TCI Regional Policy Design Stakeholder Submissions

I learned about the TCI at a climate forum last week. Transportation is responsible for 40% of our air pollution. I hope very much the 12 NE states and DC can join together to put a price on carbon...where the money collected can go into investing in public transportation and better /safer bike lanes.. If we can cut down on air pollution, it would save alot of money and lives...due to decreasing particulate matter in the air we breathe...

Needs to be more streamlined/lower emissions commuting; easier biking/hiking alternative transportation. Less accentuation on making roads easier for business and more on people.

Our transportation system is not working well. Though nobody wants higher taxes, I SUPPORT an increase in the gas tax of at least 15 cents/gallon immediately to get better infrastructure in place. PLEASE--end the gridlock!

The Transportation Climate Initiative (TCI) has many potential strengths -- in particular the fact that it will tackle carbon emissions on a regional basis. However, this bill must be a lot stronger. We are clearly in a climate emergency, and we need to take bold and wide-ranging actions now! As it now stands, about TCI is:
TOO LITTLE
1. The TCI does not address the carbon emissions generated by housing and heating. To be effective, it must be paired with other bills that cover these areas.
2. As proposed, TCI would reduce emissions from transportation 20-25% over 10 years. However, taking into account more efficient vehicles on the road by then, TCI would drop emissions only 1-6% beyond decreases in vehicle emissions expected by Governor Baker's administration. So not only is this “decrease” deceptive, it is nowhere near enough to prevent the worst impacts of the climate crisis.
3. The large emissions from jet fuel are not included in TCI.
TOO LATE
4. It will take several years before TCI will be implemented. Getting all the states to agree on terms and figuring out the logistics will be a long and complicated process. These negotiations will also involve a lot of compromise, so that the final plan may not have the stringent emission reductions that we need.
TOO VAGUE AND NOT EQUITABLE
5. The expenditure of TCI funds is not specified. Without clear, enforceable, and equitable policies, TCI will create a regressive gasoline tax that will hit moderate- and low-income and rural residents the hardest. The expenditures must be specified now – not left up to the governor or some future committee. TCI policy regulations in Massachusetts and other states should include the same equitable plans that are specified in the Benson Bill, H2810 in order to:
a. ensure that low- and moderate-income families and rural residents do not bear an unfair financial burden that they can ill afford;
b. support low-income communities to reduce their emissions and to strengthen their infrastructure in the face of the consequences of climate change.

We face devastating and irreversible effects of climate change! We are all in this together and cannot waste time “kicking the can down the road.” TCI has a lot of potential, but it must be paired with H2810 in order to be more ambitious, immediate, and equitable!!

TCI attempts to bypass the democratic process by pushing through a tax increase without forcing the legislature to take a vote. I do NOT agree with any process that bypasses legislative procedure. Our elected lawmakers should be debating and voting on these decisions. There can be no tax increase without a legislative vote. That would be the very definition of taxation without representation. NO TO TCI!!!

Raising taxes will just put more stress on people that are living paycheck to paycheck and will just be one step closer to turning into Los Angeles

It troubles me that our legislature would attempt another tax increase in such a manner. I am strongly oppose another tax increase of any kind.

March 6, 2020
Testimony to TCI by Edward Olmstead
Thank you for your work on TCI to reduce emissions from the transportation sector. I strongly urge you to build on what you have so far developed.
Our current status:
The efforts to head off the continued destabilization and disruption of the global climate is woefully inadequate. There are many forces actively opposing taking action to stabilize the global climate including our own President and his administration. You are in a position to make improvements to the TCI and urge other states to do the same. A multi-state effort like this could have a significant impact on carbon pollution.
The change is too little:
The current proposals to cut transportation emissions by between 20% and 25% includes an expected 19% drop that we on track for in the next ten years. I urge you to set emissions goals that would be 20% to 25% in addition to the expected 19% drop.
I urge a carbon fee and rebate to residents:
The Transportation Climate Initiative seems to assume a cap program instead of a fee program. I urge you to reconsider this. Fee programs are much less complicated than cap programs making them much less expensive to run, more predictable, much more flexible to design for effectiveness and transparency including fraud detection.
Residents of the Commonwealth need help to adjust to green transportation:
Policies must address equity regarding access to public transportation, cost-effectiveness of public transportation, traffic congestion and its effects, the reduction of transportation climate emissions and related health impacts, impacts on access to new jobs, access to greener transportation options, and access to greener automobile technologies. TCI must clearly articulate how equity will be created for those most burdened by the adaptation to green transportation. I urge direct investment in green infrastructure in low income and other disproportionately affected communities.
Clearly and specifically use funds for carbon pollution reduction:
I urge you to take a position that money from this initiative should be primarily used for projects that reduce CO2 pollution and only a small portion of it should be used for adaptation to
climate change. While adaptation is important, carbon dioxide reduction is what addresses the underlying cause of climate destabilization.
Please take this opportunity to strengthen TCI so that it creates a road forward where human activity is not the cause of continual climate and environmental disruption. We can be leaders in this state, but you hold the key to creating a response that is proportional to the problem and which solutions are proportional to the action needed.
Thank you,
Sincerely,
Edward Olmstead

Attached is an updated version of a letter/comments from the Massachusetts Campaign for Clean Energy Future, with additional signatories added.