WASHINGTON — Five members of California’s congressional delegation have written U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, urging approval of a $536 million grant request by the California High-Speed Rail Authority for tunnel design work.
U.S. Sens. Alex Pedilla and Adam Schiff, and U.S. Reps. Pete Aguilar, Jim Costa, and Zoe Lofgren — all Democrats — said the money, along with about $134 million from the state, would fund preparations for tunnel work north and south of the initial Central Valley segment under construction.
“By preparing for future final design and construction of complex tunnels in this corridor, the Project will advance both state and federal goals to improve safety, expand economic strength and global competitiveness, address equity issues, and implement sustainability practices to confront climate change,” the five legislators said in a Dec. 20 letter. “These investments will continue to support living wage jobs, provide small business opportunities, and equitably enhance the mobility of communities in need — including disadvantaged agricultural communities — all while reducing greenhouse gas emissions.”
The project was awarded $3.1 billion in Federal-State Partnership for Intercity Passenger Rail funding last year [see “California high speed project to receive …,” Trains News Wire, Dec. 6, 2024]. The legislators’ letter says the federal government has provided $6.8 billion in funding so far, along with $22 billion from the state.
A sense of urgency on the part of the five Democrats is understandable. Billionaires Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, advisors for President-elect Donald Trump, have made it clear the California high speed project will be a target of their plans to cut federal spending, citing it on the X.com feed for their unofficial “Department of Government Efficiency.” And the program has been a frequent target of congressional Republicans, most recently with a bill introduced by U.S. Rep. Kevin Kiley (R-Calif.) to block further federal money [see “Legislator seeks to block federal funding …,” News Wire, Dec. 11, 2024].
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