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Costa Statement on Revised High-Speed Rail Business Plan

May 2, 2012

Fresno, CA – Rep. Jim Costa released the following statement regarding the release of the California High-Speed Rail Authority's revised 2012 business plan.

"I want to commend the High-Speed Rail Authority and the Governor for listening to the concerns raised about high-speed rail," said Costa. "Transparency, construction costs, ridership numbers and long-term funding have to be addressed to make the project viable. Mitigation in the Valley, especially for agriculture, must be a part of the solution."

"All major infrastructure projects, past and present, have had their share of controversy. Even the Bay Bridge had its naysayers. Costs, timing, and sustainability will always be a concern in undertakings such as this. Some of these critiques have also been leveled against projects to fix our water system like the Peripheral Canal in the Delta, adding storage capacity through projects like Temperance Flat and raising Shasta Dam. Yet the economic benefits of these projects cannot be ignored for California. The same will also be true of high speed rail."

"Since the beginning, I have called for transparency and accountability including my recent request for the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to complete a comprehensive audit of the project. The new business plan marks a willingness to incorporate and accommodate reasonable concerns to create a smarter plan that will get this project accomplished better, faster, and cheaper."

"The Spirit of America has always been having the vision to think big today in order to address the challenges of tomorrow. At the end of the day, if our nation is to move forward, we must be willing to invest in the future and invest in our infrastructure."