TCI Regional Policy Design Stakeholder Submissions

Transportation is the largest source of air pollution in the region, and we need to build a modern, clean, safe, and accessible transportation system for the 21st century. The more we limit pollution from motor fuels, the more jobs we create, the more the economy grows, the healthier our air becomes, and the more lives we save. [MY STATE] should join TCI to fund better transportation infrastructure, reduce traffic, and make my community a cleaner, safer place to live.

I live in Hallowell, ME. I care about this because air quality is vital to our health. I support Governor Mills for participating in the regional design process. I hope that the policy design reflects the best and latest available science on climate emissions from transportation and will tough on pollution. I request that the policy have a strong component of equity that ensures that low-income, rural, or aging populations are not hurt by this program -- after all an old jalopy is all some people can afford. I think that it is wonderful that this is a bipartisan project. I would love to see increased access to clean public transit in my community. Especially with winter setting upon us, I think it is important to recognize the double impact of diminished air quality from low cloud layers and increased exhaust from individual vehicles. Incentives like rebates for purchasing electric or hybrid vehicles could go a long way to making a better world for ourselves, our children, and grandchildren.

Transportation and climate initiatives are not only interstate issues but also intrastate issues. Therefore efforts need to include multimodal transportation and in particular passenger rail within Connecticut and between New England and Quebec with connections to states west.

Consider the issues of pollution generated as a result of driving out of state. The pollution is not only from automobile/truck exhausts but also from the debris caused by auto/truck braking.

Lifelong cyclist here, never lived more than a couple of miles from work my entire life, so that I can get there by bike. I guess my main message is that something needs to be done on both the PUSH and the PULL ends of the equation, to get people out of cars and into other modes of transporation... It's not enough to just build bike lanes (although lord knows we need more!). It's not enough to hold fancy galas and bike-to-work days and green-topia fests, and employee-fitness programs. We have to DISINCENTIVIZE DRIVING!

In my mind, the only way this happens is the same way the rest of the world (not the USA) does it - by making it more difficult to drive. We need to make driving NOT the default option. Instead of designing roads for convenience and speed, let drivers stagnate in traffic, let them realize the errors of their ways. Instead of providing a ridiculous federal mileage reimbursement rate (55c/mi, AYFKM?), let's cut it in half. Instead of whining when gas goes above $3 a gallon (it's more than double that in most of Europe) let's raise gas taxes and plow the money into infrastructure and climate projects. Instead of free on-street public parking, make drivers pay more. Of course, it goes without saying that the EPA needs to grow a pair (once Trump is out of the WhiteHouse) and start clamping down again on MPG expectations and pollution controls for vehicles. Making SUVs more expensive would be a good start - again disincentivize big cars and people will switch to smaller less polluting ones (this happens all over the world, especially in Europe, with tiered license/registration fees based on engine capacity and fuel economy).

Another critical issue very close to my own heart is DRIVER ACCOUNTABILITY for accidents and pedestrian/cyclist deaths. In my community as well as nationwide, there has been a recent uptic in these events, and in almost all cases the driver goes un-punished, no charges filed! Recently an 82 year old former colleague of mine was killed while out walking by a driver who didn't look when backing out of their driveway. At Thanksgiving, a babysitter and child were mown down on the sidewalk by a driver who fell asleep at the wheel. In both cases these "accidents" resulted in no charges. This is unacceptable. As long as drivers know there are ZERO consequneces for their careless actions, whey will continue to kill people. We need local police departments and other legislative bodies to start holding drivers accountable for their carelessness. There really is no such thing as a true "accident", and the vast majority are preventable by people just paying attention to the fact they're riding around in a 5000lb metal weapon. Federal or state laws to ensure that careless driving acts resulting in death means jail-time for the driver, would be a wake-up call for drivers to start treating other road users with the respect they command and deserve. We have to switch away from the "victim blaming" tropes, where throwaway statements such as "the biker was not wearing a reflective jacket" become untenable.

Thank-you for your time.
PSB

I agree with “…design 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.”

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'm really grateful this initiative is becoming a priority. As we develop a regional policy, I think it is important to ensure there is a cap on carbon emissions of at least 25% by 2032, a focus on an increase in the minimum investment in overburdened and underserved communities (>35%), and request that investments be put towards active transportation like better sidewalks, bicycle infrastructure, and high quality public transit.

I think it is up to policy makers to begin thinking about how we prioritize land uses and where we allocate funds - whether to complete street and transit improvement or highway expansion. I implore this group to advocate for the transportation trust fund to shift it's funding from an 80/20 split prioritizing road improvements and switch to an 80/20 focus with a priority on transit and complete street design.

