TCI Regional Policy Design Stakeholder Submissions

I am writing today to express my support for a strong carbon pricing policy in the transportation sector.
As a mother of three, I am very concerned if we can turn around and take action on climate change in time to avert the worst effects on our kids and grandkids. Having lived in Europe for a long time, I follow their efforts to reign in green house gas emissions closely, and I am glad that in the US, states and cities are finally getting on board and taking regional initiatives of their own.

I am thrilled to hear that the Transportation Climate Initiative is developing a policy that would put a price on carbon for our transportation sector. I am grateful and very optimistic for this policy, as it is a bipartisan endeavor.
In order for the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern states to achieve our necessary climate goal, pricing Carbon is a genial first step. The policy needs to
- put a price on carbon high enough to effectively decrease emissions (new technology enables higher efficiency, less consumption, but only if the old way gets more inconvenient or too expensive), and this price needs to be based on the latest science.
- Furthermore, the new policy needs to make sure that rural or low income populations are not hurt disproportionately.
The Citizens’ Climate Lobby has been working in a similar carbon pricing nation wide for years now. Please inquire how their model (clear, transparent pricing over 10 years, with the dividend distributed to all Americans equally) can inspire the new policy to be adopted by the TCI.
Thank you for taking my comments,
Adelheid Koepfer
35 Whiffle Tree Road
Wallingford, CT 06492

Connecticut’s transportation sector is the biggest single emitter of greenhouse gas emissions in the state at 38% of the total. This is a climate crisis, and we must immediately work to address the greatest challenge of our generation. Will TCI alone stop global warming? Of course not, but it is a valuable and urgent contribution.
Addressing greenhouse gas emissions from motor vehicles also means immediate health benefits for our most overburdened populations as a result of improved air quality and fewer emissions of localized pollutants responsible for cancer and respiratory and cardiovascular ailments, among other adverse health impacts. School busses are a perfect example: discontinuing diesel busses and replacing them with electric busses will directly benefit the health our school kids, just as EVs do in general. Please support and implement the transition to EV.
Please limit urban sprawling and road/ interstate expansion, and focus instead on centers for future development, as well as connecting rural areas via public transportation.

You need only look at beijing or new delhi to see the end of the world. In a matter of decades the US will look like that as well. We have one world we share. End the madness. There is no other planet to go to - we must save this one that we have.

I believe the science when the impacts of fossil fuels on our environment are clearly relevant. Promoting green technologies to reduce carbon emissions is crucial. The Transportation and Climate Initiative is a great idea. I support this measure.

I urge you to do everything within your power to participate in TCI's initiative to design a low-carbon transportation policy for the northeast that will truly have substantial impact on managing the temperature of our warming Earth. I urge you, as well, to do everything in your power to make Massachusetts a model for such policy-making and implementation, working towards putting into practice at least what the joint transportation policy suggests and going better in any ways that are necessary and possible. It is our responsibility to leave the world in habitable shape for our children and grandchildren and beyond. Thank you.

Please support TCI as we need to reduce our carbon footprint every way we can and soon. Save the earth for our children and grandchildren ++

I care about reducing pollution from transportation, which is our largest source of global warming emissions (regionally and nationally).
• New York State should formally join the plan to reduce emissions.
• Demand that the policy has a strong component of equity by prioritizing clean investments in areas overburdened by pollution and/or for those who don't have access.
• I would like to express gratitude for the bipartisan nature of this project, moving us forward while the federal government takes us backward.

I support TCI because it addresses both climate change as well as transportation infrastructure needs.

Our region needs improvement on both these fronts immediately. Many of us who are concerned about climate change will be carefully following what the response is from each our region's leaders to implementing the TCI plan. This plan has been carefully crafted and vetted over time and deserves support from any prominent regional leader who has similar concerns about climate change as well as transportation infrastructure improvment.