TCI Regional Policy Design Stakeholder Submissions

Our young people are showing us the way--increasingly rejecting cars and driving in favor of public transportation--but the state of our transportation infrastructure is a scandal and a ticking carbon bomb. Enough. It is past time to invest in clean transportation, and 100% clean energy overall.

Make owning and operating an electric vehicle easier. Provide incentives for consumers to purchase electric vehicles.

This country desperately needs to design and implement a regional low-carbon transportation system that caps and reduces carbon emissions from the combustion of transportation fuels. The best way to do that is likely through a cap-and-invest program or other pricing mechanisms so that industry can facilitate the transition. This starts with policy development, which needs to happen immediately with an aim to complete the policy development process within one year, after which each jurisdiction will decide whether to adopt and implement the policy. Please support this effort.

It is vital that our transportation policies reflect the reality of our world. The transportation sector is a major contributor to climate change and to air pollution. There have been many days in southwestern Pennsylvania in the past few weeks with air quality alerts, and vehicles are a significant contributor to that problem. We owe it to our residents in Pennsylvania to solve these problems by taking action on transportation infrastructure and on transportation policies. I, for instance, intend my next vehicle to be a plug-in electric car (I currently drive a hybrid). But, I do worry about the infrastructure that would make that choice easier. Charging stations are few and far between in Pennsylvania. Long distance travel is a problem! I have solar panels on my house, but the electric grid generally in Pennsylvania needs to move faster toward renewable sources and away from fossil fuel generation of electricity so that charging an electric vehicle truly is a environmentally better choice no matter where it is charged. And finally, we need to move away from fuel taxes as the major source of funds for the transportation sector. As electric vehicles become more common (and they will!), revenues from other sources will be needed to support our transportation system. Let's move forward with intention by planning for a new, clean transportation system in Pennsylvania.

While I lack the expertise to suggest "the how", I urge that we collectively work for the reduction of emissions. The heavy truck traffic on the interstate highway passing along the eastern boundary of our township noticeably affects our air quality. Personally, it seems obvious to me that a large part of the solution must include the shift of an increasing percentage of goods, particularly those travelling long distances, from truck to rail.

Thank you both for your efforts and consideration of the needs of rural, as well as urban, populations.

I have a PhD in City and Regional Planning. One of the issues we frequently discuss is inefficient transportation systems and auto-dependency. One priority should be to improve train travel throughout this reason. With improved train service, it would be possible to travel from Washington DC to Boston with greatly reduced emissions.
I often think of these transportation issues and how they play out at the local level. I live in the suburbs of Philadelphia, and I experience inefficiencies and auto-related gridlock daily. In Chester County we are expected to add 140,000 people in the next 20 years. On neighborhood forums, I see the tendency to want to reject all development, which is not possible when considering the projected population growth. A major reason for not wanting more development is the overburdened infrastructure that will become increasingly inefficient with more cars on the road. We need a solution that will provide other means of local and regional transportation. These local transportation solutions should be part of the scaffolding of a regional transportation system.
Creating an enforceable limit on transportation pollution and investing in clean, modern mobility solutions across the region will reduce vehicle emissions, especially GHG emissions; support clear air initiatives; and improve the quality of life of residents in these states. A regional planning initiative is long overdue, but I am grateful that the process has begun. I request that Pennsylvania will formally join the plan to reduce emissions. This bipartisan project will provide an example to the rest of the country, demonstrating that state jurisdictions can do this important but difficult work even as our federal government continues to roll back regulations and refuses to address issues that will make us competitive in the future. I also hope this policy will prioritize clean energy investments on behalf of all residents, especially those in areas overburdened by pollution or in areas where access to clean energy options are limited.

We are custodians of this planet. We owe it to our children to minimize the harm done... and by the way, create interesting jobs.

I deeply support a strong emissions reduction program. We are on the precipice of an environmental disaster and must reverse our rate of emissions immediately. I request that PA formally join the plan to reduce emissions. Please ensure the policy has a strong component of equity by prioritizing clean investments in areas overburdened by pollution and/or for those who don't have access.