California legislative leaders and Gov. Gavin Newsom reached a deal this week to fund the state’s beleaguered statewide train project with $1 billion every year through 2045.
High Speed Rail Authority chief executive Ian Choudri said the Legislature had agreed to fund the rail system project as part of a deal brokered to renew the cap-and-trade program, California’s signature vehicle to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
The rail funds would last for 20 years and expire the same year the cap-and-trade program is set to sunset under the terms of the carefully negotiated deal lawmakers announced this week. It would be the capstone of Newsom’s climate agenda. The Legislature is expected to vote on the deal Saturday after announcing legislation early Wednesday.
“This agreement demonstrates that Californians are standing up to the Trump Administration’s backward-thinking obstruction and choosing instead to invest boldly in the future,” Choudri said in a statement. “As we move forward, I am greatly encouraged by commitments to continue productive discussions with the administration and the Legislature to put in place statutory and regulatory enhancements that accelerate construction and give greater certainty on time and schedule for segment delivery.”
A spokesperson for Newsom pointed back to the governor’s statement announcing the cap-and-trade reauthorization deal: “After months of hard work with the Legislature, we have agreed to historic reforms that will save money on your electric bills, stabilize gas supply and slash toxic air pollution — all while fast-tracking California’s transition to a clean, green job-creating economy.”
Sen. Dave Cortese, D-San Jose, who as Senate Transportation Committee chair has been a vocal proponent for high-speed rail, praised it in a statement.
“For too long, critics have tried to write high-speed rail’s obituaries,” he said. “But we’ve kept pushing, and now we have a long-term commitment that will create jobs, cut pollution, and revitalize communities up and down the state. The Legislature must act quickly to pass this plan and keep California on track to deliver America’s first true high-speed rail.”
The high-speed rail project, which voters first approved in 2008, has been beset in recent years by funding constraints and lawsuits stymying construction. Last month, Newsom sued to block Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy from clawing back $4 billion in federal grants for the rail system project, calling it a “political stunt to hurt California.”
