TCI Regional Policy Design Stakeholder Submissions

GOVNOR MILLS please don't join this will be a travesty to Maine workers who use there vehicles to get to work. I believe you are going down the wrong path for Maine people! Again you Democrats care less about maine people. Thank you.

This initiative is pure liberal climate hoax poppycock. Mainers don't have, nor do we want, a huge public transport infrastructure that ships us around like cattle. Take your out of state ideology and GO AWAY.

I am a small business owner and operate a delivery business in the waterville area. the tci policy as it is now is the worst plan to reduce emmissions which from what i read is the "intent" of the tci proposal. taxing fuel further will increase operating costs for all transportation services by increasing their anual fuel costs by approximately 7.5% seems like a small ammount for a good cause until you look at it further take my small business to start in a year i will purchase just over 850 gallons of gasoline this is running a 30 mpg vehicle at optimal fuel consumption. which equates to just $144.50 more in fuel costs. i have still maintained the same carbon emissions the same can be said for oter companies as well lets look at a trucking and freight company, an 18 wheeler gets roughly 5.3 mpg runs 3,000 miles per week and annually will consume 29,434 gallons of fuel. which means every operating 18 wheeler will be taxed an additional $5,003.78 and has not altered its carbon emissions not to mention the operating cost which will be passed along to the consumer. now i would say it makes more since to adopt something like the california emissions laws. it would be better to impose a fee for failing an emissions test rather than paying more for doing your job and paying another tax for fuel. these fees can fund projects on atmospheric carbon scrubbing projects which will clean the already poluted air and at the same time will do more than encourage drivers to lower emissions, new cars sold will already meet or exceede these emissions requirements and older vehicles can either be brought up to code at the owners expense or end up with fines for failing the emissions test. trucking companies, cab companies, public transport, mail couriers and so many others will be forced to do 3 things! 1 look into overhauling its logistics to deliver more efficiently 2 bring all operating vehicles up to code for emissions and 3 pay for not meeting emissions testing. and these emissions tests and fines can be anual with vehicle inspections and a part of d.o.t highway checks imposing a fee for every mile driven after the initial fine is issued until an emissions test is passed will also encourage these high emission vehicles to be parked and cease operation until they meet code. bottom line taxing the fuel needed to run your business or to commute to work or deliver essential goods across the united states is a terrible idea! i understand a road tax it pays for infrastructure repairs and upkeep and new roadways bridges etc. but saying no matter how low your emissions are you get to pay the same ammount as everyone else is crazy! we have all seen diesel pickup trucks take off from a stop and "rolling coal" because its fun, how is it fair they pay $0.17 while im sitting here in a ford focus. another outcome could be the forced purchase of ev's which simply changes the source of this pollution and new england does not have an effective infrastructure for ev charging or even repair. please reconsider the proposal and target offenders with fees rather than all purchases of road fuel, and use these fees to fund existing atmosphere pollution elimination projects. thank you!

I am inspired by TCI's policy model, because I believe that without such powerful and proactive steps, my grandchildren's lives will be horribly affected by climate change. I think that TCI is an example of government at its best, so thank you from the bottom of my heart. Richard Thomas, Ph.D.

I want transportation pollution managed and reduced asap because it is our largest source of global warming emissions (regionally and nationally). Please, Massachusetts formally join the plan to reduce emissions.
In addition, it is essential that all policies have a strong component of equity by prioritizing clean investments in areas overburdened by pollution and/or for those who don't have access.
Finally, I am grateful for the bipartisan nature of this project, moving us forward while the federal government takes us backward.

I am excited to see a high-impact, regional approach to tackling carbon emissions moving forward; this is critical work, especially in the face of the short-sighted, dangerous approach currently being taken by the federal government.

I thank Gov. Baker for steering this project and I fully support MA joining the TCI program. Reducing pollution from motor vehicles will strongly help reduce CO2 pollution in the region, which I intensely hope for. I hope that the TCI leaders will go for the most aggressive greenhouse gas goals that will help us reach the target that current climate science tells us we need.. I ask that TCI in MA give priority to areas in which people don't have access to transportation choices and areas most highly burdened by pollution.

We need a bold and ambitious plan to cut transportation pollution in our country and state. Please create such a plan.

My family and I are requesting a cap on carbon emissions of at least 25% by 2032, an increase in the minimum investment in overburdened and underserved communities (>35%), and investments be put towards active transportation like better sidewalks, bicycle infrastructure, and high quality public transit.
Thank you for your attention to our comments, The Stewart Family