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Merced to Fresno Section of the 

California High-Speed Train System 

Highlights of 

Final Environmental Impact Report/Statement 

Introduction and Background 

This Merced to Fresno Section Final Environmental Impact Report/Environmental Impact Statement (EIR/EIS) presents 

the first project-level environmental impact document for the California High-Speed Train (HST) System. The 

California HST System is the nation’s first high-speed rail project with a speed of over 200 miles per hour. It kicks off 

the ultimate path of California’s HST in the Central Valley.

In 2008, when California voters passed Proposition 1A to provide state funding for the California HST, they 

acknowledged that the state’s roads and airports can no longer keep up with its growing population and that, with its 

speed, capacity, and connectivity, the HST System would provide travelers with a viable alternative to traditional 

modes of travel. 

California’s HST System would provide intercity, high-speed service on more than 800 miles of track, connecting the 

major population centers of Sacramento, the San Francisco Bay Area, the Central Valley, Los Angeles, the Inland 

Empire, Orange County, and San Diego. It would use state-of-the-art, electrically powered, steel-wheel-on-steel-rail 

technology to operate HST trains over a fully grade-separated, dedicated track, using advanced safety, signaling, 

and automated train control systems. It would provide predictable and consistent travel times, work well with existing 

transportation systems, relieve capacity struggles, and remain sensitive to California’s unique natural resources. 

California’s current intercity transportation system, including in the Central Valley, cannot meet existing and future 

travel demands. Without the proposed project, transportation system congestion will lead to deteriorating air quality, 

reduced reliability of all modes of travel, and increased travel times. The interstate highway system, commercial 

airports, and conventional passenger rail serving the intercity travel market are operating at or near capacity and 

will require large public investments for maintenance and expansion to meet existing demand and future growth. The 

feasibility of expanding many major highways and key airports is uncertain, and some needed expansions might be 

constrained by physical, political, or other factors. 

Statewide, over the next two decades, California’s HST System would alleviate the need to spend more than $100 

billion1 to build 3,000 miles of new freeway, 5 airport runways, and 90 departure gates to meet the transportation 

needs of a growing population. In fact, the San Joaquin Valley is projected to grow at a rate higher than any other 

region in California. Three counties—Merced, Madera, and Fresno—are projected to grow by 60% by 2035.2 

The Merced to Fresno Section, which includes two HST stations, plays a critical role in forming the “backbone” of a 

statewide system. Since work began on this section, the California High-Speed Rail Authority (Authority) has held 

nearly 150 local meetings and 44 additional public and technical working group meetings. These meetings included 

public informational meetings; meetings with elected officials, agencies, community organizations, and stakeholders; 

special meetings with agricultural groups, tribal leaders, and other groups; and transportation/planning agency 

working groups. 

This Merced to Fresno Section Project EIR/EIS builds upon work completed earlier in a broader, statewide 

environmental impact analysis. That first analysis provided the Authority and the Federal Railroad Administration 

(FRA) with the means to evaluate the overall HST System and make broad decisions about general alignments and 

station locations for further study. This EIR/EIS is a more-detailed look at the section from Merced to Fresno, one of 

nine sections of the total HST System. 

 

1 California High Speed Train Program Environmental Impact Report/Environmental Impact Statement Capital and Operation and 

Maintenance Costs, prepared for the California High Speed Rail Authority and the U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal 

Railroad Administration. January 2004. pp 4-5, and Appendices A through D. The Engineering News-Record cost indices of August 

2004, 2010, and 2011 were used to update the 2003 estimates to 2011.

2 California Department of Finance (CDOF). 2010a. E-5 Population and Housing Estimates for Cities, Counties and the State, 2001-

2010, with 2000 Benchmark. Sacramento, CA. 
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The Authority and FRA circulated the Merced to Fresno Section Draft Project EIR/EIS to affected local jurisdictions, 

state and federal agencies, tribes, community organizations, other interest groups, interested individuals, and the 

public on August 9, 2011. The document was also made available at the Authority offices, public libraries in the study 

area, and on the Authority’s website (www.cahighspeedrail.ca.gov). The review period for the Draft EIR/EIS was 

extended from the originally planned 45-day comment period to a 60-day comment period, which began August 15, 

2011, and closed on October 13, 2011. The comment period included public information meetings and public 

hearings. 

