News and Updates | August 10, 2011 | Margaret Byfield --

With the promise of Obama Stimulus money, the California High Speed Rail Authority (Authority) has been working quickly to finalize plans for a Bullet train that would eventually connect San Diego, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Sacramento.  Their expedited plans bring the new corridor right through the heart of California’s Central Valley, also known as the bread basket of the world.

In 2008, California voters passed Proposition 1A for $9.95 billion that required any new construction for a high speed rail to follow existing transportation corridors like major highways and/or rail lines.  Instead of selecting one of the routes within or near existing transportation corridors, the Authority is pursuing a route right through the heartland of one of America’s most productive agriculture valleys.  Ironically, Saveur Magazine, a high end cooking periodical, just featured the California Central Valley in its August/September edition, calling it the “Valley of Abundance.”  They write, “California’s Central Valley is the most productive agricultural region on Earth; it’s also just a great place to eat.”

With the rail will come growth, and given time, the Central Valley will be overrun by homes and pavement instead of almond tree groves, dairy herds, cattle ranches and feedlots, and hundreds of varieties of fruit and vegetable crops.

Kings County has taken the lead and required the Authority to coordinate their environmental study.  The “Preserve Our Heritage” organization is helping the areas School Districts and Conservations Districts insist the Authority coordinate their plan with them.  Last week, Kings County Supervisors mailed a scathing petition to the Federal Railroad Administration requiring approval for the study to be withheld until proper coordination with the local government has been fulfilled.

In addition to Kings County, Chowchilla Union High School Board of Trustees decided to jump into the fight by sending their first coordination demand letter to the Authority.  Soon, three more school districts will follow Chowchilla’s lead in demanding coordination reminding us of the fight we led between the folks in five small towns and their respective school districts with the Texas Department of Transportation over the Trans-Texas Corridor.  And, we all know how that turned out.

Click Here to Read the Entire Petition: "Kings County to Federal Railroad Administration"