TCI Regional Policy Design Stakeholder Submissions

I attach the PDF file of my response since it failed to upload yesterday (5/28) after many attempts. Please attach this to my response from yesterday. Thanks.

I applaud the members of TCI for working together to price carbon on transportation. I believe that global warming is the most important problem to address right now, affecting, as it does, the continued existence of our planet and humans' ability to remain on it.
The price you put on carbon must be high enough to reduce emissions successfully, but it must include subsidies for low-income people and those in rural areas so that the burden of the higher fuel cost is equitably shared.
We need this carbon pricing to happen. Please do all you can to make it so. Thank you.

We all are aware of the science of human-caused climate change and the climate crisis that is now upon us. Given the urgency of the hour, we need to make a war-time effort to stop the prolific production of greenhouse gases and CO2 emissions. The fact that our transportation sector is one of the leading causes of this dangerous phenomenon clearly shows us that the reduction of CO2 and PM 2.5 particulates from all forms of internal combustion engine-driven vehicles is vital. The switch of all our public transportation vehicles, be they buses or trucks must be rapidly transformed into all-electric motor propulsion. And we don't have time to wait another 10-20 years! It needs to start now!

We have the technology and funds to do so. The cost to not do so and delay will be far more than if we act now. There are studies abroad that clearly show this. We also need to stop the production and sale of all internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles and heavily tax those still on the road. Gas subsidies to the big oil corporations need to end as well. If this were done, we would see a mass shift to electric vehicles by the populace in general, and car manufacturers would either convert to all electric-powered vehicles or cease to exist.

We're talking about the future of human life on this planet, let alone all the non-human species. This is serious, and if we really love our children, and our own well being, but especially the children and grandchildren in our lives, we will take this seriously and be willing to do what it takes to make the change. The sacrifices we are willing to make now will pay large dividens in the near future!

Here are my concerns about TCI:
1. Please consider investing TCI funds in clean energy, energy efficiency, and more robust public transportation. This would expand career opportunities, and better public transportation would make jobs more accessible. Lastly, clean transportation will improve the health of our region and lower our related healthcare costs by reducing air pollution from fossil fuel vehicles.

2. Please ensure that low and moderate income residents do not bear the financial burden, by distributing TCI funds to cover added energy expenses in a manner that corresponds with the timing of higher costs. Also provide TCI funding to rural residents to cover the added gasoline costs incurred from longer driving distances and from extremely limited public transportation options (e.g. Franklin County, MA, has no evening and weekend buses).

3. Please allocate TCI funds to public transportation, municipal energy efficiency and renewable energy projects, EV charging stations in rural areas and urban areas with rental properties, rebates for electric vehicles, including used EVs, and higher EV rebates for low-income residents, to make EVs more accessible to residents of all income levels.

4.Please consider Targeting TCI funding for the development of community solar for moderate and low income residents.

Thank you for your consideration and serious work on this critical issue of climate change in our region.

Electric vehicles offer many advantages:

*No polluting emissions of CO2 (and CO!), no oxides of Nitrogen, carbon soot or oily “blow-by.”
*Less maintenance: fewer moving parts, no oil changes or tune-ups
*Inherently quiet; no muffler necessary or catalytic converter
*Lower energy cost per mile
*Charging rates now faster than you can consume a sandwich or visit a restroom.
*Charging often can be integrated with the vagaries of solar and wind.

**I’ll repeat the greatest value: EVs can make a significant contribution to mitigating climate warming.

In short What’s not to like!

We trust you folks to make the decisions that will leave a livable world for your grandchildren.
Thank you.

We strongly support this initiative, and any others that seek to address the issue of climate disruption and greenhouse gas emissions in Maine. We are residents of Kennebunk, Me.

This plan is bad for Maine and does not, in any way, take into account the needs of the People of Maine.

1) Maine is a Rural State with limited Public transportation. This Plan would needlessly punish people for simply going grocery shopping or going to the doctor due to high fuel costs.

2) Maine has a depressed economy. Wages in the State are consistently lower than the other States in this group. This plan would force people to have to spend more of what they make on fuel costs.

3) Most people in Maine cannot the afford Electric Vehicles that this Plan appears to want to force them to purchase.

4) This Plan does not, in any way, take into account that, even if people wanted to purchase an Electric Vehicle, a vehicle that performs the task currently being done by a Petroleum Fueled vehicle does not exist (Tractor, Combine, Dump Truck, etc). Those that need to use these vehicles will be needlessly burdened by artificially inflated fuel costs.

5) The Elderly and Disabled on fixed incomes will be needlessly burdened by artificially inflated fuel costs. Many are currently finding it difficult to pay for needed medication as is. This will only make it even more difficult for them.

In short, The TCI should be opposed as a Bad Idea.

Thank you,

Guy Brandenstein

I care about reducing pollution from transportation, which is our largest source of global warming emissions (regionally and nationally).
I request that Virginia formally joins the plan to reduce emissions.
I demand that the policy has a strong component of equity by prioritizing clean investments in areas overburdened by pollution and/or for those who don't have access.
Thanks for the bipartisan nature of this project, moving us forward while the Federal government takes us backward.

I am entirely against this policy because it is not fair to people living and working in rural communities. On one hand, Maine’s politicians say they want to encourage people to stay, live and work in Maine. We already pay very high taxes in Maine without the benefit of municipal services like trash, water, sewage and Internet access. In addition, we have to commute long distances to work, school, the grocery store, to see a doctor, to get treatment at the hospital. To do that we need to pay for, insure and mechanically maintain a decent car and probably use twice as much gasoline as people who do not live in rural areas. Then factor in the bad weather on the lifespan of your vehicle.
I am a volunteer driver for people who need treatment for cancer and I know first hand, the poverty and need to help people with this expense. I might travel 150 miles in a day to get someone to treatment and back. When your doctor says you need to do that four days a week, for four weeks, most people cannot afford the transportation in rural areas, and call on American Cancer volunteers, who provide free transportation and support. I will do it as long as I can afford it. However, coalitions such as this one which will raise the cost for essential components of everyday life in rural areas, are not fair to that segment of the population. They unduly make the cost of living higher than for other citizens. This agreement will hurt small rural business people and farmers most of all because they need the fuel to make their living as well.