My name is Barrett Rock, and I live in Durham, NH 03824. I am a retired college professor of forestry, and I am interested in the TCI Regional Policy Design effort because I have been conducting research on the impacts of climate change on New England forest tree species (primarily red spruce, white pine and sugar maple since the early 1980s, research which began as an assessment of acid rain damage, and then morphed into climate change issues.
My suggestion on transportation policy design is based on the result of my research, which has clearly documented the effects of automobile and truck emissions on sensitive forest species (red spruce, white pine and sugar maple), in the form of both acidic precipitation and ground-level ozone. Of very critical importance are the emission levels of heavy truck transport systems, especially diesel. Combined with heavy automobile travel, often with one occupant per vehicle, these emissions of CO2, NOx, O3, and SOx are responsible for significant damage to foliar tissues and the photosynthetic apparatus.
My suggestion for the TCI regional policy consideration is the dramatic expansion of a high-speed rail system, preferably across the entire US. CO2 emissions from rail transport are significantly lower than truck transport (to move 1 ton of goods 1 km, a locomotive emits only 18 grams of CO2, compared wth 47 grams by truck. The rail system is essential 3 times more efficient than a truck. Similar comparisons are seen with the other pollutants. An efficient and effective high-speed rail system would compete very effectively with air transportation, which emits a startling 560 grams of CO2 moving the same 1 ton go goods 1 km! Add to that the social equity and availability of passenger high-speed transportation offered by such a transportation policy, and I think the idea has much merit.
Finally, let me say that engaging the stakeholders in the TCI regional policy process is a wonderful opportunity to demonstrate democracy in action! Thank you for giving me this chance.

The Transportation and Climate Initiative
The Transportation and Climate Initiative (TCI) is a 12- state regional effort to impose a stealthy and steadily increasing carbon tax on gasoline without requiring the politically perilous step of calling it either a carbon tax or a gas tax. The proceeds would be used to subsidize electric cars, increase public support for climate change policies favored by Governor Mills, the Natural Resources Council of Maine, the environmental left and other assorted climate alarmists. In Maine, in addition to protecting Democrats from risky electoral consequences, TCI is also constitutionally suspect. Article IX, Section 19 of the Maine Constitution restricts the use of fuel taxes to highway and bridge construction and associated costs:
Article IX, Section 19. Limitation on expenditure of motor vehicle and motor vehicle fuel revenues. All revenues derived from fees, excises and license taxes relating to registration, operation and use of vehicles on public highways, and to fuels used for propulsion of such vehicles shall be expended solely for cost of administration, statutory refunds and adjustments, payment of debts and liabilities incurred in construction and reconstruction of highways and bridges, the cost of construction,reconstruction, maintenance and repair of public highways and bridges under the direction and supervision of a state department having jurisdiction over such highways and bridges and expense for state enforcement of traffic laws and shall not be diverted for any purpose, provided that these limitations shall not apply to revenue from an excise tax on motor vehicles imposed in lieu of personal property tax.
The model for TCI is the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI or “Reggie”). RGGI places a carbon tax on electric power generation and uses the proceeds to fund energy efficiency and promote climate alarmism. In Maine, RGGI revenues are directed to Efficiency Maine, governed by an independent board established by the environmental left under Gov. Baldacci. In addition to subsiding solar power, LED light bulbs and heat pumps, Efficiency Maine has consistently underwritten (as in bought advertising on) Maine Public Broadcasting and the Maine Housing Authority, both strong promoters of climate alarmism.
RGGI and TCI are multistate “agreements” which never received congressional approval as required under Article 1, section 10 of the US Constitution (the Compact Clause):
“No State shall, without the Consent of Congress, lay any Duty of Tonnage, keep Troops, or Ships of War in time of Peace, enter into any Agreement or Compact with another State, or with a foreign Power, or engage in War, unless actually invaded, or in such imminent Danger as will not admit of delay.” (My italics).
RGGI was never congressionally approved because Democrats did not ask and Republicans did not insist, and objectors like myself did not have standing to sue (although I did look into it). The environmental left insisted that RGGI was “voluntary” and did not require Congressional approval. Senators King and Collins, recognizing the potential problems with this approach, have introduced legislation approving regional climate change policy compacts like TCI, which at least opens the door to court challenges if Congressional approval does not pass.
In the meantime, bi-partisan objections to TCI and carbon/gas taxes are increasing, just as they did in France with the yellow vest protests. Governors from Connecticut (Ned Lamont-D), New Hampshire (Chris Sununu-R), Vermont (Phil Scott-R) and Rhode Island (Gina Raimundo-D) have expressed reservations/opposition (D). Governor Mills has been non-committal, although her climate alarmism would suggest support.
Interested Mainers can submit public comment on the design of the TCI by filling out the TCI Stakeholder Input Form, available at https://www.transportationandclimate.org/main-menu/tci-regional-policy-design-stakeholder-input-form. Public comments are due by February 28, 2020.