TCI Regional Policy Design Stakeholder Submissions

The Sierra Club is sharing the attached 631 comments from our members and supporters in New Jersey supporting finalizing the Draft Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) of the Transportation and Climate Initiative (TCI). Thank you for helping to design a regional policy to limit climate pollution from motor fuels and invest in a modern, clean, transportation future. The evidence is clear: the more we limit pollution from motor fuels, the more jobs are created, the more the economy grows, and the more lives we save. Please sign on to the agreement to implement a strong, equitable regional climate protection policy through TCI. Invest in the communities that have suffered the most from burning gasoline and have the least access to clean transportation options. Stop sending our hard-earned dollars out of the state to oil companies, and choose to create jobs, grow the economy, and save lives for families and businesses. Thank you.

Thank you for the opportunity to provide feedback. Comments are included in the attached document.

Please find attached comments on the TCI Initiative from a coalition of environment and transportation advocates from New Jersey.

Please find attached a group of New Jersey-based organizations' comments regarding the proposed equity commitments and other considerations for TCI.

Disincentives to single person automobile travel such as a substantial increase in gasoline taxes complement the cap and invest mechanism of the TCI.

To minimize the regressive nature of such a tax there could be an exemption to persons or families earning 250% times poverty level, or perhaps 60% of median income for the state.

People who qualify would be given a transponder and gas stations a transponder reader. The upfront set up cost would be borne by the state then reimbursed from the tax revenue.

In 2017 Massachusetts drivers used 2,700,036,000 gallons of gasoline according to the EPA.

Approximately 25% of Massachusetts residents would qualify for an exemption using the above means testing.

A 50 cent increase would net a bit over 1 billion dollars a year after the exempt population is discounted. This money would go to infrastructure and public transportation.

As revenue falls when more people switch to EVs or take public transportion the could be a surcharge; either means tested or, by miles driven to keep the infrastructure and transportation investments funded.
II wholeheartedly support the TCI

Some part of TCI revenue needs to be disbursed to EV infrastructure associated with affordable housing. It could be grants to affording housing developers for charging stations, grid tied or solar. There could be Additional rebates toward EV purchase or lease for low income families, especially ones that are underserved by public transportation or that live in affordable or low income housing.

This is an amazing thing. Some things that will make it more amazing:
-Expansion to other states. There is only one passenger rail line in Oklahoma, and it only connects OKC to Texas.
-An expansion of the cap-and-trade, and perhaps the implementation of a carbon tax instead of cap-and-trade.

Why oh why does central Vermont get left out of the hearings again. A hearing could very easily be held at VTC in Randolph or any number of places in Montpelier. All of the locations are an hour or more from where I live in Tunbridge. On school nights this makes it nigh on to impossible to attend. I would be happy to help you find a location.