California High-Speed Rail Project

The California High-Speed Rail Project is a planned statewide high-speed passenger rail system connecting major metropolitan regions in Northern, Central, and Southern California, including Sacramento, the San Francisco Bay Area, the Central Valley, Los Angeles, and San Diego.

The California High-Speed Rail Authority prepared programmatic EIR/EIS documents for the statewide system and the San Francisco Bay Area, followed by project-level EIR/EIS documents for individual segments.

The first project-level EIR/EIS, for the Merced–Fresno segment, was certified in 2012. RMM assisted the State in successfully opposing a motion for preliminary injunction seeking to halt further planning, design, and construction. The matter was resolved in 2013 prior to trial. Construction of the initial operating segment is underway in the Central Valley.

RMM advised the Authority on the project-level environmental review for six additional sections: San Francisco–San Jose; San Jose–Merced; Fresno–Bakersfield; Bakersfield–Palmdale; Palmdale–Burbank; and Burbank–Los Angeles.

RMM continues to advise the Authority on CEQA compliance and permitting matters, including environmental review for photovoltaic solar and battery energy storage facilities intended to power train operations and support the system’s commitment to 100 percent renewable energy.