TCI Regional Policy Design Stakeholder Submissions

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.
Mainers deserve creative new choices and new investments to meet our transportation needs; the one thing we know is that pouring pollution into the atmosphere and sending our hard-earned money out of state for the oil that causes that pollution are NOT the way forward.

The United States is so far behind other countries. We need more efficient trains, better roads and bridges. We look almost like a 3rd world country than one of the Best Countries in the World. Trump has done everything he can to remove all legislation that would improve the climate of world. In addition, Trump is also trying to do whatever he can to cause more pollution and add to the decline of this world. There is no "B" planet and if we want the human race to continue Trump not only needs to be stopped (Impeached and removed) and all the legislation that has been removed must be put back into enforcement.

We need to push the shift to sustainable transportation aggressively. As the cost of this cap is pushed onto consumers, more and more commuters in the area will have to turn to either sustainable vehicle options or public transportation. Of the two, I think public transportation is more effective – it doesn’t have as severe an upfront environmental impact, it helps multiple people at once, and the benefits would only increase if the vehicles themselves were green. However, the current public transportation system is too inefficient to be beneficial. If my commute to work is 15 mins by car and an hour by bus, of course I wont take the bus! The money earned from TCI needs to be applied towards improving our public transport and incentivizing people to use it.

As a City & Regional Planner, formerly with the NYCDOT, I strongly support TCI's regional planning efforts to reduce the transportation sector's impact in the New England region. Regarding the first question: What factors should TCI jurisdictions consider when setting the starting level and the trajectory for a regional cap on carbon dioxide emissions from transportation fuels?

Please consider planning and implementing VMT reduction initiatives before setting an arbitrary level for a regional cap. We must see if Americans can and are willing to make this big step, before we commit to capping at the status quo. Plans can be designed for each transect of communities: the urban core, suburban and rural. There are many examples of cities taking these measures across the globe. While places like London and Beijing have made extensive transportation investments, many of these ideas can be implemented in conjunction with smaller, cheaper projects such as Bus Rapid Transit for priority corridors, bicycle infrastructure, and ride sharing with micromodes.

Some ideas include:
1. Tolling all roads based on Average Daily Travel and vehicular type
2. Congestion pricing for all urban cores
3. Surge pricing for parking in urban cores and downtowns, to adjust to fluctuations in regional tourism
4. VMT taxes or Pay By Mile Tax combined with incentives for switching to EVs
5. Car free streets, to discourage driving and encourage other travel modes
6. License plate lotteries or a vehicle-permit lottery, to actually cap the number of private vehicles can be put on the road
7. Employer or tax incentives for using EVs, carpooling or using alternative travel modes for commuting.

Thank you so much for these regional planning efforts.

I am concerned about the cost of this initiative and would like to know the expected cost increase to a gallon of gasoline. I would also like to be informed of any future public meetings in NY regarding this issue.
Thank you.

We have just had the warmest decade since the collection of weather data began. The frequency and extent of fires across the globe has risen dramatically and storms and floods are also more severe. This is causing a refugee crisis as people are displaced from their homes or are no longer able to farm. Transportation is a major contributor to the carbon emissions that have caused this disaster. If we do not convert to low carbon emission modes of transportation, we will create a climate that does not support human life and will extinguish many of the species on earth. This reformation of transportation must occur immediately as we have yet to experience full the impact of the carbon emissions that are already present in the atmosphere, additional warming from the levels currently present will continue for many years hence. Our per capita consumption rate is 23 fold that of China. They are the highest carbon emitter and we are next. We must lead the way and dramatically reduce our per capita emissions and transportation is one of several areas that can achieve a substantial reduction.

Dear Governor Wolf-
I am writing this to express my full support for PA to join the other 11 states in our region in the Transportation Climate Initiative. I am hoping this strategic plan will not only help carbon emissions that is critically needed, but also invest in public transportation projects that can not only provide more access to transportation for those without adequate transportation, but also reduce pollution while further developing green technologies which can in turn provide PA with more investments and job creation.
Thank you for your consideration of this important initiative.
Sincerely,
Dr. Julie Engiles VMD, DACVP

I would like to thank Gov. Lamont for requesting that CT formally sign on to TCI.
Reducing transportation sector emissions is important to me because of the dire climate situation which is largely driven by transportation C02. The climate crisis is UPON us, here and now, and we are losing time to do everything we can to mitigate the losses to come. It is also important to address social justice, since poor communities bear the brunt of climate problems. We have already lost decades in making the broad and unprecedented changes that are needed. Please do everything you can.
Please choose ***the most aggressive**** greenhouse gas emissions cap.
Any TCI policy should address equity and investment in overburdened and under-served communities as a first and foremost priority.

Please see the attached file for comments on the Draft MOU, and the modeling results webinar in December 2019. Thank you for the opportunity to provide feedback.