TCI Regional Policy Design Stakeholder Submissions

When is Governor Baker, going to get out of his gas guzzling SUV and ride a bicycle?
Maybe Baker and Mayor Marty can bike ride together.
I am moving to FL When I retire, I am tired of Liberal MA

You f*****g a*****e ! The people voted down the gas tax cut ! I am all done with you and will actively do my best for you to lose your seat !

I'm told that: TCI is a multi-state plan to cap emissions from the transportation sector, auction off permits to distribute fossil fuels in the participating states and use the auction revenues to invest in low-carbon transportation solutions.

This approach, if understood by me, seems to lead to scarcity followed by higher prices (an indirect fuel tax/fee). Where's the equity in this?

I'm also told that: Despite RGGI’s success regionally, carbon pollution is rising in Vermont (as I suspect is so in other states). The increase is driven primarily by an increase in greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation sector, our cars and trucks.

As I look around the parking lots, I see larger and larger automobiles and pickup trucks every year with the concomitant worse mileage in most cases. Manufacturers' pursuit of greater profits push for larger vehicles for safety and indirectly for status. Since we wouldn't want to/can't limit vehicle choice, maybe we should have a CO2 mileage levy on each vehicle that is dependent on annual mileage driven, and EPA mileage rating. This levy could be established at the annual inspection from odometer readings and be progressive with the EPA mileage rating, so that unnecessarily large vehicles in effect pay more for the mostly unnecessarily greater CO2 emission. Mileages could be reported to the DMV and car registration renewal would be dependent on the payment of the levy.

Vermont should absolutely join TCI to help address the global climate emergency. The small additional cost of fossil fuel resulting from joining TCI will likely be a fraction of what Vermonters typically see when fuel prices fluctuate due to changes in the cost of oil due to world events. Additionally, by investing the funds raised through TCI into initiatives designed to promote fuel savings, Vermonters will save lots of money and local economies will be strengthened by reducing the amount of money that leaves the state to purchase fossil fuels.

I support a “…design (for) 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… [and]… to complete the policy development process within one year, after which each jurisdiction will decide whether to adopt and implement the policy.” Electric vehicles for both public transportation and individual use with abundant charging stations throughout the region are needed to support these goals.

I am firmly in favor of the TCI and Vermont's participation. There is no question in my mind this is in our better interests.
Do the right thing for our climate future and join this initiative.

• Tiger Fuel Company, which employs over 300 people, is strongly opposed to the "framework for a draft regional policy proposal" which seeks to expropriate the fossil fuel industry. Over time this plan proposes to move Virginia from simple rationing and new taxes to the ultimate prohibition of fossil fuels.
• This plan does not assess the collateral damage it will inflict on state revenue, local tax collections, Virginia's Transportation Trust fund, and consumers.
• Many of the advocates of these policies support regulation to electrify transportation. Those advocates somehow forget to mention that a major component of batteries powering these vehicles is cobalt, 90 percent of which is mined in third world countries under unfavorable working conditions.
• As the number of electric vehicles grows, petroleum marketers will likely have to battle for a share of the electric vehicle charging market with utility companies that see EV charging as a new business opportunity without cost. When utility companies install charging stations, they may seek the ability to include that cost as part of their capital investment. When these costs are approved by governmental regulatory agencies, they can then be passed on to all ratepayers as part of their monthly electric bills.
• Tiger Fuel believes this would provide regulated utilities an unfair competitive advantage that Virginia based small businesses simply cannot compete with. I must economically justify and self-fund at risk investments in new equipment like EV charging stations and so should my competition.
• Another likely competitor under this scheme is the state government itself. This is not a concept, as just this past session the General Assembly passed legislation to allow the Departments of Conservation and Recreation, General Services, and Transportation to install electric chargers. Fortunately our association was able to narrow this initiative considerably by limiting the number of state agencies involved and mitigating the threat of unfair competition by requiring the state to sell the power at prevailing market rates including taxes.
• As a propane marketer I support a clean environment. There are many ways to achieve this without rationing. Incentivizing the sale of electric vehicles does nothing to meet your stated goals of "equity, environmental justice, and non-discrimination." As one example, the stated goals could be achieved far faster and cheaper via efforts to assist low-income Virginians to purchase more fuel efficient vehicles that meet current and future CAFÉ standards.
• History has proven that rationing followed by prohibition - the ultimate goal of TCI - has led to black markets, unregulated and untaxed sales, and undue burdens on law enforcement.
• The impact of these proposals will not be solely on propane businesses such as mine - what about the auto repair industry, muffler shops, service facilities at new car dealers, quick lubes etc.? What about agriculture, construction and watermen who will be forced to scrap present equipment or pay artificially high prices due to rationing? What about the consumer who will experience not only higher prices to operate their personal vehicles, but higher prices for consumer goods and services?
• Tiger Fuel Company opposes the TCI plan to ration, tax and ultimately eliminate fossil fuels.

It is essential that the USA be able to continue transportation in a era when climate change is a crisis. A carbon neutral transportation system is essential to that goal.

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.