TCI Regional Policy Design Stakeholder Submissions

Maine is a poor state, this added gas tax would unduly burden our most vulnerable citizens. The old on a fixed income. Why don't you live on 780. A month for awhile and tell yourself this tax isn't affecting you. You've never seen someone else's money you won't spend.
Climate initiative? Redistribute our meager Maine revenue is a more accurate description.

Over the past decade, the Northeast region of the United States has helped lead the country—and the world—in supporting and developing clean, renewable sources of electricity. Taken together, the policies of Northeast states, from Maine to Maryland, have generated billions of dollars in investment for solar, wind, and efficiency. One driving force behind this investment is a regional initiative that caps emissions from the electricity sector, charges power plants for the emissions they generate, and invests the revenue from those fees into efficiency and clean energy programs. This initiative has helped fundamentally change the region’s electricity sector: we have achieved unprecedented penetration of renewables, nearly eliminated the use of coal, and reduced overall electricity use at a time of economic expansion.
The next big step for the region is to bring that same sense of commitment, ingenuity, and purpose to clean transportation.
Transportation is the largest source of pollution in the Northeast region, comprising more than 40 percent of total regional global warming emissions (Georgetown Climate Center 2015). In addition to the health impacts associated with rising temperatures, soot and ground-level ozone from the region’s cars
and trucks are responsible for more than 50,000 asthma attacks, 1,000 deaths,
and other pollution-related illnesses that incur approximately $27 billion in total health care costs every year (Holmes-Gen and Barrett 2016). The health impacts of transportation affect all of us, but especially vulnerable are children, the elderly, the chronically ill, and people in low-income communities (who often live in or near freight corridors).
A growing number of people are choosing to live in neighborhoods where nearby amenities and public transportation can make car-free living more feasible. Above, the Boston Harborwalk, more than 40 miles long, connects the city’s waterfront neighborhoods. Forward-thinking policies can help the region adapt to growing populations and reduce dependence on personal vehicles.

If this goes Thur I will work as hard as I can to throw all of you out of office bring it to the voters

I own a home care agency where my staff go to home visits throughout northern RI. They drive from house to house. The increase in the gas tax will have a direct impact on their income and expenses. The state already steals money from all of the residents with a toll on trucks (what do you think, the cost doesn't get passed on to consumers)? RI signing on to this TCI will do nothing for the world's pollution problem. It will only put money into the pockets of the connected wealthy politicians and friends who are allowed to get into businesses that will benefit from the money generated by the new tax. This would be a disaster and would give home care workers another reason to quit their job and move into career paths that would not require them to drive their car so much, leaving many, many patients with no one to care for them, forcing them into much more expensive nursing homes.

Strongly support this initiative. As the owner of two fully electric cars, I am trying to make a difference and this initiative is good.

Hi - I’d support any and all efforts to quickly transition CT over to clean energy. I think we should build more electric car charging stations, switch public transit (buses etc.) to electric, and limit the sales of gas guzzling cars in the state ASAP. Such a program in conjunction with other states (NY, NJ, etc) will promote cleaner air and water in the region.

Thank you for your consideration of this comment.
Vinod

we are approaching a point of no return with CO2 emissions/ climate change. Everything possible must be done ASAP to reduce our carbon input. Subsidies for public transportation must be enlarged.

Transportation is a major contributor to climate change, and climate change is already devastating our planet. Meanwhile, clean transportation is better for the environment, for our health, and the economy. Public transportation in particular is crucial to our state's future success. Please support clean public transportation and legislation to promote green transportation options. Support the Transportation and Climate Initiative!