California High Speed Rail Authority Challenges FRA Report's Accuracy

California High Speed Rail Authority’s CEO, Ian choudri, recently addressed acting Federal Railroad Administrator Drew Feely in a letter dated June 12. This correspondence was a direct response to the Federal railroad Governance’s (FRA) Compliance Report released on June 4, which posed a meaningful threat to the authority’s access to approximately $4 billion in federal funding.

Choudri firmly contested the FRA’s claims,pointing out that their own monitoring report from October 2024 had found no major compliance issues. He argued that this new stance from the FRA contradicted its earlier assessments.

“Ending our federal grant agreements is both unwarranted and unjust,” Choudri stated emphatically. he criticized the FRA for what he described as an “inaccurate and misleading” interpretation of evidence provided by his authority. According to him, the FRA misrepresented data and referenced reports that did not support its conclusions while using vague methodologies.

The CEO expressed concern that this review seemed designed to validate a predetermined conclusion rather then objectively assess progress. He noted there had been no substantial changes over eight months justifying such a drastic shift in perspective from the FRA.

Casting subtle shade at previous administrations, particularly under Trump, choudri suggested that ongoing resistance towards public investment in high-speed rail—and California’s leadership—was influencing these decisions since attempts were made back in May 2019 to withdraw federal funding for this initiative.

Defending Construction and Funding Strategies

The letter also highlighted CHSRA’s advancements on constructing the Early Operating Section of the high-speed rail line through California’s Central Valley. Additionally,it mentioned how completing electrification of Caltrain south of San Francisco would facilitate high-speed services into urban areas through what thay call ‘blended operation’.

“I must strongly contest any claims suggesting minimal construction progress,” Choudri asserted. “Our efforts have significantly transformed Central valley; we’ve constructed numerous viaducts and overpasses essential for laying down our first stretch of track.”

Tackling concerns raised by the FRA regarding potential funding shortfalls for this project, he reiterated that both autonomous auditors and even the FRA itself hadn’t flagged serious budgetary issues lately.

the authority’s Business Plan for 2024 projected costs between $32.7 billion and $36.3 billion for completing this section of work; with $28.2 billion already secured leaving about $7 billion still needed—a key point raised by the FRA report.

To address these financial gaps, choudri pointed out Governor Gavin Newsom’s revised budget proposal from May which aims to extend California’s Cap-and-Trade program until at least 2045—projecting an annual revenue boost exceeding $1 billion—which could effectively close this gap ensuring CHSRA has adequate resources to finish construction by around 2033. This plan reflects years of unwavering support from California lawmakers committed to advancing high-speed rail initiatives across their state.