cities, bike lanes are needed to make biking a safe and clean (and healthy) way to travel. With fewer gasoline and diesel vehicles on the road, the air would be cleaner for pedestrians and bikers to breathe. All around, I encourage New York and the other northeastern states to enact the TCI.

AFPM is a trade association representing high-tech American manufacturers of nearly 90% of U.S. supply of gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, other fuels and home heating oil, as well as nearly all the petrochemicals used as building blocks for thousands of vital products in daily life. AFPM members make modern life possible and keep America moving and growing as they meet the needs of our nation and local communities, strengthen economic and national security, and support more than three million American jobs.

Living in rural ME, needing a vehicle, increased gas prices would impede travel to doctors appointment in further communities and cause an already stretched budget to created more problems . Also, my husband still works full time as a carpenter and travels up to 60 miles for work in other communities. He has to have a full size truck to carry all his tools. I understand that Governor Mills wants and pledged to reduce the carbon footprint in ME but I don’t think these efforts will help if others surrounding us or the federal government doesn’t fund or try to do it too. I feel that attacking her constituents directly is not good and attacking big business who can afford it should be targeted. It’s hard enough to live in ME and she will be forcing more residents to look for other places to live if more taxes and increases are imposed on us.

Gas and fuel taxes are being compared to sin taxes. It is no sin to travel to work or heat your home nor is recreation. Our livelihood here in depends heavily on tourism. The sin is the added tax!

The people of Maine are concerned about the climate crisis and they want better options for their transportation needs. We also need to be investing in the development of solutions to the problems that are behind the climate crisis. And we are just plain out of time. We either get it right now or we can look forward to a planet that cannot sustain human life or any other life either. There's no where to go to escape the consequences that we're already beginning to see clearly. It's literally "now or never."

Please support Maine in developing low carbon transportation. Primarily, I believe we need increased passenger trains and all electric buses and cars. I fear that without rapid improvement in this and many other areas, we will face a climate emergency within 10 or 20 years, and our children's lives will be terribly harmed. Nothing is more important than this.