TCI Regional Policy Design Stakeholder Submissions

This is a VERY positive issue. PLEASE support it.

People want to see a bold and ambitious plan to cut transportation pollution in their state and in the region. TCI states are planning and beginning to implement a range of activities to ensure that the final proposed policy reflects further input from diverse stakeholders, rigorous technical analysis, and consultation with leading experts.

Investment, legislation, and State and local regulation under the Initiative should support infrastructure for private and corporate electric vehicles - cars and trucks - including tax breaks for statewide (rural as well as urban) e-vehicle charging stations and dedicated transmission lines. Such transmission systems should also support local and regional public transportation systems - busses and trains- to facilitate public public acceptance. Laws must permit homeowners to void pre-existing covenants and other private restrictions on installation of rooftop solar panels as well as require remuneration to homeowners by regional electric power companies who receive power from household solar or wind power generation entering the grid. This is a start. I could continue. But so can others.

We support strong climate policy. Don't be fooled by false narratives from the fossil fuel industry and other agents of the status quo. We need strong action and we need it now.

-Maine should use TCI as an opportunity to invest in local transportation solutions that help Maine people get to where they need to go in an affordable way that’s good for our environment.
-Mainers deserve creative new choices and new investments to meet our transportation needs; the one thing we know is that pouring pollution into the atmosphere and sending our hard-earned money out of state for the oil that causes that pollution are NOT the way forward.
-Maine needs an ambitious plan to reduce climate-changing transportation pollution,. Working together with neighboring states makes sense.
-Maine can see significant economic, health, and environmental benefits by transitioning to cleaner and more efficient transportation options through adoption of TCI.

We need a powerful plan to reduce transportation pollution. The amount of traffic is crazy. Interstate, long-distance travel should mostly be via public transportation, not personal vehicles.
All of New England can potentially benefit by transitioning to cleaner and more efficient transportation options. Let's go for the economic, health, and environmental benefits of TCI!

TCI is nothing more than a tax and money grab for a nonproblem. I’m totally against this unconstitutional move by the governor of Massachusetts and affiliated states.

As a citizen of Yarmouth, Maine, I strongly support Maine signing on to TCI. While I think that the current program design could be improved, such as by making the cap more stringent, dedicating funds to underserved and low-income communities, and ensuring robust public engagement and feedback throughout the program, I think that these important considerations should not distract from the enormous potential this program holds for Maine and the region. 54% of Maine's greenhouse gas emissions come from the transportation sector, the only sector in the state that's growing. Maine must do something to reverse this trend, especially if we are going to reach our climate goals. But it's not just the greenhouse gas emissions that a TCI can help us address. Maine is experiencing a transportation crisis. We are dependent on cars to get to work, school, medical appointments, grocery stores, and all of the other important errands we run every day. Not only are our cars polluting, but they're expensive, costing us thousands of dollars a year in gasoline, insurance, maintenance and repairs, and tolls. They're also ruining our health, polluting the air and making us sit for hours a day as we shuttle from place to place in our busy lives. For those of us without the luxury of having a car, our lack of public transportation often leaves citizens unable to meet basic needs. Mainers deserve better. TCI will provide us with the opportunity to do better. This is an opportunity we can't afford to pass up.

Opponents of TCI are claiming that the program is nothing more than a gas tax, citing the worst-case 17 cents/gallon increase from the modeling. This is not a fair critique. Unlike the money we currently spend at the gas pump, which goes out of state to large oil and gas corporations, these funds would flow directly back to Maine, where it would be invested in reducing emissions and our dependence on single passenger vehicles. We know that this type of model works for Maine because of our experience with RGGI. What's more, we can learn from RGGI to make this program even more effective.

Please support TCI, it's a great opportunity for Maine and the region.

As a believer that we can do something to help alleviate this climate crisis that we have unleashed, I strongly support the TCI. The time is NOW. Let's get this done.