TCI Regional Policy Design Stakeholder Submissions

The recent gas tax initiative is in violation of Federal and State laws regarding the intended use of gas taxes. RGGI and TCI are multi-state "agreements" that have never received U. S. Congressional approval as required under Article 1, section 10 of the US Constitution (Compact Clause). This also has never been regionally approved. There should be court challenges if this ever does come to agreement. The Initiatives do NOT comply with legal use of carbon/gas taxes, in that they are to be used "... solely for the cost of ... highway and bridge construction and maintenance ... etc. (Maine Constitution Article IX, Section 19: Limitation on expenditure of motor vehicle and motor vehicle fuel revenues.) Why this discussion and these initiatives have reared their ugly heads is easy to understand. Just one more set of illegal, back-door taxes to more greatly subsidize an even more costly "green" agenda whether it's legal or not. Increasing fuel taxes is not legal nor acceptable. The states (especially Maine) must start to apply already collected taxes judiciously and where intended. This is just one more big tax and spend scheme. It completely fails to follow the rule of law and/or Constitutional tests.

I strongly support the Transportation Climate Initiative. The United States has the resources and technology to implement clean energy solutions on a massive scale. Therefore, the US should be setting an example of sustainable development--we should be a beacon of hope, proving that it is possible to make the change from fossil fuels to clean energy. Americans should not be suffering from lung disease and other health issues as a result of our dependence on fossil fuels when we very well have the resources and technology to improve our system.

Sadly, what we've seen from the current administration is a step in the wrong direction. Over 60 rollbacks on environmental regulations have been completed with more under attack each day. In 2017, the Trump administration began the formal process to withdraw from the Paris Climate Agreement, in which nearly every country on Earth was coming together to implement climate solutions across the globe.

Living in Boston, I am no stranger to the inefficient commuter lifestyle that so many are forced to participate in. In Massachusetts, 40% of greenhouse gas emissions are caused by the transportation sector. I hope to one day see Boston become a city where the public transportation is so easy, clean, and accessible that fossil-fuel burning cars are not as necessary. The Transportation Climate Initiative is a step in the right direction to reach this goal.

Our transportation carbon footprint is disproportionately large in Maine, because of our rural settlement pattern. We drive and trick everywhere without thought and need to better share and reduce our trips and deliveries, shift off fossil fuels, live closer together, and help low income and the disabled to adapt. Our problem involves private citizens, communities, businesses and industry. People need to understand the need to change.
The Transportation and Climate Initiative can begin to help this change to come about.

Callaville, LLC which helps employ numerous people and is strongly opposed to the "framework for a draft regional policy proposal" which seeks to expropriate the petroleum marketing industry. Over time this plan proposes to move Virginia from simple rationing and new taxes to the ultimate prohibition of fossil fuels.
This plan does not assess the collateral damage it will inflict on state revenue, local tax collections, Virginia's Transportation Trust fund, and consumers.
Many of the advocates of these policies support regulation to electrify transportation. Those advocates somehow forget to mention that a major component of batteries powering these vehicles is cobalt, 90 percent of which is mined in third world countries under unfavorable working conditions.
As the number of electric vehicles grows, petroleum marketers will likely have to battle for a share of the electric vehicle charging market with utility companies that see EV charging as a new business opportunity without cost. When utility companies install charging stations, they may seek the ability to include that cost as part of their capital investment. When these costs are approved by governmental regulatory agencies, they can then be passed on to all ratepayers as part of their monthly electric bills.
Callaville, LLC believes this would provide regulated utilities an unfair competitive advantage that Virginia based small businesses simply cannot compete with. I must economically justify and self-fund at risk investments in new equipment like EV charging stations and so should my competition.
Another likely competitor under this scheme is the state government itself. This is not a concept, as just this past session the General Assembly passed legislation to allow the Departments of Conservation and Recreation, General Services, and Transportation to install electric chargers. Fortunately our association was able to narrow this initiative considerably by limiting the number of state agencies involved and mitigating the threat of unfair competition by requiring the state to sell the power at prevailing market rates including taxes.
All Virginians, particularly the petroleum marketing and convenience industries, support a clean environment. There are many ways to achieve this without rationing. Incentivizing the sale of electric vehicles does nothing to meet your stated goals of "equity, environmental justice, and non-discrimination." As one example, the stated goals could be achieved far faster and cheaper via efforts to assist low-income Virginians to purchase more fuel efficient vehicles that meet current and future CAFÉ standards.
History has proven that rationing followed by prohibition - the ultimate goal of TCI - has led to black markets, unregulated and untaxed sales, and undue burdens on law enforcement.
The impact of these proposals will not be solely on fuel sellers and convenience stores - what about the auto repair industry, muffler shops, service facilities at new car dealers, quick lubes etc.? What about agriculture, construction, Loggers and watermen who will be forced to scrap present equipment or pay artificially high prices due to rationing? What about the consumer who will experience not only higher prices to operate their personal vehicles, but higher prices for consumer goods and services?
The impact of these proposals will completely devastate Virginia’s economics. Recent information predicts an alternative fuel source for Commercial Trucks are 15 to 20 years out, Trucking companies have utilized Virginia interstates I95, I85 and I81 as a major travel corridor for years which allowed the state and individual companies to benefit from them stopping and doing business on these popular travel routes. The proposals will cause the majority of companies to route their trucks around the state devastating businesses.
Callaville, LLC opposes the TCI plan to ration, tax and ultimately eliminate fossil fuels.

I am in support of the TCI and urge my elected officials, particularly Governor Scott, to vote in favor of Vermont's participation.

Do not enter into this agreement. If you want better gas mileage get rid of ethanol. It cuts mileage by 4% and is a net energy deficit. It takes more fossil fuel to turn corn into something that’ll burn in an engine than it returns in energy output. Further, fuel taxes will raise the cost of all goods and services. Everything being delivered will cost more. To have a contractor show up will cost more. To have your lawn cut and driveway plowed will cost more. Farmers running tractors will have to charge more. Building materials deliveries will cost more. And if people do drive less, you’ll lose gas tax revenue & then you’ll have to raise taxes to fund the road repairs. This proposal will crush Maine.

Pricing gimmicks and other "market" schemes are lame and not serious. They merely appease oligarchs--who, by the way, have extensive emergency plans to "escape" the ravages of the climate disruption (CD) they've foisted upon us by ignoring CD science and funding lying propaganda denying the existence of CD. All this to concentrate wealth into their greedy, sociopathic hands. We need moral leadership in government who will listen to the demands and solutions of the Poor Peoples Campaign to fight ecocide, racism, warmongering, poverty, and christian nationalism. This governmental leadership not only must pass meaningful legislation that embodies those solutions, but must enforce those laws and interpret them so that we all can be free and victorious in overcoming the existential threat of all of us--not just the disgusting oligarchs.

This is essentially adding a tax on fuel without calling it a tax. It will result in higher prices for taxpaying citizens who need fuel to get to work. This will hurt our economy and ultimately will do very little to help the environment.

I think the TCI is a great idea. I hope the most ambitious emission reduction targets are used.