Study Finds Regional Pact To Reduce Transportation Pollution Could Yield Major Health Benefits WBUR NPR Affiliate/Boston, MA, October 6, 2020. Barbara Moran: “By leading Rhode Island into TCI, Governor Raimondo and Providence lawmakers would make the state even more a leader for jobs and climate in the region. They can protect the economy and continue to lower emissions at the same time."  

Mid-Atlantic, Northeast states collaborate to cut carbon emissions from transportation Yale Climate Connections, August 28, 2020. Stephanie Manuzak: "The allowances will be bought and sold at auction, and the proceeds will help fund clean transportation. For example, they could be used for mass transit, bike paths, or incentives for electric vehicles. So Bradbury says the program should improve mobility while reducing carbon pollution."

Climate and commuting Boston (MA) Herald (LTE), July 20, 2020. Larry Chretien: “Massachusetts should continue to lead on TCI, as it provides an opportunity to both cap emissions from the transportation sector (currently responsible for 40% of our emissions), but generate revenue to make long-term investments to bring our cars, buses and trains into the 21st century. Transportation connects people to economic opportunities; it is well worth the investment to make sure Bay Staters have access to resilient, reliable and affordable ways of getting around, regardless of their choice to work remotely."

Theoharides: Transpo emission pact still priority Commonwealth Magazine / Massachusetts, June 17, 2020. Matt Murphy: “Rather than creating a disincentive, Theoharides said the current pandemic has made a 'compelling' argument for why TCI is necessary. 'I think it’s built an even stronger case for TCI and the investments we can make with the revenue at a time when revenue might be limited,' she said." 

A clean transportation system is the prescription my patients need Boston Globe/Boston, MA (opinion), May 25, 2020. Dr. Gaurab Basu: “One of the best prescriptions I could write for my patients is a clean, equitable, and sustainable transportation system. Transforming our dirty transportation system has long been an urgent public health issue. Air pollution has always made us sick; it increases the risk of heart attacks, childhood asthma exacerbations, strokes, and premature death."

Could Coronavirus Spur Massachusetts To Transform Its Transportation System? WGBH Public Radio/Boston, MA, April 28, 2020. Bob Seay: “In the past, she said, federal policy has been all about moving as many people as quickly as possible, and that's why federal transportation policy has historically favored building highways. About 80 percent of federal dollars has gone to new highway construction, while only 20 percent has been spent on public transit."

Transportation & Climate Initiative sees 'overwhelming support' of cap-and-invest plan Smart Cities Dive, March 2, 2020. Katie Pyzyk and Kristin Musulin: “From mid-December through February, members of the public were asked to submit comments of support or opposition regarding a draft policy from the Transportation & Climate Initiative (TCI). More than 8,300 comments were submitted in the 10-week period, with 91% of those comments showing support of the policy, according to the Our Transportation Future (OTF) coalition. The comment portal was organized by the Georgetown Climate Center and brought in submissions from residents in 12 states and the District of Columbia. OTF, a coalition committed to modernizing transportation in these Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic states, reviewed the comments in the portal."

Public Comments Show “Overwhelming Support” For Program To Cut Pollution And Modernize Transportation In Northeast And Mid-Atlantic States Our Transportation Future, February 28, 2020. “'The message from residents of Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states to lawmakers couldn’t be clearer: The proposed Transportation & Climate Initiative cap-and-invest program to modernize transportation in the region is a winner.  A strong 91 percent of public comments from 12 states and the District of Columbia support the Transportation & Climate Initiative’s policy, according to a review by the Our Transportation Future (OTF) coalition of the 8,308 public comments filed in the public portal since mid-December. An improved regional transportation system would mean more electric cars and trucks and charging infrastructure, reliable mass transit, walkable and bikeable communities, less congestion and pollution, and increased investments in projects that connect everyone, including those in underserved and rural areas."

TCI is the solution to Virginia's transportation, climate problems The Free Lance-Star/Fredricksburg, VA (opinion), January 22, 2020. Ken Lockin: “The other great advantage of TCI is its regional approach. Virginia’s transportation systems are intimately connected to Washington, D.C., Maryland and the entire region, so a real solution to transportation challenges must be regional as well. TCI has broad support from the general public as well as members of the private sector. More than 50 companies have shared their support for TCI and the importance of a regional approach to tackling transportation emissions. And recent polling shows strong public support for TCI, with 60 percent of respondents in favor of their state joining the program. As a coastal state, Virginia is already experiencing the threats of climate change more than most—and scientists have made it clear that we must dramatically scale up efforts to reduce GHG emissions if we are to mitigate the worst impacts of a warming world."