Trump administration to draw $ 4 billion from California high -speed railway financing

Fresno, California – The United States Ministry of Transport indicates that it plans to revoke $ 4 billion in federal funding for the California high -speed railway project, quoting what it calls “no way to follow viable”.

The announcement came Wednesday in a 310 pages report This describes concerns about the costs and delays of the project, saying that California High-Speed ​​Rail Authority does not have the capacity to deliver the early operational segment by 2033 as expected. The dowry gave California 37 days to respond and correct problems before the termination of funding became final.

Voters initially signed the ambitious plans of California for a high -speed train in 2008, with promises to link the Grand Los Angeles region to the bay region by 2033. We expected that it costs $ 33 billion, but now, estimates vary between $ 89 billion and 128 billion dollars.

Construction began in the central valley in 2015 but progressively progressed.

“Fifteen years, 16 billion dollars, not a high -speed railway has been laid. Waste, abuses and mismanagement of this project called for this survey,” said Sean Duffy, transport secretary, in an online video.

Transit policy experts recognize that the project is faced with major financial obstacles. Sebastian Petty, principal advisor at Spur, said that the project had trouble keeping its promises made to voters, largely due to limited funding.

“This exerts pressure on what is already rare state dollars for transport. So, if, California will continue to invest massively in the high -speed rail system, it exerts pressure on the availability of this funding for public transport operations is potentially used for other public transportation projects in the bay region,” said Petty.

Supporters, including state legislators, argue that delays are frustrating – but the reduction in federal funding would aggravate the situation. Governor Gavin Newsom has already promised to retaliate, insisting that the project goes from the front and the federal dollars will be recovered.

“California was a leader in the realization of the vision of high-speed rail to meet the needs of workers’ families with regard to consumers, work and the environment,” President Emerita Nancy Pelosi, D-SAN Francisco said. “It is regrettable that the secretary has distorted the facts.”

California High-Speed ​​Rail Authority stressed that most of the project funding comes from the state. Under the governor’s current budget proposal, rail effort would receive $ 1 billion per year over the next 20 years to complete its initial operational segment.

“We remain firmly determined to complete the first real high-speed rail system in the country connecting the main state-of-the-art centers,” said a spokesperson for Chsra. “Authority will add up entirely and correct the file in our formal response to the opinion of the FRA.”