TCI Regional Policy Design Stakeholder Submissions

I have been skeptical about using market mechanisms for carbon emission reduction when the plans were based solely in VT, due to the added costs and competitive disadvantage with surrounding states. But a regional plan that reaches all the way to Virginia makes a lot of sense, and we would be foolish not to take advantage of the market power of such a large populous area to reduce emissions. The climate crisis is the number one threat to the future of all residents of Vermont and the planet. The near term costs of economic transition will be a good investment in the future of our energy infrastructure.

Since the federal government under Trump and McConnell refuse to do anything, it is up to governors, mayors and conscientious industries to take the lead. Please pursue making PA a leading state to mitigate global warming emissions.

PA, being an agricultural state, could also be proactive in sequestering atmospheric carbon in farm fields, by rebuilding soils that have been killed by pesticides and destructive tilling practices.

Please Gov Scott join the TCI initiative. Our state needs to move on climate change.

I’d like to submit a comment in support of the Transportation & Climate Initiative.
First, reducing pollution from transportation is a key component to reducing Pennsylvania's emissions. There are numerous benefits to Pennsylvania and the entire Northeastern United States in cutting emissions and the subsequent formation of toxic greenhouse gases; public transit investments that could be made with TCI proceeds would be valuable and could be reinvested to develop further climate saving, greenhouse gas reducing programs throughout the region, protecting our children and the elderly from the choking greenhouse gases that have been linked to increased rates of respiratory disease, have been shown to affect the birth weight and overall fetal health in our region and darken skies with clouds of smog that are brimming full of dangerous chemicals that collect on our skin, in our hair, contaminate our fresh water supply and adversely affect the health of livestock grown for human consumption in the region.
I ask, that as the leaders responsible for effecting change, you choose the aggressive greenhouse gas reduction target that the most recent climate science tells us we need. I also urge you to adopt policy that prioritizes clean investments in areas overburdened by pollution and/or for those who don’t have access to transportation choices.
The time to act is now! I’d like to point out that change has been a long time in coming, and it takes progressive, forward-thinking policy makers that agree with the urgency of the situation and are bold enough to perhaps step outside of their comfort zones in order to make meaningful change possible.

In support of TCI jurisdictions' efforts to develop a robust and equitable regional clean transportation policy, please find comments attached from 62 organizations, including members of the Our Transportation Future coalition and additional partners, on the draft TCI Memorandum of Understanding. Our organizations strongly support TCI jurisdictions’ continued work to develop a regional clean transportation policy, which we believe is an important component of achieving a 21st-Century regional transportation system that is cleaner; offers more varied, accessible, and affordable transportation options; and serves the needs of everyone.

Reducing pollution from transportation is a step in the right direction for minimizing climate change.

I would urge the Governor to support joining the Transportation and Climate Initiative. It is vitally important for the health of Pennsylvanians and for the planet that we do everything possible to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.