In December 2020, Mayor Bowser announced that the District would join three Northeastern states to launch the Transportation and Climate Initiative Program (TCI-P), a groundbreaking collaboration to cut transportation pollution by 26% and invest in clean mobility and healthier neighborhoods, particularly for communities of color.
How it works: Transportation is responsible for 41% of greenhouse gas emissions in the metropolitan Washington region. Exposure to air pollution exacerbates lung and heart ailments, causes asthma attacks, and increases the risk of stroke and other serious health conditions. To address both challenges, this new program will cut pollution by:
- Setting a cap on emissions from gasoline and diesel transportation fuels, requiring large fuel suppliers to purchase “allowances” for the pollution caused by burning those fuels in the region;
- Lowering the cap over time; and
- Investing funds from the sale of allowances into clean and resilient transportation priorities, such as improving public transit, investing in bus lanes, bike lanes, and sidewalks that make trips faster and safer, electrifying buses, and more.
Advancing equity: In signing the Memorandum of Understanding to join TCI-P, the District has committed that at least 35% of proceeds will target benefits to communities who are underserved by our current mobility network, and whose health is most burdened by transportation pollution. The District will also designate an advisory body to guide investments and define goals and metrics for measuring progress.
Next Steps: In 2021, the District, led by DOEE and DDOT, will be working to establish the local program to implement TCI-P beginning in 2022. In particular, DOEE & DDOT, and later, the designated advisory body, are seeking input on how to fulfill the District’s commitment to advancing equity through this program, including ideas about investment priorities that will benefit its target communities.
DDOT’s current work to update moveDC, the District’s long-range transportation vision, also supports this work, both in identifying goals and priorities for our transportation network, but also in ensuring equity is a key consideration in making transportation decisions.
Stay in Touch: For questions, to learn more, or to keep updated on the District’s TCI work, please contact Jenn Hatch ([email protected]) and see the resources below.
For Residents and Community Organizations:
- June 10 Webinar Update (slides & recording will be available soon on TCI-P homepage)
- Draft Model Implementation Plan (comments most helpful if received by August 13, 2021)
- Draft Framework for Public Engagement (guiding principles)
- March 1 Webinar Slides (recording available on TCI-P homepage)
- TCI Frequently Asked Questions
For Fuel Suppliers: If your business delivers transportation fuel (motor gasoline or on-road diesel) to filling stations in the District, you may have a compliance obligation under this program. See the TCI-Program homepage and resources below.
- Model Rule – released June 10, 2021
- June 10 Webinar Updates (slides & recording will be available soon on TCI-P homepage)
- Summary of the Model Rule
