TCI Regional Policy Design Stakeholder Submissions

The Transportation Climate Initiative is necessary but not sufficient policy to address the challenge of climate change mitigation.
All economic sectors must be represented to make real climate progress. Comprehensive carbon reduction measures are ready to implement in the next year-decade time frame. The political will must follow the public will to act on climate protection.

I am very concerned about the 2022 start, gradually phased implementation of TCI, and lagging outcome of consumer behavior change.

No time can be spared, with the climate bomb detonated in every part of the world. We can't escape the manifold and epic changes already baked into our physical, chemical and biological systems by excess carbon and greenhouse gas accumulation to date, much less buffer todays and tomorrows additional emissions.

At a minimum MA must adopt statewide comprehensive carbon pricing; targeted emission reductions to net zero asap; and no burning of carbon to supply "renewable" electricity. Even as MA and region negotiate a transportation agreement, all minds are simultaneously called to brainstorm and implement cross-sector emissions reduction.

TCI must not lull our regional authorities into complacency. In each jurisdiction we must act in concert with TCI planning, boldly and ambitiously, without delay. The time is past to dither. Legislation to bond this cost, rather than make direct investment in real time, is absurd and unconscienable. Blackrock financial just committed their trillions to sustainable investment; so must public investment be redirected. Business as usual cedes to business with future welfare included in the calculus.

We lead as individuals, communities, businesses and government. No waiting time exists. All exertion to reduce this highest risk to all, this existential threat to life in this geologic epoch, is belated. The house is on fire. Each day brings a new sense of emergency, in all parts of this imperiled life support system. We're in the ICU and heading into hospice.

TCI and climate protection needs to care for the vulnerable. An estimated billion animals died in Australia, over these past months of unprecedented change amidst a politically reckless, reeking, wreckage of landscape, habitat, and civilization. No corporate energy monetary profits can be justified, nor can their assets afford to redeem or compensate for THIS LOSS ALONE, the massive scale of wildfire extinction and destruction. The shame is what could have happened, what our kids future might have been, had leaders listened to scientists rather than campaign financier propagandists, since 1988. Stop politically blockading and braking clean energy progress.

The Massachusetts Joint TUE committee heard H.2810 Act to Promote Green Infrastructure and Reduce Carbon Emissions on Tuesday 1/14/20. This is the gold standard for equitable carbon pricing for TCI to follow. It addressed buildings carbon emissions, not just transportation. We need to move on both sectors, as we accelerate non-carbon emitting electricity generation, and decelerate conventional energy production, transmission, and market monopolization.

Please act on all aspects of greenhouse gas mitigation, before all is lost, here and everywhere.

40% of green-house gases now come from the transportation sector. We must get control of this by cooperative efforts, especially
multi-state plans, such as TCI.

I am 100% in favor of the proposal for TCI. Without bold and decisive action, we will get no change taking place, and the dire situation will get worse.

1) Rural microtransit should be encouraged by making it easier to get passenger authority and receive STOA funding in NY, and wherever else it makes sense, by allowing smaller vehicles to become recipients without needing an exemption. Small vehicle operators will be crucial to improving rural transportation. 2) Electric light rail but especially heavy passenger rail needs to be a bigger part of the discussion. If the argument is that the ROI doesn't justify the expense, then the arguer is not thinking broad enough or long term enough. Much of economically struggling NY state, not to mention NE/Central East PA is within 2-3 hours of the NE Corridor, a super-region with the GDP roughly of Germany. Making connections to Philadelphia and NY via rail would have an enormous impact. A study was done a decade ago on connecting Binghamton to Scranton and to NYC with rail, and that has gone nowhere. 3) NYS needs to offer sustained funding for innovative mobility concepts already doing this work.

We NEED a bold plan that holds large transportation polluters accountable for the pollution they create and invests in clean transportation solutions including:

- More public transit and electric vehicle infrastructure in rural areas,
- Expansion of commuter rail, electric vehicles, and streets in the suburbs that are safe, walkable, and bikeable, and
- Sustainable and equitable housing near transit and electric bus fleets in urban communities

Make this happen! Your children and grandchildren's future depends on it.

Personally I am surprised that there is any hesitation on the part of the Vermont government to move forward with the TCI proposal when it partners states in the northeast to take a stand and move forward on climate issues that are in a state of emergency. Denmark nation wide is on schedule to reduce its carbon by 70% by 2030. The Netherlands is close behind, where is Vermont when it come to leading this nation in changing our ancient power producing methods. It is past the time for hesitation move us forward with our neighbors to get this project in place by 2022. Look at GreenIsland DK if you any questions. What kind of business climate could we have if our power costs 70% less. You could say goodbye to tax incentives and have a skilled work force installing Green Power as both Denmark and the Netherlands are doing NOW. Please feel free to contact me regarding Green Island DK as I am in conversation with one of their designers.

Mainers cannot afford any more increases in taxes on gas and fuel..We can barely afford the prices now...

In these comments we outline TCI's program design and anticipated benefits before making four concrete recommendations to participating jurisdictions for consideration in the development of the final MOU.

Please see the attached comments from the Southern Environmental Law Center on the TCI Framework for a Draft Regional Policy Proposal. Thank you for your consideration of our comments.