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By Flynn Nicholls
US News Reporter
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California's two high-speed rail efforts are progressing, with environmental protections secured in the Central Valley and work starting on Brightline West's Los-Angeles-Las Vegas route near the Nevada border.
Last Friday, the California High-Speed Rail Authority, which is working on the line connecting Los Angeles and San Francisco via the Central Valley, completed a settlement agreement with several entities in the Grassland Ecological Area, which the rail line will pass through.
The agreement resolved potential California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) claims from the Grassland entities over the San Jose to Merced portion of the state's high-speed rail project.
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It ensures environmental safeguards in the Grassland Ecological Area, as well as in other sensitive areas, Coyote Valley and Pacheco Pass.
The Authority has committed to further mitigating noise and wildlife disturbance by incorporating wildlife crossings, avian enclosures, and sound barriers.
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Chief executive Brian Kelly said in a statement that the Authority is dedicated to balancing development with environmental stewardship. "This settlement reflects the hard work of state and local public agencies striving to protect natural resources and provide the public with new, state-of-the-art transportation that is clean, sustainable, and reduces our collective carbon footprint," Kelly said.
"This agreement further reflects our organizations' understanding that the best way to deliver these services is through collaboration."
In response to inquiries about potential future environmental agreements, a spokesperson for the California High-Speed Rail Authority told Newsweek: "While we can't speak to any other similar environmental settlements at this time, we'll be sure to reach out if we announce anything else."
The project, first proposed in 2008, aims to connect Los Angeles and San Francisco via the Central Valley, with speeds exceeding 200 mph.
At the time, the project was anticipated to be operational by 2020 and cost $33 billion.
Though delays and cost increases have plagued the project, substantial progress has been made.
Currently, 119 miles of track are under construction in the Central Valley, part of the 171 mile section between Merced and Bakersfield.
The estimated cost for this segment alone is now estimated to be $35 billion, and the full Los Angeles-San Francisco route could potentially cost $100 billion.
Completion of the Central Valley segment is now expected between 2030 and 2033.
Meanwhile, Brightline West, the private company constructing a Las Vegas-to-Southern California high-speed rail line, began work near the Nevada border on Tuesday. Crews have been working near the Nevada-California border on I-15, carrying out field investigations, utility potholing, and geotechnical testing.
This 218-mile line is slated for completion by 2028, just in time for the Los Angeles Summer Olympic, with trains running at 186 mph.
Brightline has already laid the groundwork for high-speed rail in the U.S. with its Florida line between Miami and Orlando, which reaches speeds of 125 mph.
Newsweek has contacted Brightline via email for comment.
Update 9/6/24, 2:15 a.m. ET: This article was updated with comment from the California High-Speed Rail Authority.
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