Transportation Climate Initiative Seeks to Address Equity Concerns
Last week, ACE NY joined leading voices in health, transportation, environment, business, and clean energy to launch NY for TCI, an exciting new coalition to support the multi-state Transportation Climate Initiative. Meanwhile, one of the most controversial questions about TCI is how it could support equity and environmental justice. In response, on September 29, the Transportation and Climate Initiative held a public webinar tackling the issues of ensuring environmental justice and equity. TCI is a collaboration of Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states seeking to reduce carbon emissions from the transportation sector. The webinar sought to share updates on proposed equity measures and gain public input as the collaborative moves forward on finalizing its regional memorandum of understanding (MOU) to cap carbon emissions from transportation fuels.
Transportation contributes about 43% of carbon emissions in the TCI states and has long been the source of poor air quality negatively impacting public health. COVID-19 in particular has reflected the disproportionate health impact on black and brown and indigenous communities resulting from exposure to air pollution. Vicki Arroyo of the Georgetown Climate Center, which facilitates the TCI, highlighted that the TCI cap-and-invest program will generate investments to deliver clean, resilient transportation systems that will benefit communities unduly burdened by pollution.
Preliminary results from an analysis done by an independent team of reputable universities estimated annual public health benefits from the TCI with a 25% carbon reduction cap could amount to $11.1 billion by 2032, preventing 4,700 childhood asthma cases and 1,100 deaths. However, the study notes that higher emission reductions and targeted investments will be needed to address pre-existing inequities in air pollution exposures within communities of color.
As Ms. Miller Travis (Metropolitan Group) put it, the TCI webinar was a welcomed opportunity to start a discussion on how TCI can redress long standing environmental justice and equity issues. Several solutions were proposed at the webinar including (1) establishing a minimum 35% investment requirement to benefit underserved and overburdened communities, (2) forming an Equity Advisory Body/Bodies in each TCI jurisdiction, (3) conducting annual reviews and reports on the program’s impacts as it relates to expenditures and equity, (4) and building on complementary programs, alongside a TCI program, to further advance equity goals. TCI state representatives gave examples of complementary programs which included policies and programs that improved mass transit and promoted electric vehicles, walkability and biking, energy conservation, among others. These considerations will form the basis for potential equity-related strategies in the final TCI MOU. In New York State, investments of any climate program must ensure that 35% or more of the benefits accrue to disadvantaged communities due to the justice provisions of our climate law, the CLCPA.
Feedback from environmental advocates on the webinar revealed recurring concerns. One major issue was the need to get valid input and make engagement more accessible for communities on the frontlines of pollution and climate change impacts. There was also clear consensus among advocates that market-based mechanisms, like TCI, have been historically unbeneficial for environmental justice communities. They also specified that a comprehensive environmental justice analysis be undertaken, and air monitoring networks be established.
Another concern was over the 35% investment requirement, some noting that this proportion was not enough to address the concerns of communities and its vagueness made it difficult to track. Chair of the TCI Leadership Team, Kathleen Theoharides (Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs) assured participants that the 35% was the minimum requirement and that each TCI state will have to work with their legislature to codify this commitment into law. She also addressed concerns over diversion of funds emphasizing that states’ legislature would also need to ensure that TCI revenues go towards emission reductions and environmental justice communities.
At the end of the webinar, TCI officials reiterated that the public can continue to give their feedback on the potential equity-related strategies via its online portal by October 15, 2020. As the participating states mull over finalizing and signing the TCI agreement, the discussion during this webinar shows that it is imperative that TCI address environmental justice issues and that affected frontline communities have a say in shaping the final design.
