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https://n2v.almanacnews.com/square/print/2015/07/02/caltrain-loses-attempt-to--circumvent-electrification-project--from-ceqa-

Town Square

CalTrain loses attempt to circumvent electrification project from CEQA

Original post made by morris brown, Menlo Park: Park Forest, on Jul 2, 2015

In a unanimous decision by the 3 member federal STB, the board ruled today, and denied CalTrain's petition to have federal law preempt the protections of California's CEQA in dealing with CalTRain's electrification project.

see:

Web Link


SERVICE DATE – LATE RELEASE JULY 2, 2015

SURFACE TRANSPORTATION BOARD DECISION Docket No. FD 35929

PENINSULA CORRIDOR JOINT POWERS BOARD—PETITION FOR
DECLARATORY ORDER

Digest: The Board concludes that 49 U.S.C. § 10501(b) does not preempt the application of the California Environmental Quality Act to the electrification of the Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board’s rail line between San Jose and San Francisco, Cal.
Decided: July 2, 2015

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This decision, certainly correctly denies CalTrain’s obnoxious, to say the least, attempt to bypass California’s CEQA’s protections. (unanimous decision)

morris brown, Menlo Park

Comments

Posted by Menlo Voter
a resident of Menlo Park: other
on Jul 2, 2015 at 7:43 pm
Menlo Voter is a registered user.

Now if they could just do that for HSR.

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Posted by Peninsula resident
a resident of Menlo-Atherton High School
on Jul 3, 2015 at 10:50 am

After all that noise from Reality Check and others, claiming avoiding ceqa was reasonable.

Fail.

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Posted by NIMBYS
a resident of Atherton: other
on Jul 3, 2015 at 1:31 pm

NIMBYS are just trying to jack up the price on this project, wasting more of our tax dollars.

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Posted by morris brown
a resident of Menlo Park: Park Forest
on Jul 3, 2015 at 4:34 pm

An article with interview from the Stuart Flashman, the attorney and from CalTrain spokesperson is located at:

Web Link

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Posted by Robert
a resident of another community
on Jul 3, 2015 at 8:59 pm

I suppose this is good news if what, you're against improving caltrain?

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Posted by Menlo Voter
a resident of Menlo Park: other
on Jul 4, 2015 at 8:21 am
Menlo Voter is a registered user.

It's good news if you believe everyone should follow the law. It's good news if you don't think HSR (actually medium speed rail) is a bad thing. Electrification of Caltrain is a step down the road to HSR. HSR is the biggest boondoggle this state has or will ever see.

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Posted by local impacts matter
a resident of Menlo Park: other
on Jul 6, 2015 at 10:32 am

[posting in 2nd string -- the 2 should be combined] This makes sense to me: "the attorney filing the suit, said the lawsuit is an attempt to force the Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board to acknowledge the impacts the project will have on the Peninsula." Our communities gain no value from HSR, and limited value from electrification because Caltrain capacity is limited far below projected demand.

The correct long-term solution is exactly what is done in Europe -- to underground these trains underneath residential communities like Atherton, Menlo Park, and Palo Alto. These are wealthy communities, the ground and air rights are incredibly valuable, grade separation would be accomplished. Bonds should be cheap with today's low rates. The biggest problem and hurdle are nearsighted decisionmakers.

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