The Connecticut General Assembly”™s Environment Committee voted 21-11 in favor of legislation aimed at improving transportation and reducing carbon emissions ”“ and that could result in a 26-cent increase in gas prices by 2032.
The legislation ”“ SB 884, “An Act Reducing Transportation-Related Carbon Emissions” ”“ would authorize the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection and the Department of Transportation to implement the Transportation and Climate Initiative (TCI).
As previously reported, the TCI promises Connecticut at least a 26% reduction in carbon emissions from transportation from 2022 to 2032. Proponents maintain that it would generate annual revenues of up to $89 million in 2023, increasing to as much as $117 million in 2032.
That revenue could be used for infrastructure projects, transit programs and quality-of-life improvements such as increasing the number of trains on the Waterbury Line from 15 to 22 each weekday; continuing the free weekend bus service Gov. Ned Lamont announced this week; and creating more sidewalks, bike lanes, and biking and walking trails.
Since December, when Lamont signed the memorandum of understanding to join TCI, the administration has met regularly with environmental representatives on design and implementation of the program, identifying additional investments to the initiative.
Substitute language for the legislation that moved out of the committee includes several such improvements, including increasing by 50% the minimum amount of TCI revenues that must be spent on communities overburdened and underserved by the transportation system.
That plan exceeds the TCI”™s minimum commitment of 35% to environmental equity focused reinvestments and ensures that communities that suffer the most from air pollution and rural communities benefit from the program.
While the governor has said the initial increase in gas prices would be in the 5 cents to 9 cents per gallon range, TCI has estimated it would be closer to 17 cents per gallon. During Wednesday’s hearing, Environment Committee Chair Sen. Christine Cohen (D-Guilford) said that figure could rise to 26 cents per gallon by 2032.
Lamont called the Environment Committee”™s action “a positive step in our state”™s comeback and our commitment to a cleaner environment and modernized transportation system and infrastructure. This is really about improving the future for our children and generations to follow through cleaner air, better health, and more equitable quality of life and opportunities.”
The TCI was established as a regional collaboration of 13 Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states and the District of Columbia, although to date only Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts and D.C. have officially signed on.
Correct me if I’m wrong, but doesn’t the air generally move west to east? Long Island and the Atlantic Ocean should be very happy with clean air coming from Connecticut. But mass transit for underserved communities does sound good, put a train station in Newtown so if NYC ever recovers from DeBloseism we can get to the city without driving to a distant train station.