During the comment period, 895 comments were submitted on the Merced to Fresno Section Draft EIR/EIS. The 

comments covered a wide range of issues and represented viewpoints from government agencies, organizations, 

business groups, businesses, residents, and property owners. Many expressed support of or opposition to the project 

or its alternatives. Of the 895 submittals, approximately 107 generally supported and 127 generally opposed the 

project. Most comments came from people living, working, or with property interests in the project study area. Among 

the comments received from the general public, the effects on community resources, farmland, and private property 

were the top concerns. Affected jurisdictions, such as cities and counties, generally listed their preference for specific 

alternatives, design options, or other project components. Businesses generally commented on specific property 

impacts. Comments were received from 43 special interest or community organizations representing their 

environmental or farming interests. Some groups, such as the Madera Friends of High-Speed Rail, organized to 

support this project and provided comments during the public comment period. 

The scoping meetings and public outreach efforts that were held during the environmental review process revealed 

the following areas of controversy: 

 Selection of the Heavy Maintenance Facility (HMF) site 

 Selection of the HST alignment connecting the Merced to Fresno Section to the west (the “wye” connection) 

 Impacts on wildlife habitat preserves along the BNSF Alternative 

 Impacts such as noise, visual quality, loss of community character and cohesion, and right-of-way acquisition on 

communities in the project corridor 

 Impacts on farmlands, such as loss of productive farmland and agricultural enterprises 

 Trade-offs between community impacts related to design options that would have elevated the HST guideway 

through Chowchilla or use of an at-grade guideway around Chowchilla 

In the period between publication of the Draft and Final EIR/EIS, FRA concluded that project impacts on Camp 

Pashayan in Fresno, which is a Section 4(f) resource,3 would be de minimis. Measures to minimize harm, mitigate, or 

enhance this resource would be incorporated into the project design. With these measures, the Authority and FRA 

have concluded that the project would not adversely affect the activities, features, or attributes of this resource. 

Analysis shows that the Hybrid Alternative would have the least harm under Section 4(f). 

Also between the Draft and Final EIR/EIS, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 

issued letters identifying the Hybrid Alternative as the preliminary Least Environmentally Damaging Practicable 

Alternative (March 23, 2012, and March 26, 2012, respectively). Additionally, the State Historic Preservation Office 

issued letters of concurrence with the Historic Properties Survey Report (Authority and FRA 2012a), Historic 

Architectural Survey Report (Authority and FRA 2012b) (both March 13, 2012), and the Archaeology Survey Report 

(Authority and FRA 2012c) (March 21, 2012). These findings and concurrences are all are key steps in the 

environmental process. 

An Air Quality General Conformity Determination is required before project construction begins. The draft Conformity 

Determination accompanies this Final EIR/EIS. FRA concluded in the draft Conformity Determination that the proposed 

project, as designed, conforms to the purpose of the approved State Implementation Plan and is consistent with all 

applicable requirements. The 30-day review period on the draft Conformity Determination will be from April 20 to 

May 21, 2012. 

In April 2012, the Authority released the Revised 2012 Business Plan for the California HST System. This plan 

updated the Draft 2012 Business Plan released for public review in November 2011. The Business Plan outlines the 

 

3 A Section 4(f) resource is a publicly owned land, such as a park, recreational area, wildlife or waterfowl refuge, or historical site, 

having national, statewide, or local significance. Section 4(f) resources have special protections under the Department of 

Transportation Act (49 U.S.C. 303[c]). 
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type of high-speed rail service the Authority plans to develop; describes the primary benefits of the system; and 

forecasts patronage, project funding, construction phasing, and project risks. The plan describes in detail the 

anticipated phasing of implementation for each individual section of the HST System, including the order of priority 

for construction, with the Merced to Fresno Section described in this EIR/EIS being the first to break ground. This will 

make the Central Valley the birthplace of California’s HST System. 

