Written Testimony to support Transit and EV Incentives in the Budget Adjustment Act

     

  

Act on Climate VT

  January 22, 2025

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Dear:  House Committee on Transportation Chair Walker,
           House Committee on Appropriations Chair Scheu,
           Members of the House Committee on Transportation,
           Members of the House Committee on Appropriations

 The Vermont Chapter of the Sierra Club strongly supports restoring funding for electric vehicle and e-bike incentives and increasing support for transit in the Budget Adjustment Act. In our rural state, Vermonters pay nearly $11,000 a year to operate a personal vehicle on average.  Supporting electric vehicle incentives and funding for Green Mountain Transit, the state’s largest public transit agency, will help low-income and middle-income Vermonters reduce their transportation burdens. 

Sierra Club has spent years addressing climate change, and it is clear that to reduce emissions in the transportation sector we must ensure that Vermonters have clean transportation options that are affordable and accessible. Sierra Club urges the Legislature to invest in Vermont’s people and its future by adequately funding electric vehicle (EV) incentive programs, Mileage Smart, Replace Your Ride, and transit options. Vermont needs to invest in transit and incentives for clean transportation today, to see a successful tomorrow.

Over the past few years, we have repeatedly witnessed the dramatic impacts of climate change with flooding and erratic weather events happening here in Vermont as well as across the country. At the same time, many Vermonters continue to struggle to access and afford transportation. Vermont must do more to address climate change and maintain important equity programs.  The new EV Incentive program, as well as the Replace Your Ride and Mileage Smart programs, are essential to ensuring that EVs are accessible to low and moderate-income Vermonters.  Vermont must also adequately fund transit programs to ensure that cars are not the only option in our state so that the many Vermonters who cannot drive or easily access a car can continue to thrive.

The Sierra Club appreciates the Legislature’s continued work to create the EV Incentive, Mileage Smart, Replace Your Ride, and eBike Incentive programs, and (to) support transit in our state. However, we find it distressing that EV Incentive programs are slated to disappear and that transit routes are on the verge of more cuts. We hope the Legislature will reverse course.

Specifically, the Sierra Club requests that the Legislature reappropriate $4 million for EV incentives and Mileage Smart programs. To preserve meaningful transit opportunities, we ask the Legislature to appropriate $1.9 million to Green Mountain Transit to restore routes, or, at a minimum, provide at least $1.2 million that is necessary to prevent further cuts this year. 

The Legislature must now reappropriate funds in the Budget Adjustment Act to maintain these critical incentive programs and support transit. By helping low and moderate-income Vermonters we can ensure that all Vermonters can transition to a clean transportation future.

I urge you, as representatives on the committees of jurisdiction, to: 1. support allocations in the Budget Adjustment Act, 2. return revenues to the electric vehicle incentives program and 3, support the allocation of money to prevent further cuts in Green Mountain Transit routes.
Thank you for your kind consideration.
Sincerely,

Robb Kidd
Conservation Program Manager
Vermont Chapter of the Sierra Club