California Drops Lawsuit Over $4 Billion Federal Cut to High-Speed Rail Project

California has discontinued its lawsuit against the Trump administration following the termination of $4 billion in federal grants for the state’s high-speed rail project. Attorney General Rob Bonta filed a notice of dismissal on Tuesday, ending the suit initially brought in July. The Transportation Department had justified the funding cut by citing California’s failure to meet federal grant requirements, including costly contract changes, lowered ridership forecasts, and missed deadlines. The project, approved by voters in 2008, has faced ongoing delays and cost increases. The California High-Speed Rail Authority stated that the decision to drop the lawsuit stemmed from a lack of trust in the federal government as a reliable partner, citing concerns that completed work could be defunded and a general lack of good-faith engagement. The authority is now actively seeking private investors and developers, aiming to onboard them by next summer, with approximately 80 miles of guideway already completed in the Central Valley. While the original plan aimed for a 500-mile rail line between Los Angeles and San Francisco by 2020, current projections anticipate limited passenger service in the Central Valley by 2033.

(Source：The New York Times)