TCI Regional Policy Design Stakeholder Submissions

On behalf of U.S. PIRG, I am submitting comments in support of TCI from 874 of our members across the Northeast/Mid-Atlantic region.

The Transportation and Climate Initiative is an opportunity for our state to reduce fossil fuel emissions and invest in clean transportation, like electric cars and buses, charging infrastructure, sidewalks/bike lanes, and regional rail.

We urge you to move forward with TCI, and require that the revenue generated by the program is used to expand clean transportation. There are simply too many cars on the road -- leading to increased asthma rates, traffic congestion problems, and a warming climate.

In particular, we'd like TCI funds to go towards zero-emission electric buses, EV charging infrastructure, expanded and improved bike lanes and regional rail, as well as tax rebates toward private EV ownership.

see attached document (corrections to previous document)
28FEB20_BTBCoaltion_01a.pdf

Transportation sector hydrocarbon reduction to date has been based on a lack of a mass-produced electric vehicles of the types people need. The lack of vehicles is not because no one wants the vehicles or because the manufacturers do not want to produce them, but because the battery technology is still immature and the supply chains for mass-produced batteries and rare earth permanent magnets is early stage development. The cost-benefit for consumers even with tax incentives is not there because the vehicles are more expensive for less capability. All major manufacturers have announced $300 billion in electric vehicle manufacturing investments over the next few years with large scale production starting in 2021. That said it will take until 2030 for mass production to be fully realized. Consumers and businesses with a new ICE technology vehicle are not going to run out and buy a new electric car until their current ICE vehicle reaches its end of useful service (8-10 years). At that point consumers will have a choice and will make the choice based on the advantages of the future EV's, not because of TCI. TCI does not help us move forward only adds consumer costs. TCI does nothing to solve that and all rigorous studies show that it does not reduce hydrocarbon consumption, does nothing to enhance transportation sector electrification and adds no funding for desperately needed highway repairs.
https://ljfo.vermont.gov/assets/Uploads/a5e545b014/rap-carbon-management-VT-JFO-february-2019-updated.pdf
https://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy18osti/71500.pdf
https://graphics.reuters.com/AUTOS-INVESTMENT-ELECTRIC/010081ZB3HD/index.html
https://www.iea.org/reports/global-ev-outlook-2019
https://www.jpmorgan.com/global/research/electric-vehicles
https://www.eei.org/resourcesandmedia/newsroom/Pages/Press%20Releaseshttps://www.eei.org/resourcesandmedia/newsroom/Pages/Press%20Releases/EEI%20Celebrates%201%20Million%20Electric%20Vehicles%20on%20U-S-%20Roads.aspx
https://www.iso-ne.com/static-assets/documents/2019/12/draft_2020_transpElectr_fx.pdf