Changes to finalize this EIR/EIS were made following the comment period and were primarily in response to public 

comments on the Draft EIR/EIS. Some changes were the result of advancing the design engineering south of the San 

Joaquin River from 15% to 30%, as well as ongoing coordination with local jurisdictions and regulatory agencies. In 

addition, the Bureau of Reclamation was added as a cooperating agency under the National Environmental Policy 

Act (NEPA). Generally, the design and mitigation measures have been refined to minimize and avoid impacts. 

Additionally, a discussion of the Preferred Alternative and a summary of comments received and responses to 

common comments is presented. 

Alternatives 

The Merced to Fresno Section EIR/EIS evaluates three basic HST alignment alternatives: the UPRR/SR 99 Alternative, 

BNSF Alternative, and Hybrid Alternative (which combines elements of the other two alternatives). As shown in 

Figure 1, these alternatives would extend between and include the proposed stations in Downtown Merced and 

Downtown Fresno. 

The environmental studies also analyze a “No Project Alternative” for comparison, as required by law. The No Project 

Alternative represents the state’s transportation system (highway, air, bus, conventional rail) as it is currently and 

would be after implementation of programs or projects, which are projected in regional transportation plans (RTPs) 

that have identified funds for implementation and are expected to be in place by 2035, as well as major planned 

land use changes. It does not include high-speed rail. 

This EIR/EIS also evaluates five heavy maintenance facility (HMF) site alternatives: Castle Commerce Center, HarrisDeJager, Fagundes, Gordon-Shaw, and Kojima Development. Figure 1 shows the HMF sites. 

Projected population growth and conversion of land to urbanized uses between 2010 and 2035 are anticipated to 

have a much greater environmental effect than the HST Project in the study area. Under the No Project Alternative, 

the total population of the three-county area is expected to grow to approximately 2.3 million, which is an increase 

of about 60%, or more than 930,000 new residents, and 91,000 acres of land development. This is larger than the 

geographic size of the City of Fresno, which is about 72,000 acres, and about 1/14th the size of Merced County. 

Additionally, this development is anticipated to follow current patterns dispersed along the edges of city growth 

boundaries and into unincorporated areas along highways. 

The annual vehicle-miles traveled in the three-county region is projected to increase from 35 million to almost 50 

million by 2035, a more than 40% increase in travel that would require the use of an estimated 1 billion gallons of 

petroleum in the Merced to Fresno region alone.4 Demand for other types of energy, such as electricity, would also 

increase at a level commensurate with population growth under the No Project Alternative, which would require 

additional generation and transmission capacity. 

HST Alternatives Evaluation 

The HST Project would reduce daily automobile travel and would, therefore, reduce fuel consumption, congestion, and 

air pollution and lead to better travel times. The HST also would provide an alternative to commercial air travel 

within California, reducing air travel miles and related fuel consumption and pollution. The HST Project would increase 

electricity consumption compared to the No Project Alternative. However, because the HST System would provide a 

more energy-efficient mode than automobile and air transportation, it would result in a relative decrease in energy 

consumption. Furthermore, the Authority has adopted a policy goal of using 100% renewable energy to power the 

HST vehicles. The HST stations would have the benefit of encouraging high-density, transit-oriented development in 

Merced and Fresno, revitalizing the downtown areas of these cities, and discouraging the urban sprawl that, among 

other things, consumes large amounts of agricultural land. 

 

4

 Bureau of Transportation Statistics. 2010. The Nation’s Freight. Available at 

http://www.bts.gov/publications/freight_in_america/html/nations_freight.html. Research and Innovative Technology Administration, 

Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Accessed October 22, 2010. Washington, DC. 2010. Based on the 2007 national average fuel 

economy for passenger and other two-axle, four-tire vehicles. 
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Figure 1 

Merced to Fresno Section Alternatives 

and Design Options 
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Comparison of HST Alternatives 

Each of the HST alternatives could have significant and unavoidable impacts on the following resources: air quality, 

noise and vibration levels, communities, farmland, parks, aesthetics and visual resources, and cultural resources. Some 

mitigation measures, such as those for impacts on noise and vibration, visual resources, and parks, will be decided 

upon in coordination with local communities, whose input can influence the mitigation. For example, if a community 

decides against a sound barrier, the noise effect would remain significant. 

