On Friday the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) issued a Record of Decision (ROD) for the 114 mile high speed rail track from Fresno to Bakersfield. The DOR reflects the FRA’s adaptation of a preferred alternative to the track which was outlined in the Final Environmental Impact Statement.
The FRA chose the alternative track alignment in order to reduce as much impact on the environment, especially the wetlands and other habitats. The FRA stated that the alternative was a better choice when taking into consideration the long-range development plans for the high speed rail.
The ROD also highlighted a few provisions which the CHSRA will need to incorporate into the project. One such provision is the Mitigation Monitoring and Enforcement Plan to help minimize and/or avoid adverse environmental impacts caused by the project during construction.
The ROD is a major milestone for the planning process of the California High Speed Rail. With the ROD issued, the final step in the National Environmental Policy Act review process is now complete.