Frustration with the High-Speed Rail Authority has led the Kings County Board of Supervisors to call for a resolution that would outright oppose the project’s route within the region. In the past county officials advocated that the train should follow existing transportation corridors, but attempts to engage in a dialogue with the Authority have proven frustrating, according to supervisors. The officials have been concerned about the designated pathways of the train but rail officials reportedly would not sit down with officials in public meetings because they disagreed with the county’s legal interpretation of a law that would require them to participate. The board was supposed to prepare a response to an environmental impact report within 60 days, but supervisors wanted that period extended to 180 days, a proposal that was rejected by rail officials.
The Hanford Sentinel reports: “’I think we should come out and oppose high-speed rail in Kings County, no matter what alignment they have,’ said Supervisor Tony Barba during a discussion of the county’s official response to the EIR, which is due Thursday. He was applauded by a large crowd that nearly filled the Board of Supervisors’ chambers at the Kings County Government Center.”
Many residents in the region have been concerned about the rail’s impact on farmland. A vote on the resolution is expected on Tuesday. ABC filed the following coverage:
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