O-Bama

Action Alert - High Speed Rail

From: COMMUNITY COALITION ON HIGH SPEED RAIL

Dear Friends:

LITIGATION DATES
Last Friday, CC-HSR attorney Gary Patton met with the Judge who will decide the two lawsuits challenging the program level EIR for the Bay Area to Central Valley portion of the proposed high-speed rail project. If CC-HSR and other plaintiffs are successfull in our lawsuit, the Authority will have to redo the program EIR. We continue to insist that doing it right means following the law!

At a hearing in late March, the Court will consider whether to allow additions to the administrative record. Arguments on the lawsuit will be scheduled on either August 2nd or September 12th, depending on how quickly briefing proceeds, with a decision by early fall.

LEARN SOMETHING ABOUT GILROY/MORGAN HILL
Concern about the proposed high-speed train project runs statewide. Gilroy/Morgan Hill residents have been particularly outspoken about how the Authority's current plans will adversely affect them. Many believe that important information is not reaching that community.

At the request of residents from that area, we are including some information provided by Yvonne Sheets-Saucedo about the area and upcoming meetings. You can find documents referenced in this section of our Community Update at the City of Gilroy's website.

Yvonne reports that Gilroy and Morgan Hill formed a HSR Task Force and that she and many residents are afraid that the decisions of that task force will promote urban sprawl to the disadvantage of the larger community.

Prior to the Program Level EIR being circulated, commented on and certified, the HSR Task Force crafted a Gilroy/Morgan Hill Joint Resolution addressed to the California High-Speed Rail Authority. The resolution opposed the track alignment that followed the Union Pacific right-of-way and supported an East 101 alignment. Residents are concerned that the task force took this position without studying the benefits and burdens of either alignment. They are particularly concerned that the East 101 alignment falls outside of any existing transportation corridor and any station would be outside an existing city center. Thus the East 101 alignment would violate the HST Principles and Guidelines established by the California High-Speed Rail Authority.

Consider attending one of these upcoming public meetings for more information and to express your opinion:

Tuesday - January 25, 6:00 - 9:00PM
Gilroy High School Student Center
750 West 10th Street, Gilroy

Thursday - January 27, 6:00 - 9:00PM
Hiram Morgan Hill Room
17000 Monterey Road. Gilroy

SEVEN DEADLY SINS
Well, Seven Deadly Financial Facts, anyway! That is the title of the latest financial analysis by William Grindley and a group of financial experts. William is taking copies to Washington D.C., lobbying Congress to take account of the financial realities of high-speed rail before spending billions of federal dollars on a Train to Nowhere. You can download this report, plus Six Myths and Train To Nowhere, from the CC-HSR website

TAKE ACTION
There are many ways you can make a difference and affect the outcome of this project! For tips and resources please visit our revised TAKE ACTION page.
Sincerely,

Your Friends at the Community Coalition on High Speed Rail
The Community Coalition on High Speed Rail is a grassroots, non-profit corporation, based on the San Francisco Peninsula, that is working through public advocacy, litigation, and political action to make sure the proposed California High Speed Rail project doesn't adversely affect the economy, environment, or quality of life of California's existing communities.

A Special Thank You...

Thank you so very much to all my friends and supporters for your generous contributions . . . and for your wonderful words of encouragement and well wishes. The response has been overwhelming to say the least. Words can not express the love and gratitude I feel. It’s humbling and empowering at the same time. Your prayers, love and financial support have picked me up and pushed me forward. Being diagnosed with cancer has been challenging, but the blessings that have come from this are astounding. Among those blessings are friends like you. I am truly humbled by your kindness. Wishing you good health and happiness in the coming year.

God Bless you and Merry Christmas,

Dirck Jackman