Specifically, the following impacts would remain significant to varying degrees after mitigation is applied, depending 

on the alternative. 

 Air quality could be affected during operation of the HMF. 

 Noise and vibration from HST operation could affect properties in some locations. 

 The Castle Commerce Center HMF would displace a mobile home community in Merced. 

 Farmland would be converted to nonagricultural use. 

 Parks in Merced County, Madera, and Fresno would be affected. 

 Visual quality could be degraded in some areas of Le Grand, Chowchilla, Fairmead, Downtown Madera, 

Madera Acres, and Fresno, depending on the alternative. Sound barriers and retaining walls could block views in 

various locations. 

 Historically significant built-environment resources would be affected, including resources listed on or potentially 

eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places. 

Capital costs and some key areas with potentially significant project impacts before mitigation that differentiate 

among the HST alternatives are summarized below. For more information and details, please refer to the Merced to 

Fresno Section Final Project EIR/EIS at the Authority website (www.cahighspeedrail.ca.gov). 

Capital Costs: Generally, the UPRR/SR 99 Alternative would have considerably more elevated structures and 

urban area construction and, therefore, would be the most expensive to build. The Hybrid Alternative would 

present the fewest constructability issues, which is also reflected in it being the lowest-cost alternative, at 

approximately $450 million less than the BNSF Alternative and more than $1 billion less than the 

UPRR/SR 99 Alternative. 

Agricultural Lands: The UPRR/SR 99 Alternative would affect the fewest acres of Important Farmland and Williamson 

Act land, but it falls between the Hybrid Alternative and BNSF Alternative for acres of affected Farmland Security 

Zone land. The Hybrid Alternative with the Ave 24 Wye would affect the most Farmland Security Zone land. The 

UPRR/SR 99 Alternative would cause the least severance of farmlands of all the HST alternatives. The BNSF 

Alternative would affect the most acres of Important Farmland and Williamson Act land, but would affect the fewest 

acres of Farmland Security Zone land. Of all alternatives, the BNSF Alternative would cause the greatest severance 

of farmlands because more of the track would diverge from existing major transportation corridors. 

Noise: The UPRR/SR 99 Alternative would have the greatest potential noise impacts, potentially having significant 

impacts on more than twice the number of residences than the Hybrid Alternative would affect. The Hybrid 

Alternative would have the least potential noise impacts and affect the fewest residences. 

Parks and Section 4(f): A Section 4(f) resource is a publicly owned land, such as a park, recreational area, wildlife or 

waterfowl refuge, or historical site, having national, statewide, or local significance. Section 4(f) resources have 

special protections. Parks impacts would be greater for the UPRR/SR 99 Alternative than for the BNSF and Hybrid 

alternatives and, during construction, would include the full closure of 3-4 park/recreation resources and the partial 

closure of one park. The UPRR/SR 99 Alternative would result in a Section 4(f) use at seven resources (three parks 

and four historic properties), whereas the BNSF and Hybrid alternatives would each result in a Section 4(f) use at only 

three resources. For all three HST alternatives, a de minimis determination finding was made regarding impacts on 

Camp Pashayan. The Section 4(f) least-harm analysis indicates that the Hybrid Alternative would cause the least 

harm of all the HST alternatives per the Section 4(f) statute’s preservation purpose. 

Cultural and Paleontological: The UPRR/SR 99 Alternative could affect the most archaeological and historically 

significant built-environment resources (such as buildings) during construction. The BNSF Alternative could affect the 

fewest archaeological resources. Historically significant built-environment resources affected would be similar for 

BNSF Alternative and the Hybrid Alternative. 
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Biological Resources and Wetlands: The BNSF Alternative is the only alternative that would affect the Great Valley 

Conservation Bank (a mitigation bank) and federally designated critical habitat for five species associated with 

vernal pools. Most of the BNSF Alternative’s design options would have greater permanent effects on waters under 

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ jurisdiction than the UPRR/SR 99 Alternative or the Hybrid Alternative. The BNSF 

Alternative would permanently affect more than eight times as many acres of vernal pools and seasonal wetlands 

than the Hybrid Alternative or UPRR/SR 99 Alternative would. The extent of impacts related to the Hybrid 

Alternative generally would be lower than for the BNSF Alternative and either greater than or similar to impacts 

associated with the UPRR/SR 99 Alternative. 

