The High‑Speed Rail Authority (Authority) is responsible for planning, designing, building and operating the first high‑speed rail in the nation. When complete, it will run from San Francisco to the Los Angeles basin in under three hours, providing a clean alternative to driving or flying. Funded in part by California Climate Investments, the High-Speed Rail Project is already contributing to economic development and a cleaner environment, creating jobs, and preserving agricultural and protected lands.
Reducing, avoiding, and offsetting greenhouse gas emissions is a priority for high‑speed rail construction. In fact, in December 2020 the project earned a national award for its sustainability efforts. The program received the Envision Platinum rating from the Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure for its sustainability efforts. It is highest‑level award from the institute and the first time a program of this size and complexity has earned such an honor.
“This robust, third‑party review of sustainability performance against 64 different issue areas illustrates how the California High‑Speed Rail Authority is delivering on its commitment to provide current and future generations a system that protects and restores social, environmental, and economic sustainability in its delivery and on into operation,” Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure Managing Director Melissa Peneycad said.
To help offset the emissions from the rail’s construction, more than 6,000 trees have been planted and more than 2,200 acres of rural conservation projects have been completed since January 2016. As a result, approximately 180,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent will be sequestered by these trees over their lifetime. More than 46,000 additional metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent have been sequestered or avoided through habitat and agricultural land conservation, and more than 57,800 metric tons have been avoided through construction recycling.
At a time of economic distress for many due to COVID‑19, essential construction work continues, providing jobs for Californians. As of December 2020, the Authority has commissioned work from 574 small businesses, including 185 Certified Disadvantaged Business Enterprises, ensuring small businesses play a significant role in the program. Over 150 of small businesses working on the high-speed rail system are located in disadvantaged communities. Also in October, pre‑apprenticeship classes and hands‑on construction industry training for Central Valley residents kicked off in the city of Selma, serving Valley veterans, at‑risk young adults, and minority and low‑income populations. In the Central Valley, the Authority announced more than 5,000 construction jobs had been created to date across 119 miles of high‑speed rail construction. Approximately half of those workers live in disadvantaged communities.