TCI Regional Policy Design Stakeholder Submissions

Cockerham Energy, a third-generation family business which currently employs approximately 115 people and has employed hundreds of others throughout its 70+ years serving Southwest Virginia, is strongly opposed to the "framework for a draft regional policy proposal" which seeks to expropriate the fossil fuel 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, small business 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.

• Cockerham Energy believes this would provide regulated utilities an unfair competitive advantage that Virginia based small businesses simply cannot compete with. Our company 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, whereby the state government starts pushing one form of power (electric) over others, instead of letting the competitive marketplace work under capitalism.

• As a propane and heating oil marketer I 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 propane and heating oil businesses such as mine - 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?

Cockerham Energy opposes the TCI plan to ration, tax and ultimately eliminate fossil fuels.

I would point out that the science is crystal clear that anthropogenic climate change IS warming the planet. Just ask the fisherman/women, farmers, those who tap Sugar maple trees, skiers and anyone else paying attention to or depends on the climate and the outdoors for their livelihood. I would remind people that the tobacco companies took the same tact toward cigarette taxes, controlling advertisement, regulation, etc. With oceans becoming more acidic and contributing to the decline of lobsters and clams, with "Acid Rain" returning to the eastern slope of the Adirondacks poisoning native trout habitat, all directly due to coal-based electrical generation, in addition to a warming Northeastern US, it is time for the TRUTH. It is something that 45 and most republicans have a hard time with, the TRUTH. Much easier to be a "Lazy Liar." The Ozone Hole is closing and Bald Eagles have made historic comebacks, all due to science-based and incentivized supports for chlorine- based coolants as well as science-based regulations to stop the use of certain pesticides. In New England, over 60% of the population desires reasonable steps to protect our environment and protection from the "NO NO NO" crowd. People who are against this approach should move to a part of the country where the predominance of residents don't care about their environment.

Only a public referendum supporting this policy and no new taxes would gain my support!

Leave the climate and energy initiatives to the real experts in the industry. Block politicians from having anything to do with these industries. Government policies destroy everything they touch.

We need to transition away from our petroleum-based economy as soon as possible. The TCI is a step in the right direction. I encourage Governor Baker and the legislature to formally join the TCI program as soon as possible. Revenue from the TCI should target clean investments into communities with the greatest environmental burden and public transit.

If people want a vehicle that can be driven across the US without having to purchase gas then government should simply stay out of the way of progress and allow the private sector to develop such a product. Maine should stay out of the Transportation and Climate Initiative.

I am in favor of Vermont's participation in the regional Transportation and Climate Initiative. It makes sense for Vermont to join other states in the region in developing policies to address carbon emissions from transportation fuels because those policies will impact Vermont even if it does not join the TCI: it might as well have a say in them before they take effect. Vermont needs to become clearer and more emphatic about meeting its goals for the reduction of its carbon emissions in general The public needs help in doing this: lots of education, of course, and policies which encourage and/or require taking actual steps towards lowering emissions numbers in different areas of our day-to-day life. The cap and invest approach to transportation fuels gives the public a chance to a) see that long-term steps to reduce emissions from transportation fuels can indeed be taken on a regional scale and b) engage in considering how to invest in our own communities-- always a profound opportunity! The conversations which will happen around investing monies from a cap-and-invest program will build our community as different types of people come together to consider what is important to them, worth investing in, in this state we all love so much.