FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Monday, October 7, 2019

MEDIA CONTACT: Julie Rabinowitz, Director of Policy and Communication, 207-292-2722 ext. 102, Julie@mainepbp.com

Final agreement could mean higher gasoline and diesel prices for Mainers

AUGUSTA — Maine People Before Politics urges Maine people and businesses to provide public comment on the Transportation Climate Initiative framework,  a regional collaboration of 12 states with the goal of reducing carbon emissions from the transportation sector.

“We urge all Maine consumers and businesses to provide input on the TCI framework released last week,” stated Julie Rabinowitz, director of policy and communication for Maine People Before Politics. “Forcing businesses that sell gasoline and diesel to pay permitting fees to state government would pass a regressive, hidden tax onto Maine drivers and increase the cost of everything delivered over the road. As a rural state, our residents need to make their voices heard.”

Public comment on the draft framework will be accepted through November 5, 2019, in writing via the online portal on TCI’s website.

Although the Bangor Daily News reported in April of this year that the Mills Administration was participating in the TCI negotiations and had not yet formally signed on, TCI’s website indicates that Maine is one of the states working “to improve transportation, develop the clean energy economy and reduce carbon emissions from the transportation sector.”

States are negotiating the level at which to cap emissions; once the cap is set, the amount of allowable emissions will drop. Emissions will be permitted, and the revenue generated by the permit will be passed to the states to use to develop low-carbon transportation infrastructure.  

In their coverage, the Boston Globe noted, “The current proposal does not include crucial, potentially controversial details, such as how much pollution would be allowed, how much the permits would cost, and how quickly the caps would decline.”

The “National Federation of Independent Business pointed to a study that found a similar cap-and-trade program in California targeting refinery emissions added 13 to 14 cents to a gallon of gas,” WBUR reported last week in its coverage of the framework.

“Despite the extensive coverage in Boston media of last week’s release of the framework and the opening of the public comment period, there has been little coverage of this story in Maine. Yet this initiative holds tremendous financial implications for Mainers. Our tourism economy alone is highly dependent on gas prices,” Rabinowitz stated.

The draft TCI Framework was announced October 1. The states are currently developing a memorandum of understanding (MOU) reflecting the framework, which is expected to be released this coming December for further public comment. Each state will make its decision to commit to the initiative by signing the formal MOU sometime in the spring of 2020.

The 12 participating states are Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Virginia.

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