TCI Regional Policy Design Stakeholder Submissions

Thanks to the 11 states (plus DC) for addressing transportation emissions through the TCI. I worked for the US DOE back in the 1990's when we began the Clean Cities program, and am frustrated that more progress has not resulted with clean transportation. I believe the TCI will be successful similar as the RGGI initiative has been with the power sector, and will continue actively promoting it and encourage others to support it.

I believe the TCI is long overdue and will help us transition to electrified transportation, just as RGGI has done for renewable energy. I encourage TCI states to be as aggressive as possible to encourage utilities, suppliers and end users to aid a rapid transition. I also hope TCI can expand beyond the 9 states to a national initiative. Thank you for this critically important initiative!

The Citizens Climate Lobby is a nonpartisan nonprofit volunteer advocacy group with over 500 grassroots chapters. CCL supports the Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act, H.R. 763, a market-based solution to climate change that encourages emissions reductions while helping the economy.

Please see:
https://citizensclimatelobby.org/energy-innovation-and-carbon-dividend-act/
for more information and how you can help.

“Most impressive is the work of Citizens’ Climate Lobby…If you want to join the fight to save the planet, to save creation for your grandchildren, there is no more effective step you could take than becoming an active member of this group.” ~ Dr. James Hansen, Climate Scientist, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center

This Gov. is wrong ion negotiating this deal without having to pass this through referendom. Her only purpose is tax the Maine people into oblivion. Her tax and spend policies will serve no purpose but to lower Maine's standard of living by driving more people below the poverty line. This governor needs to be stoped.

One year is not enough time for people to meet the criteria. There is already a Veip Program. How about requiring testing annually vs bi-annually.

Gov Mills, please do not lead Maine into joining this initiative. This is going to raise gas prices and hurt Mainers.

(my company which employs 95-108 people) is strongly opposed to the "framework for a draft regional policy proposal" which seeks to expropriate the petroleum marketing industry. Over time this plan proposes to move Virginia from simple rationing and new taxes to the ultimate prohibition of fossil fuels.
•This plan does not assess the collateral damage it will inflict on state revenue, local tax collections, Virginia's Transportation Trust fund, and consumers.
•Many of the advocates of these policies support regulation to electrify transportation. Those advocates somehow forget to mention that a major component of batteries powering these vehicles is cobalt, 90 percent of which is mined in third world countries under unfavorable working conditions.
•As the number of electric vehicles grows, petroleum marketers will likely have to battle for a share of the electric vehicle charging market with utility companies that see EV charging as a new business opportunity without cost. When utility companies install charging stations, they may seek the ability to include that cost as part of their capital investment. When these costs are approved by governmental regulatory agencies, they can then be passed on to all ratepayers as part of their monthly electric bills.
•(my company) believes this would provide regulated utilities an unfair competitive advantage that Virginia based small businesses simply cannot compete with. I must economically justify and self-fund at risk investments in new equipment like EV charging stations and so should my competition.
•Another likely competitor under this scheme is the state government itself. This is not a concept, as just this past session the General Assembly passed legislation to allow the Departments of Conservation and Recreation, General Services, and Transportation to install electric chargers. Fortunately our association was able to narrow this initiative considerably by limiting the number of state agencies involved and mitigating the threat of unfair competition by requiring the state to sell the power at prevailing market rates including taxes.
•All Virginians, particularly the petroleum marketing and convenience industries, support a clean environment. There are many ways to achieve this without rationing. Incentivizing the sale of electric vehicles does nothing to meet your stated goals of "equity, environmental justice, and non-discrimination." As one example, the stated goals could be achieved far faster and cheaper via efforts to assist low-income Virginians to purchase more fuel efficient vehicles that meet current and future CAFÉ standards.
•History has proven that rationing followed by prohibition - the ultimate goal of TCI - has led to black markets, unregulated and untaxed sales, and undue burdens on law enforcement.
•The impact of these proposals will not be solely on fuel sellers and convenience stores - what about the auto repair industry, muffler shops, service facilities at new car dealers, quick lubes etc.? What about agriculture, construction and watermen who will be forced to scrap present equipment or pay artificially high prices due to rationing? What about the consumer who will experience not only higher prices to operate their personal vehicles, but higher prices for consumer goods and services?
•(my company) opposes the TCI plan to ration, tax and ultimately eliminate fossil fuels.
Finally, this initiative is based on very questionable "science", and ultimately does little to reduce carbon output, because utility companies still burn mostly fossil fuels to produce the electricity. The massive battery industry that will be required to support such an initiative also exposes the environment to hazardous chemicals, and this will be an ongoing risk as "shade tree" electricians and mechanics are left to alter or dispose of these massive batteries wherever recycling is impractical.
The best way to let good technology become better technology is through competition in the market place. Just look at how much improvement has been made in average fuel mileage and emissions over the last 3 decades. The air and water is far cleaner today than it has been in past recent decades, while at the same time economic output has gone up by orders of magnitude.
This is a dangerous political agenda that will cost millions of American Jobs in an ultimately futile effort to force the economic workload from fossil fuels and onto an industry that is no where near ready to take it on! Better fuels, and more efficient cars have come a very long way in a relatively short period of time. This improvement will continue as long as normal competitive markets are not interfered with. Electrified transportation will ultimate gain a significant place in the market as long as it becomes cost effective and convenient. The free market will sort this all out over time without government interference or subsidy.
This initiative is a total waste of tax payer dollars, and amounts to the government using our tax dollars against our own better interests!

Any state or federal mandated permitting fee's or government interference in commerce would negatively impaft my small business, through increased petroleum costs for my shop vehicle and an increase in shipping costs passed on to my business from UPS, FedEx and USPS. Please remove yourself from national politics Gov Mills, you are the governor of Maine, not a regional consortium.