Vice Chair of Natural Resources Committee introduces legislation to protect communities from wildfire and to strengthen water infrastructure.
Today, Assemblywoman Alexandra M. Macedo (R-Tulare) introduced legislation to redirect the $1 billion in annual state funding for the California High-Speed Rail Authority to fund much-needed wildfire prevention and water infrastructure projects.
“Families are devastated beyond words, and entire communities have been wiped out by the raging wildfires in Southern California,” said Assemblywoman Macedo. “Sadly, this is not a unique catastrophe. The State needs to do more to prevent such tragic disaster.”
“The state needs to do something differently. It is crucial that the state act with a sense of urgency and dedicate more resources to remove vegetation and properly manage forests to reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfires,” said Congressman Vince Fong (CA-20), former Vice Chair of the Assembly Budget Committee. “Our state has endured years of multiple wildfires persevering through unfortunate devastation, and this is a better use of precious taxpayer dollars. I will advocate on the federal level to help to protect Californians from wildfires and strengthen our water infrastructure
Specifically, Assembly Bill 267 will take the continuous funding given each year to the California High Speed Rail (HSR) and instead appropriate it to fund wildfire prevention and water infrastructure projects.
To date, HSR has spent $13.7 billion in total, including $1.6 billion on professional marketing materials and consultants. The only completed segment so far is between the Kern-Tulare line and Shafter, and has cost $1.4 billion for 22 miles of raised dirt; and 11 overpass structures. Zero feet of track have been laid.
Once promised to be completed for $34 billion, HSR’s budget has ballooned to $128 billion.
The former Chair of HSR’s peer review group testified before the Legislature that the project “cannot be completed with the money available.”
The peer review group chair further asserted that state lawmakers need to make a decision whether to keep spending precious tax dollars if there is not enough money to complete the project.
“By all metrics, the High Speed Rail is a colossal failure. The $1 billion spent on High Speed Rail each year would be better spent on the protection of lives, homes and jobs against wildfire and securing water infrastructure for our economy to grow,” said Assemblywoman Macedo.
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