Commission told one Trade Corridor project is high risk after endangered‑species finding; March update requested

The Transportation Commission received an update on the Trade Corridor Improvement Fund (TCIF) on Jan. 17, 2013, and heard that five of six remaining unallocated projects are on track for the June 2013 allocation deadline while one — the Tehachapi rail improvements project — is at high risk because of an environmental issue.

Representatives of regional coalitions briefed the commission on project status and risks. Kenneth Kao, representing the Northern California coalition and the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC), said the Tehachapi project encountered the discovery of an endangered‑species habitat along the corridor, and that the revised environmental clearance schedule now targets December 2013 — after the June 2013 construction‑start/allocation deadline. Kao said the coalition would meet that afternoon with member agencies and with Commission staff to consider substitute projects if Tehachapi cannot meet the deadline.

Why it matters: the TCIF funds are allocated in the current‑year budget, and the commission’s internal and programmatic deadlines aim to allocate the available TCIF dollars by June 2013. A single high‑risk project could force regions to substitute deliverable projects or forgo allocations tied to the current funding window.

Details and next steps Northern California: Kao said five projects are expected to meet the June allocation date; the Tehachapi rail improvements project required re‑certification of its environmental document after the endangered‑species finding and now projects environmental approval in December 2013. Commissioners pressed staff on whether the commission can allocate funds to a project that cannot begin construction within the June window; staff said the June deadline is the commission’s goal for allocation and that the coalition would consider alternatives.

Juan Acosta (representing a regional agency) told commissioners he expected the March meeting to produce a definitive report. He said discussions with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers had addressed jurisdictional waters identified during the project’s EIR process and that separate habitat issues raise questions about whether expedited resolution is possible; he reported a meeting with federal wildlife agencies scheduled later that week.

Southern California and San Diego: Patricia Chin of Los Angeles Metro reported that 24 of 47 Southern California projects were already allocated and that two Southern projects were now rated high risk; she said allocations for those projects were still anticipated in June. Jose Anuncio of the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) said the San Diego Border Region had three projects remaining for allocation and that SANDAG had submitted paperwork to unprogram savings of about $10.8 million on two nearly completed projects — a move that, if approved in March, would reduce the region’s reported overprogramming from about $36.8 million to roughly $26 million.

Commission action: Commissioners took the item as an action item and recorded a commission request for a March agenda action on the Tehachapi project so staff and regional coalitions can present alternatives or confirm delivery. No formal reallocation or funding decision was made at the Jan. 17 meeting.

Clarifying details from the discussion - June 2013 was identified repeatedly as the deadline for allocation and for construction start under commission scheduling and internal timelines. (speaker: multiple presenters) - The Tehachapi environmental approval was described as scheduled for December 2013, which staff said is after the June 2013 allocation deadline. (speaker: Kenneth Kao) - The TCIF program originally began with roughly $600,000,000 of overprogramming; regions have worked to reduce that amount. (speaker: commission staff) - SANDAG reported recent paperwork to unprogram roughly $10,800,000 of savings for action in March, which would reduce its overprogramming by that amount. (speaker: Jose Anuncio)

Ending Commissioners asked staff and the regional coalitions to return to the March meeting with either confirmation that the Tehachapi project can meet deadlines or with recommended substitute projects and recommended actions to preserve the commission’s June allocation schedule.