TCI Regional Policy Design Stakeholder Submissions

Increasing fuel costs in Maine just isn't feasible. We HAVE to drive 30 + miles to work, shop and get medical attention. There's no public transportation available in most of the State. Transportation costs for public education are already having huge impacts on budgets. Additional taxes won't and increased gas prices won't force me to buy a more fuel efficient vehicle. It will force me to choose between going to a dr and hoping I get better at home. This isn't an initiative for Maine.

Even if I have to pay a little more for fuel to get our carbon release down & eventually eliminated i will do that. It's one of those deals where PAY NOW OR PAY LATTER so it must be done. If I have to reduce my transport to fewer trips I'll do it!
In the end, even though no one wants to say it we will all need to get by with less.
MOTHER EARTH SAYS NOW YOU MUST PAY FOR ALL THE YEARS OF TAKING & GIVING LITTLE.

I am in favor of Vermont's participation in the regional Transportation and Climate Initiative. It makes sense for Vermont to join other states in the region in developing policies to address carbon emissions from transportation fuels because those policies will impact Vermont even if it does not join the TCI: it might as well have a say in them before they take effect. Vermont needs to become clearer and more emphatic about meeting its goals for the reduction of its carbon emissions in general The public needs help in doing this: lots of education, of course, and policies which encourage and/or require taking actual steps towards lowering emissions numbers in different areas of our day-to-day life. The cap and invest approach to transportation fuels gives the public a chance to a) see that long-term steps to reduce emissions from transportation fuels can indeed be taken on a regional scale and b) engage in considering how to invest in our own communities-- always a profound opportunity! The conversations which will happen around investing monies from a cap-and-invest program will build our community as different types of people come together to consider what is important to them, worth investing in, in this state we all love so much.

The mid and north Eastern Seaboard states need an alternativr system of transportation. Our current air, train, bus , truck and automobile transportation does not work effectively to provide efficient results given the expense, effort, land usage and energy expended. The mere congestion of traffic is only one of the myriad of problems which confront us. Given population growth our transportation modalities need complete change. With pollution, noise, accidents, stifling weather conditions and inefficiencies we must conceive a wholly changed system. There need to be new roads, bridges, railways. air trafficking, etc that can handle existing and growing needs. Because of climate change alternative energy sources and uses need to be deployed. Nothing short of trillions of dollars must be allocated to the massive undertaking necessary. Municipal, state, regional and federal agencies must coordinate with the private sector to bring about transportation systems of a completely new and innovative era

It is in the public interest for these NE states to design a regional low-carbon transportation policy proposal that would cap and reduce carbon emissions from the combustion of transportation fuels through a cap-and-invest program or other pricing mechanism. The effects of climate change are evident all over the globe. We must begin to reduce our carbon footprint. It is extremely important to to complete the policy development process within one year, after which each jurisdiction will decide whether to adopt and implement the policy.”

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 can cut poverty and pollution at the same time. We urge you to move forward with a regional program that prioritizes the needs of communities overburdened with pollution and underserved in mobility options.

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 also 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. An ambitious plan to reduce climate-changing transportation pollution is desperately needed and working together with neighboring states makes all kinds of sense. Maine could see significant economic, health, and environmental benefits by transitioning to cleaner and more efficient transportation options through adoption of TCI. PLEASE help us get off fossil fuel!!

We should not add a tax to gas because it is regressive and hurts low income people the most