TCI Regional Policy Design Stakeholder Submissions

VPCMA Comments in Opposition to TCI Framework for a Draft Regional Policy Proposal

To whom it may concern,

Please see the attached comments on the TCI Framework for a Draft for a Regional Policy from the Berkshire Environmental Action Team and No Fracked Gas in Mass.

Warm regards,
Logan Malik
Advocacy Coordinator, Berkshire Environmental Action Team
Program Director, No Fracked Gas in Mass

Sustainable Tourism Opportunity
One of the few threads of commonality among the northeast states is their interest, investment, and dependence on tourism. The state of New York is developing a world-class sustainable tourism product called The Empire State Trail where the Governor and his DOT partners are building 400 mile bike and pedestrian trail. All because the Erie Canal Trail brings in over $250 million a year. Every year. More such places are needed.
The longest rail trail in the northeast is contained totally in the small state of Massachusetts. A state with a highly dense population that is either near this trail—or is in a community with a developing rail trail that is connecting directly with this region’s signature trail. The Mass Central Rail Trail (MCRT) is 104 miles from Boston to Northampton.
There is also another long trail terminating in Northampton. The New Haven to Northampton Canal Greenway Trail. 84 miles long. Every few years, there is what is called a Golden Spike Event, a conference about the developing MCRT and the tie-in to the New Haven to Northampton Canal Grenway. In July 2018, that event, GS2018 was held at Northampton. Here’s a link to the conference booklet produced for the event. Here’s a link to all the presentations—town by town from the event.·
This trail is highly marketable to families originating from either Boston or NYC to go for a week’s vacation and then take the train back to their home city. This will be the greenest vacation opportunity imaginable. Attached is an infographic that quantified the usage and $$/ of that one trail.
More details about the MCRT
• Around the same time that NY began to buildout the Empire State Trail, Governor Baker in Mass became a big fan of multi-use trails. He created the Governor’s Trails Team. An internal, inter-agency working group was formed and they’ve done a lot to develop the network here. In fact, the Governor and other top level staff have been in high profile ribbon-cuttings and ground breakings—all over the state.
• This past week another ½ mile opened in Ware under the stewardship of a visionary land trust. East Quabbin Land Trust is both a linear thinking and a rectangular thinking land trust. While saving forests, farms and open space parcels in their service area, they also have acquired and developed over 4 miles of the of MCRT and have renovated 4 former railroad bridges into being safe for families on this trail alignment.
• Another six miles opened in Weston and Wayland two weeks ago.
• The MCRT now has over fifty miles open with over 80 miles in a protected ownership status. This is a tipping point.
• Mass DOT hired a consultant this winter who began a detailed look at the missing gaps from Berlin to the west side of Belchertown where the Norwottuck section of the MCRT terminates at Warren Wright Road.
• The study looked at three primary issues.
1. Who owns the land.
2. What are the physical impediments [like missing bridges and sold-off corridor]
3. What are the work arounds to piece together the missing gaps. This study is about to be released.
• And here is the biggest, high altitude, take-home. Building an end-to-end, community-long, multi-use path like this transforms the place to be greener and more sustainable. It also leads to more sustainable businesses in a community. Local businesses. It has been said that the indicator species of life in a downtown is the number of bikes and pedestrians you see. If you don’t see many, it is because the community is too auto centric and the down won’t prosper. Having the trail there will start to transform the community. It will also become a place where neglected, forlorn, blighted residential properties near the trail become attractive places for millennials to purchase, renovate and launch a renaissance in a neighborhood that probably needs a new breath of interest.

Please accept these comments on behalf of the National Biodiesel Board. Thanks for your consideration. - Shelby Neal

My attached comments address multiple concerns. I believe that costs must be addressed before any jurisdiction can decide whether to join the TCI. Contrary to the statements saying that there has been “extensive” public input to this process I show that the only segment of the public that is even aware of this process has some sort of vested interest in transportation and climate planning. I addressed each of the components of the framework and finally discuss some implementation issues based on my extensive background in cap and trade programs.

Please see the attached letter submitted on behalf of the undersigned members of the Maryland General Assembly