Honolulu and California Rail Projects Facing Legal Battles
Like Honolulu’s $5.26 billion rail project, citizens have launched a legal campaign seeking to kill the Golden State’s proposal that plans to connect San Francisco to Los Angeles.
Sacramento Superior Court judge delivered a major rebuke to the California bullet train project Friday, ruling that the state failed to comply with requirements on funding and environmental reviews imposed by voters.
In a closely watched case, Judge Michael P. Kenny stopped short of immediately shutting down the project or ruling that the Legislature made illegal appropriations. But he scheduled a future hearing on how the violations of state law can be remedied.
The ruling threatens to further delay the $68-billion project that has lagged behind schedule before ground has been broken. The decision could ultimately force the state to devise a new plan that conforms to strict financial and environmental protections included in a $9-billion ballot measure approved in 2008.
Honolulu’s project has been delayed due to a Hawaii Supreme Court ruling that halted construction.
It also faces a legal battle in the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, where a three-judge panel is preparing a ruling after oral arguments that were heard last week.
Photo: An artist’s rendering of California’s proposed bullet train. (Courtesy of California High-Speed Rail Authority)
—Nick Grube
