Page 28 - ARUBA TODAY

A28 SCIENCE
Wednesday 29 January 2020
Northeast governors slow to embrace regional climate pact

By MICHAEL CASEY Greenhouse Gas Initiative, the region could climb by "This is the incremental touted the pact in his State
Associated Press which covers 10 states in five cents to 17 cents per change, it would be over of the Commonwealth
CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — the Northeast and mid-At- gallon in 2022, when the 12 years. This is just using a address last week as part
Supporters of a regional lantic and targets emissions pact would take effect. well-meaning effort as a of his plan for the state to
pact that would tackle from the power sector. Among the pact's op- whipping boy." reach net-zero greenhouse
transportation emissions gas emissions by 2050.
are struggling to win over Other governors also ap-
several New England gov- pear supportive.
ernors concerned that the J.J. Abbott, press secretary
climate change initiative for Pennsylvania Demo-
will increase gas prices. cratic Gov. Tom Wolf, said
After the Transportation the state was "committed
and Climate Initiative was to being a part of the TCI
announced last month, conversations," but would
New Hampshire's Repub- make no decision on join-
lican Gov. Chris Sununu ing "until the program is
said the state won't join, fully designed." Josh Block,
citing fears of a gas price a spokesman for Rhode
hike. Vermont's Republi- Island's Democratic Gov.
can Gov. Phil Scott said he Gina Raimondo, said she
couldn't support the initia- is "fully committed to the
tive if it amounts to a tax on goals of the Transportation
carbon. A spokesman for Climate Initiative," but that
Maine's Democratic Gov. the specific statutory and
Janet Mills said states like regulatory changes need-
Maine have unique trans- ed to meet those goals "will
portation issues and will be be the source of public dis-
"appropriately cautious." cussion and input over the
The initiative is aimed at a coming year."
dozen Northeast and mid- Jordan Stutt, the carbon
Atlantic states and would programs director of the
take effect in 2022. It would Acadia Center, an envi-
address pollution from ronmental research and
transportation — which advocacy nonprofit, said
represents 40% of green- In this April 10, 2019, file photo, rush-hour traffic heads east, left, and west, right, along the Schuylkill states understand the
house gas emissions in the Expressway in Philadelphia. need to address transport
region, the largest source Associated Press emissions.
of emissions. The area has The initiative could also
tens of millions of registered Under the Transportation ponents is Americans for But Roberts and others ac- help improve air quality,
vehicles. and Climate Initiative, Prosperity, the advocacy knowledge that the pact boost economies and im-
New Jersey has not com- wholesale fuel compa- group founded by the bil- needs to address the con- prove transport, especially
mitted to implementing the nies would be required to lionaire Koch brothers. The cerns of low-income and in rural areas, he said.
initiative while a spokes- purchase pollution allow- group's New Hampshire working families who must According to information
man for Democratic Gov. ances at auction. The sale chapter came out against drive long distances for on the TCI website, mod-
Ned Lamont said his admin- of those allowances could the TCI the same day as Su- work or school. eling has showing public
istration was still examining generate billions for states nunu, calling the initiative "Some people positively health benefits of as much
it. Virginia is also reviewing to invest in carbon-reduc- a top-down government opt into this lifestyle, but as $10 billion annually by
the draft memorandum. ing transportation options mandate that would "pun- many don't. They live where 2032, including over 1,000
"I am happy to see that oth- — like electric buses, elec- ish hardworking Granite they live because of family, fewer premature deaths.
er Governors are following tric car charging stations, Staters." lack of economic mobility, It would also generate up
my lead in rightfully sound- bike lanes and sidewalks. Supporters of the initia- or other factors," said Jason to $7 billion annually that
ing the alarm on this new The initiative could lead to tive said the fears over gas Veysey, the deputy direc- could be invested into ex-
gas tax," Sununu said in a emissions reductions in the prices are overblown and tor for the Stockholm Envi- panding transport choices
statement. "New Hamp- region by as much as 25% ignore the agreement's po- ronment Institute's energy for rural, urban and subur-
shire is proof that the best by 2032. But the opposition tential benefits. modeling program. ban communities.
environmental stewardship appears be around a po- "Personally I think this is po- "People who have to drive "Without any viable alter-
can be achieved with- tential gas price hike. If fuel litical grandstanding," said may be negatively af- native to this program,
out massive tax schemes." companies pass the cost of Timmons Roberts, a profes- fected by an increase in the states will not be able
Many of the states are al- the allowances onto con- sor of environmental stud- fuel prices," he said. "How- to achieve their climate
ready part of the Regional sumers, the price of gas in ies at Brown University. ever, it's worth underlining goals," Stutt said.q
that TCI is supposed to be
a cap-and-dividend pro-
gram, in which higher costs
for the most vulnerable
are mitigated by the divi-
dends."
The pact has been praised
by many of the region's
business, health and envi-
ronmental leaders, includ-
ing Massachusetts Republi-
can Gov. Charlie Baker. He