Fact Sheet

California High-Speed Rail Authority November 2017 

Fresno to Bakersfield Section Page | i 

Draft Supplemental EIR/EIS

FACT SHEET

Project Name

California High-Speed Rail Project, Fresno to Bakersfield Section Locally Generated Alternative 

(F-B LGA)

Project Description

The California High-Speed Rail Authority (Authority) proposes that the Fresno to Bakersfield

Section project will consist of building and operating an approximately 114-mile portion of a larger 

high-speed rail (HSR) system that is intended to connect to sections traveling west to San

Francisco, south to Los Angeles and, later, north to Sacramento. The Preferred Alternative

identified in the Fresno to Bakersfield Section California High-Speed Train Final Project 

Environmental Impact Report/Environmental Impact Statement (EIR/EIS) consists of portions of 

the “BNSF Alternative” in combination with the “Corcoran Bypass,” “Allensworth Bypass,” and 

“Bakersfield Hybrid” alternatives. On May 7, 2014, the Authority certified the Fresno to 

Bakersfield Section Final EIR/EIS and approved the Preferred Alternative south from Fresno to 

7th Standard Road, the northern city limits of Bakersfield. Based on an analysis of potential 

impacts and substantive agency and public comments, including comments filed after issuance 

of the Final EIS, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) approved the Preferred Alternative by 

issuing its Record of Decision on June 27, 2014. 

On June 5, 2014, the City of Bakersfield filed a lawsuit challenging the Authority’s EIR and 

approvals under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). The City noted that the 

Preferred Alternative alignment identified in the 2014 Fresno to Bakersfield Section Final EIR/EIS 

would severely impact the City's facilities, freeway projects, and businesses, including its 

Municipal Services Corporation Yard, and Rabobank Arena parking, in addition to private 

residences, businesses, schools, churches, and medical facilities. In a Settlement Agreement 

signed December 19, 2014, between the City of Bakersfield and the Authority, the two agencies 

agreed to work together to develop and study an alternative that would be acceptable to the City 

of Bakersfield, and meet the Authority’s design requirements. The F-B LGA evolved from this 

mutual cooperation and subsequent public input and is the proposed project evaluated in this 

Fresno to Bakersfield Section Supplemental EIR/EIS. (Although the Authority Board certified the 

Fresno to Bakersfield Section Final EIR/EIS, which evaluated the alignment from the Fresno HSR

Station to the Bakersfield Truxtun Avenue HSR Station, the Authority Board only approved the 

HSR alignment extended from downtown Fresno to approximately 7th Standard Road.) 

The F-B LGA provides a 23.13-mile alternative alignment for a segment of the Fresno to 

Bakersfield Section between the City of Shafter and the City of Bakersfield. The F-B LGA station 

(F Street Station) would be located at the intersection of State Route 204 (SR 204) and F Street. 

A maintenance of infrastructure facility would be located along the F-B LGA in northern Shafter 

between Poplar Avenue and Fresno Avenue. Potential environmental impacts from the F-B LGA 

include: displacement of commercial, residential, and agricultural properties; increases in noise; 

increases in traffic at the F Street Station; impacts on historic and archaeological sites; impacts 

on parks and recreational resources; visual impacts; impacts on sensitive biological resources 

and wetlands; and uses of energy. Mitigation measures are described to address impacts 

identified in the Draft Supplemental EIR/EIS.

The Fresno to Bakersfield Section Supplemental EIR/EIS also evaluates potential effects to the 

Buena Vista Lake ornate shrew for the Fresno to Bakersfield Section from East American Avenue 

in Fresno County to Oswell Street in the City of Bakersfield. Since the release of the Fresno to 

Bakersfield Section Final EIR/EIS, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service issued an 

amended Biological Opinion (USFWS 2017a) for the Fresno to Bakersfield Section from East 

American Avenue in Fresno County (the northern terminus of Construction Package 2/3) to 

Poplar Avenue in Kern County (the southern terminus for Construction Package 4). Pursuant to 

CEQA Guidelines Section 15163, Section 3.7, Biological Resources and Wetlands of this Draft 
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November 2017 California High-Speed Rail Authority

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Draft Supplemental EIR/EIS

Supplemental EIR/EIS evaluates the expansion of the range of species and considers potential 

effects to the Buena Vista Lake ornate shrew. 

Joint Lead Agencies 

Federal Railroad Administration 

1200 New Jersey Avenue SE MS-20 Washington, D.C. 20590 

California High-Speed Rail Authority 770 L Street, Suite 800 

Sacramento, CA 95814 

NEPA Lead Agency 

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) is the lead agency for National Environmental Policy 

Act (NEPA) compliance. 

As permitted under the Surface Transportation Project Delivery Program (STPD Program), the 

State of California has requested that the FRA assign its responsibilities under NEPA and 

related Federal environmental laws to the Authority. The STPD Program is authorized by 23 

U.S.C. § 327 and has been implemented by the Federal Highway Administration, FRA, and the 

Federal Transit Administration through joint regulations defining project and applicant eligibility, 

the application requirements, and the requirements for a written Memorandum of Understanding 

(MOU) approving the assignment. 

