TCI Regional Policy Design Stakeholder Submissions

It is a sad statement that I have to write in support of a concept that is such a no brainer for anyone who recognizes that we are in a true climate crisis. Electrifying transportation is one of the most significant things we can be doing to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. My grandchildren's future depends upon initiatives like this becoming the norm.

I wholeheartedly support the T&C Initiative to reduce greenhouse gas emissions as it is efficient, cost effective and can provide new sources of income to Mainers who work in renewable energy, construction, public policy and transportion fields.
The TCI can play a critical role in combating global warming caused by excess carbon emissions. According to the EPA, Transportation as a whole contributes 29% of the planet's Greenhouse gas emissions. Mainers would happily use cleaner public transportation (hybrid electric or electric, or even trains which take cars off the road) if there were more routes available and high quality service (ie. schedule punctuality and ride frequency). The new vehicles are expensive compared to diesel buses for example, but that's only because diesel bus prices are offset by the FTA's paying 80% of a bus's purchase price! If the TCI offered comparable incentivizing subsidies, polluting vehicles would be soon replaced. Further savings would come from not having to purchase as much fuel.
Solar, hydropower and wind energy would produce the electricity to charge the buses.Maine has much to offer from these particular forms of energy. "Bloom energy boxes" (methane/electrolyte hybrids) could be used as batteries to store what is typically considered "unstorable" energy from these sources. New England would see the rise in employment for engineers, energy specialists and installers, and electricians- Vocational tech schools should get funding for new classes to raise a new generations of such skilled laborers. Which advertising, technical college classes would grow and produce a highly productive work force. All this from a Transportation and Climate Initiative!
In sum, I highly encourage anyone reading this note to support the TCI - it's good for the economy, it's good for the planet and it's good for all of us.

My family regularly uses public transportation if we are going beyond our home county. This usually means the Concord Coach, or The Downeaster. If a cleaner solution was available to us, we would DEFINITELY take advantage of the opportunity. This initiative is needed, if not only to help address the climate change problem, but just to keep our air cleaner and reduce respiratory issues!

Why has it taken this long to seriously consider this? It should’ve been done 20 years ago.

I am a school bus driver concerned about the climate we're ruining for my kids and the kids on my bus each day. Maine needs an ambitious plan to reduce climate-changing transportation pollution,. Working together with neighboring states makes sense. In my other occupation as an aerospace journalist since 1988, I'm well aware of our technological capabilities. An electric school bus is definitely on the horizon. I advocate accelerating efforts to replace petro-fuel school buses both here in Maine and elsewhere.

I live in Kittery but I’m about to move to the Bridgton/ Fryeburg area. We really need clean, public transportation. I am seriously looking at Bridgton over Fryeburg because Bridgton has a very minimal public bus to Portland. But the trip takes 90 minutes! How about using the TCI funds to develop a clean energy bus route to fryeburg and Bridgton and a dedicated express bus lane at least from Bridgton to Portland!

Transportation and the climate changing pollution, related to the use of fossil fuels for the purpose of 'getting to work' or for other so-called 'necessary' movement of people, is a question we have front and center, now ! There are other dirty, polluting uses of the fossil fuels that have a negative effect on our environment, locally as well as globally. Here, we're looking at a possible change in the means of transportation and just how we should cover the costs involved with the changes. These discussions over-look the possibility of 'local', community based vocational endeavors, that would allow members of local communities an option of utilizing employment opportunities in or near their home communities. The addiction we face daily, using fossil fuels to 'commute' to our employment situation, is removed from the equation, when a community based economic opportunity exists. We have worked 'locally', with folks that are interested in a community based, worker-owned business, that can release folks from the 'commute' to earn money to pay bills and raise their families. We have worked with 'low skilled' people and those with limited abilities, to establish a sustainable, clean-energy economy, assembling solar modules, locally ! This effort, with the small funding required for community based economic opportunities, in every town across the State of Maine, would be an example of local 'ingenuity', as well as a way forward toward a future without the fossil fuels that are the problems we face as a world-wide population ! Thank you !

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. I am surrounded by people who are food insecure. There is food available, but many have no transportation to get to food banks. We need more access to public transportation.

We need so much change in land use:
Track the actual costs of infrastructure vs tax revenue (Strongtowns.org) to prevent new strip malls, box box, and sprawling neighborhoods,
Make active transportation/complete streets the norm
Make most streets 25 MPH and allow small (golf cart size ) vehicles
Promote driverless cars to reduce need for car ownership and space devoted to parking
Redude parking minimums in zoning
Return neighborhood streets to pedestrians and let them be social spaces!