HomeMy WebLinkAbout19-181Resolution No. 19-181
RESOLUTION CALLING ON THE STATE TOABANDON THE HIGH-SPEED RAIL PROJECT AND
REDIRECT ANY REMAINING FUNDS AVAILABLE FROM THE PROJECT TO LOCAL PROGRAMS
WHEREAS, the California State Auditor has concluded the California High -Speed Rail Authority's (CHSRA) flawed
decision making and ongoing poor contract management for high-value contracts have contributed tobillions ofdollars
incost overruns for completing the high-speed rail system; and
WHEREAS, the California State Auditor has concluded the CHSRA's decision to begin construction before
completing the proper planning has led to unmitigated risks which have, contributed to $600 million in cost overruns thus
far for the three active Central Valley construction projects with another $1.6 billion in additional costs needed to
complete the projects; and
WHEREAS, the California State Auditor has concluded the CHSRA has not swcccsofm|Uvenforced policies it adopted
to address ongoing deficiencies with its contract management and the CHSRA cannot demonstrate that the large amounts
i1has spent omits contracts have been necessary nrappropriate; and
WHEREAS, the California State Aud:bmrhas concluded that poor project managennemthascausedagramtdeadUne
extension to December 2022 and the [H5R4omm|d miss the new deadline unless Central Valley construction progresses
twice asfast asithas tndate; and
WHEREAS, the California State Auditor has concluded missing the new 2022deadline could expose the State of
California to the risk of having to pay back as much as $3.5 billion in federal funds; and
WHEREAS, the California State Auditor has concluded that the [HSRAhals partially offset Central Valley cost
overruns, as well a,s those projected elsewhere in the system, by planning to shame existing rail infrastructure where
possible, however the CH3RA acknowledges that it has identified every feasible option to do so and therefore cannot
continue touse this appmoochtooffset costs; and
WHEREAS, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) intends toterminate Cooperative Agreement No. FR -HSR-
0118-12-01-01 (Agreement); and
WHEREAS, following termination FRA intends topromptly de -obligate the full $928,628/DQOstipulated under the
Agreement; and
WHEREAS, PRA has determined that CHSRA has materially failed to comply with the terms of the Agreement and
has failed tnmake reasonable progress, outhe high-speed rail project and will not complete the project bythe end nfthe
Agreement's period oƒperformance in2Q22;and
WHEREAS, during his recent State -of-the-State address, Governor Newsom presented anew proposal that
represents a significant retreat from the State's initial vision and commitment and frustrates the purpose for which federal
funding was awarded; and
WHEREAS, during his recent State -of -the -State address, Governor Newsom stated: "Lets be real. The project, as
currently planned, could cost way too much and take too long. Them,'s been too little oversight and not enough
transparency — there simply isn't a path tmget from Sacramento to San Diego, let alone from Sam Francisco to LA.°; and
WHEREAS, current construction is only from Madera to Shafter — a full 50 miles short of Merced to Bakersfield.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Butte County Board of Supervisors hereby finds as follows:
1. The state of California's High -Sneed Rail Project has wasted billions of dollars with minimal progress. Given
the undisputed facts, the County of Butte requests immediate abandonment of the High -Speed Rail Project
and requests that any remaining State funds avai|aib|efranm the project are redirected to local programs that
will provide immediate benefit to the residents here in the County of Butte and throughout the State.
PASSED AND ADOPTED by the Butte County Board of Supervisors this 7 1h day of May, 2019, by the following vote:
AYES: Supervisors Connelly, Lecem,Ritter, Teeter, and Chair Lambert
NOES: None
NOT VOTING: None
Steve Lambert,iodeir
Butte County Board of Supervisors
Shari McCracken, Chief Administrative Officer
and Clerk ofthe Board ofSupervisors