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High-Speed Rail CEO urges legislature to stabilize funding, seek laws to speed utilities and eminent-domain processes
Summary
CEO told the board the administration proposed a cap-and-invest funding stream and asked the legislature for powers to streamline utility relocations, eminent-domain adjudication and some environmental permitting to stabilize schedule and costs.
At the board meeting the CEO laid out a multi-pronged request for legislative action to stabilize funding and reduce delivery risks. The CEO said the administration's proposal would securitize cap-and-invest (cap-and-trade) revenue for the program and that the administration sent language proposing roughly $1 billion per year over 15 years (presented in legislative language as a 20-year authority but technically 15 years for the program, the CEO said). "The proposal that went to the legislature was a billion dollar for over 20 years in the language. For us, technically, that means 15," the CEO said, adding that the authority would prefer more funding for a longer period but called the proposal a positive step. The CEO told the board the authority is also asking the legislature for statutory tools to reduce schedule risk: a timeframe and stronger jurisdictional powers to require utilities to relocate facilities that block construction; appointment of special judicial panels or dedicated judges to speed eminent-domain (right-of-way) cases; and streamlined interagency environmental permitting review. He said delays caused by utilities and permitting have added years to schedules and increased costs, sometimes by requiring on-site construction work to pause for extended periods. Assembly member Juan Carrillo said he and the authority's staff have discussed bill language; Carrillo noted language for a related measure (identified in the meeting as S.B. 445 in print for the session) was being revised to include additional line segments. Director questions focused on timing and whether items could be included as budget trailer bill language before the legislature adjourned for summer. The CEO said some language is being negotiated for this session and that other items could be introduced as part of the January session if necessary. The CEO tied the legislative requests to the program's delivery timeline: he said that if the authority obtains the funding level and statutory changes described, it could build multiple civil extensions and connect Merced, Bakersfield, Palmdale and Gilroy with a substantial portion of the program completed by 2039, a date he described as conditional on legislative actions and funding in his remarks.
