California High-Speed Rail Authority marks environmental milestone

The California High-Speed Rail Authority (CHSRA) last week released the final environmental impact report/environmental impact statement (EIR/EIS) for the Bakersfield-to-Palmdale section of its high-speed rail project.

The authority now is one step closer to gaining approval of its third environmental document in two years, CHRSA officials said in a news release. The document will be presented to the authority’s board Aug. 18-19.

If approved, the section will be the first high-speed rail segment in Southern California to be environmentally cleared. Approval of the final EIR/EIS will move the section closer to being ready for construction when funding becomes available.

The final EIR/EIS is available on the authority’s website.