During the application process, the public will be given two opportunities to review application 

materials and provide comments: one opportunity to review a draft application as part of a state 

public comment process, and another opportunity provided by FRA to review the final application 

and a draft MOU. These comment periods do not substitute for, or duplicate, the comment 

period for this Draft Supplemental EIR/EIS for the F-B LGA. 

Since the Authority is still developing its application, FRA remains the NEPA lead agency under 

NEPA for this Draft Supplemental EIR/EIS. However, if the Authority formally submits an 

application and FRA approves the application prior to the Record of Decision, the Authority may 

issue the Record of Decision and finalize any related environmental reviews in lieu of FRA. 

Responsible NEPA Official 

Marlys Osterhues, Chief of Environmental and Corridor Planning 

FRA, Office of Program Delivery 

1200 New Jersey Ave SE, W36-317 

Washington, D.C. 20590 

CEQA Lead Agency 

The California High-Speed Rail Authority is the lead agency for CEQA compliance. 

Responsible CEQA Official 

Thomas Fellenz, Interim Chief Executive Officer California High-Speed Rail Authority 

770 L Street, Suite 800 

Sacramento, CA 95814 

Document Availability 

This Supplemental EIR/EIS and the 2014 Final EIR/EIS are available online at: http://www.hsr.ca.gov/. 

Printed copies of this Supplemental EIR/EIS, the 2014 Final EIR/EIS, and related appendices 

are available at the California High-Speed Rail Authority Office, public libraries, and community 

centers (see List of Recipients). 
Fact Sheet

California High-Speed Rail Authority November 2017 

Fresno to Bakersfield Section Page | iii

Draft Supplemental EIR/EIS

Contact Information

This Draft Supplemental EIR/EIS in its entirety has been posted on the Authority’s website as 

well as FRA’s website. In addition, the Authority published materials online (in English and 

Spanish) summarizing the purpose and contents of the document and how to participate in the 

public comment period. To obtain a copy of the environmental documents, contact:

California High-Speed Rail Authority

770 L Street, Suite 800

Sacramento, CA 95814

(916) 324-1541

Permits, Approvals, and Consultations 

Federal

• Surface Transportation Board – Authority to construct and operate the project under

Sections 10502 and 10901 of the ICC Termination Act of 1995. 

• U.S. Army Corps of Engineers – Section 404 Permit for Discharge of Dredge or Fill

Materials into Waters of the U.S., including wetlands. Also, Section 10 Permit for construction

of any structure in or over any Navigable Water of the U.S.

• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency – Review of Environmental Justice conclusions;

General Conformity Determination.

• Federal Railroad Administration, in consultation with the California Office of Historic

Preservation and the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation – National Historic

Preservation Act, Section 106 Consultation.

• U.S. Department of Transportation – Section 4(f) Evaluation.

• U.S. Department of Interior/National Park Service – Section 6(f) Evaluation.

• U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – Section 7 Consultation and Biological Opinion.

• U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service – Section 7 Consultation and Biological Opinion.

• U.S. Bureau of Reclamation – Permits to Enter; Temporary Construction Permits; Acquisition

of Land Rights.

State 

• California Department of Fish and Wildlife – California Endangered Species Act (CESA)

permits; Section 1602 Lake and Streambed Alteration Agreement. 

• California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) – Encroachment permits.

• California Public Utilities Commission – Approval for construction and operation of railroad

crossing of public roads and for construction of new transmission lines and substations.

• California State Lands Commission – Lease for crossing state sovereign lands.

• State Water Resources Control Board, Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control

Board – Permits under Clean Water Act Section 401 Water Quality Certification; Section 402

National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Waste Discharge Permit;

Statewide Stormwater General Permit for Construction; Statewide Stormwater General

Permit for Industrial Activities, Dewatering Permit (Order No. 98-67); Spill Prevention, Control

and Countermeasures (SPCC) Plan (part of Section 402 process); Stormwater Construction

and Operation Plan (part of Section 402 process).

• Central Valley Flood Protection Board – Encroachment permit under Section 208.10

(designated streams, flood control and protection facilities).
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November 2017 California High-Speed Rail Authority

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Draft Supplemental EIR/EIS

Regional

• San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District – Permits under Rule 201, General

Permit Requirements; Rule 403, Fugitive Dust; Rule 442 Architectural Coatings; Rule 902

Asbestos.

Authors and Principal Contributors

Please see List of Preparers under Chapter 11 of this Supplemental EIR/EIS. 

Public Release of Draft EIR/EIS

November 9, 2017 

Subsequent Steps

This Supplemental EIR/EIS will be circulated for a 60-day public review period per regulations set 

forth by CEQA and NEPA. The public and public agencies will have the chance to provide 

comments on environmental issues and the project. At the close of the 60-day public review 

period, the Authority will develop the F-B Final Supplemental EIR/EIS. This document will contain 

the information that was revised from the F-B LGA Draft Supplemental EIR/EIS in accordance 

with the comments received during the public review period. The F-B LGA Final Supplemental 

EIR/EIS will also contain responses to the comments received during the public review period of 

the F-B LGA Draft Supplemental EIR/EIS. Once the F-B LGA Final Supplemental EIR/EIS is 

prepared, the document will be considered by the Authority for an approval decision. In 

accordance with Section 1319 of the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP21), the FRA’s Record of Decision may be circulated with the Final EIS.