Driving Down Emissions: Massachusetts and the Regional Transportation and Climate Initiative

1. Driving Down Emissions: Massachusetts and the Regional Transportation and Climate Initiative Speakers: Jordan Stutt, Acadia Center Preyel Patel, Office of Rep. Lori Ehrlich

2. Transportation and Climate Initiative Presentation for LWV MA April 23rd, 2019 Jordan Stutt

3. Transportation & Climate Initiative (TCI) • 2010: TCI convened by Georgetown Climate Center • 12 states and D.C. • State staff participate in regular meetings • 2018: TCI states host listening sessions • 500+ participants at regional sessions • Many states held state-specific sessions • Summary report released • 2019: 9 states and D.C. develop cap-and-invest program

4. Addressing Transportation Emissions

5. Cap-and-Invest for Transportation Building on RGGI • Since RGGI launched: • Power plant CO2 down 47% • Electricity prices down 5.7% • Economy has grown by 34% • $5.7 billion in health benefits • Emissions cap: • Sets regional emissions reduction trajectory • Dependent on fuels covered and level of environmental ambition • Allowance auctions: • For each ton of CO2 allowed, one allowance is created • States auction CO2 allowances • Compliance entities must purchase allowances • Transportation Investment: • States invest auction proceeds to advance transportation priorities • Key tool for reducing pollution, improving transportation, delivering equitable outcomes

6. Regional Process • States working to create a regional model rule • Stakeholder engagement • 4/30: Key Design Elements • Boston Public Library • 5/15: Advancing Equity and Creating Opportunities for All Communities • Newark, NJ • TBD: Low-Carbon Transportation Investments, Strategies and Outcomes • Regional advocacy • Listserv, calls, meetings • Multi-state strategy • Website coming soon!

7. Massachusetts Activity • Baker Administration • MA has been a leader on TCI • 2017 listening sessions • Future of Transportation commission • TCI leadership and working groups • What can we do? • Demonstrate support • Share our vision of TCI • How to invest auction proceeds? • Types of investments • Decision-making process • Legislation: Bill H.3008 • Creates Investment Board to guide TCI investments

8. Jordan StuttCarbon Programs Director jstutt@acadiacenter.org

9. H.3008 An Act to advance modern and sustainable solutions for transportation Filed by Representative Lori Ehrlich and Senator Eric Lesser

10. 10 years to Limit climate catastrophe • In 2008, Rep. Ehrlich delivered her ‘maiden speech’ about the Global Warming Solutions Act (GWSA) • Hard limits on GHG emissions at 80% of 1990 amounts by 2050 • In October, a report from the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) gives us one decade to mitigate the worst of global warming • The U.S. Fourth National Climate Assessment projects hundreds of billions in annual losses in the U.S. by the end of the century resulting from rising temperatures, sea level rise, and extreme weather events • Stanford University researchers predict that limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius instead of 2 degrees Celsius could prevent $20 trillion in economic damage by the end of the century • All reports point the need for profound near-term decarbonization of our economy • IPCC report clearly states that capping global warming at 1.5 degrees Celsius will require net zero CO2 emissions, and concurrent deep reductions in methane emissions, which is the main component of natural gas

11. THE STATE OF TRANSPORTATION IN MA AND ITS IMPACT ON THE ENVIRONMENT • According to the most recently available data (2016), MA transportation sector GHG emissions make up 43% of the total emissions compared to 29% of total emissions for the nation. • In a 2015 report from the Georgetown Climate Center (the facilitator of TCI) and Cambridge Systematics, a regional transportation program could reduce carbon emissions between 29-40% by 2030, increase economic growth between $11.7 billion and $17.7 billion by 2030, and create between 91,000 to 125,000 jobs.

12. Benefits of a Regional Approach

13. Complementary legislation: AN ACT TO ADVANCE modern and sustainable solutions for transportation • The MASS Transportation Act is filed in response to Massachusetts’ involvement in the nine-state plus D.C. regional Transportation and Climate Initiative (TCI) • establishes ‘guardrails’ for how revenues from this market-based cap-and-trade initiative are applied. • creates an inclusive, policy-oriented investment board to evaluate proposals with an eye on emission reductions, consumer savings, public health, and economic growth, with fairness for disadvantaged, rural, environmental justice, and underserved communities. • This approach to reducing emissions was inspired by the success of the decade-old Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) for power plants

14. Complementary legislation: AN ACT TO ADVANCE modern and sustainable solutions for transportation • Creates the Modern and Sustainable Solutions for Transportation Trust Fund, where all proceeds from the regional transportation program (TCI) will be deposited. • Requires the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), in consultation with the Department of Transportation (DOT), and the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA), to establish a transportation climate program to limit and regulate annual total greenhouse gas emissions released by transportation which must comply with any regional agreement. • Establishes a 15 member board known as the Modern and Sustainable Solutions for Transportation Investment Board, co-chaired by the Secretary of Transportation and the Secretary of Environmental Affairs. • The board will establish criteria that should determine how proposals should be evaluated to advance statewide goals for transportation investment needs. • The board will submit a plan of priority investment biannually and a draft of the plan must have public hearings conducted in all geographic regions of the commonwealth as well as in environmental justice communities. • Requires the board to report on the performance of the transportation climate program and investments from the trust fund.

15. Driving Down Emissions: Massachusetts and the Regional Transportation and Climate Initiative Questions? www.lwvma.org