Preferred Alternative 

After careful consideration of data in the Draft EIR/EIS and public and agency comments, the Authority and FRA 

identified the Hybrid Alternative as the preferred north-south alignment alternative. The Hybrid Alternative would 

have natural resource impacts generally similar to the UPRR/SR 99 Alternative and fewer impacts than the BNSF 

Alternative. The Hybrid Alternative would result in fewer effects on community resources than either of the other two 

alternatives and substantially less than the UPRR/SR 99 Alternative, particularly construction impacts such as 

increased noise, dust generation, reduced air quality, and reduced access to parks and businesses. Overall, in 

balancing the effects on natural and community resources, the Hybrid Alternative would minimize environmental 

impacts the most. The Hybrid Alternative would present the fewest constructability issues, which is also reflected in it 

being the lowest-cost alternative, at approximately $450 million less than the BNSF Alternative and more than $1 

billion less than the UPRR/SR 99 Alternative. This is because the Hybrid Alternative is shorter than the BNSF 

Alternative and has less elevated guideway and fewer impacts on adjacent infrastructure than the UPRR/SR 99 

Alternative. The Hybrid Alternative offers the second-best travel time, taking only 30 seconds longer for travel 

between San Francisco and Los Angeles, a minute more between Merced and Fresno, and the same amount of time 

between San Francisco and Merced as the UPRR/SR 99 Alternative. The BNSF Alternative would have the same 

travel time as the Hybrid Alternative between San Francisco and Los Angeles, but overall would take as much as 

4 minutes longer than the other two alternatives. Overall, the Hybrid Alternative best meets the regulatory 

requirements and wishes of the majority of the public by minimizing impacts on the environment, farmland, and 

communities. It would avoid the greater impacts on the environment and rural communities in Merced County that 

would occur with the BNSF Alternative, and would avoid the greater impacts on more urban areas along the 

UPRR/SR 99 Alternative, such as in the City of Madera. 

The Authority and FRA anticipate identifying a preferred HMF site from among the HMF alternatives examined in this 

EIR/EIS. The Authority and FRA are also considering HMF alternatives as part of the Fresno to Bakersfield Section 

EIR/EIS and anticipate identifying a preferred HMF facility from among the alternatives in that EIR/EIS as well. A 

final decision on the HMF facility is anticipated to occur at a date later than the decisions on the north-south 

alignments and stations, and potentially after release of the San Jose to Merced Section EIR/EIS.5 

Next Steps in the Environmental Process and Project Implementation 

Notices of availability of this Final EIR/EIS were published and the document was distributed and made available to 

agencies and the public on April 20, 2012. Before the Authority and FRA make decisions regarding the project, the 

California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and NEPA require that each lead agency make specific findings and 

determinations regarding the project alternatives, potential impacts, mitigation measures, and conformance with 

specific environmental laws. Using these findings and determinations, and considering the entire Administrative 

Record, which includes comments received on this Final EIR/EIS, the Authority and FRA will prepare CEQA and NEPA 

decision documents approving the completion of the environmental review process and selecting the project 

alternative to be implemented. Following publication of these decision documents, the Authority will begin 

implementation of the selected alternative by preparing the final design, obtaining necessary environmental permits, 

and beginning the process of acquiring property for the project. The anticipated timing of the next environmental 

steps are: 

 Authority Board Certification of the Final Project EIR/EIS and Notice of Determination: May 2012 

 Record of Decision by FRA: June 2012 

 Final design and permitting: 2012/2013 

 Property acquisition begins: Late 2012 

 

5 The Harris-DeJager HMF site sponsor withdrew the proposal for a potential HMF site in October 2011; however, to remain 

consistent with previous analysis and provide a basis of comparison among the HMFs, the analysis of this potential HMF site 

continues to be evaluated in this Merced to Fresno Section Final Project EIR/EIS.