Judge backs high-speed rail over farmers
BY JULIET WILLIAMS The Associated Press
SACRAMENTO -- A judge denied a request Friday from Central Valley farmers who sought to halt work on California's ambitious high-speed rail project.
Sacramento County Superior Court Judge Timothy Frawley denied a request for a preliminary injunction.
Groups representing Central Valley farmers claim that the California High-Speed Rail Authority should have to halt all planning and engineering work on the $68 billion project because the state violated environmental laws.
The judge ruled that "the authority acted reasonably and in good faith" in considering the project's impact.
The rail authority's chairman, Dan Richard, applauded the decision.
"Both the voters and the Legislature have spoken on high-speed rail," he said in a statement. "The Judge's decision ensures that we can continue to move forward with our preparatory work to build the first segment of high-speed rail in the Central Valley, with a plan to break ground next summer."
The initial section will be a 65-mile segment running from Merced to Fresno, in the heart of California's agricultural industry.
In making his ruling Friday, the judge acknowledged that California laws require an understanding of a project's harm to the environment. Yet he said he did not feel there was sufficient reason to grant farmers a preliminary injunction.
The rail authority argued in court that the potential harm to the state for halting the massive transportation project was far greater than the objections of Central Valley farmers and landowners.
The authority said the state could risk up to $3.2 billion if construction of the bullet train did not meet federal deadlines. A delay could cost as much as $8 million to $10 million in additional construction costs.
Facebook
Twitter
Mobile
RSS
Most CommentedMost Popular
Responding to what he called a case that “has consumed the media and our community,” Kern County Sheriff Donny Youngblood said Tuesday he has asked the FBI to conduct a “parallel” investigation into the death of Bakersfield father of four David Sal Silva, who died May 8 after he was beaten by...
Two cellphones confiscated last week from witnesses to the in-custody death of David Sal Silva were returned Wednesday to the attorney representing the witnesses.
About two dozen protesters stood in front of Kern County Superior Court next to the Liberty Bell Thursday morning to make a statement about police brutality.
Sheriff’s investigators served a search warrant on Kern Medical Center and the Mary K. Shell Mental Health Center seeking medical records to find possible reasons for David Sal Silva’s behavior prior to and during his encounter with law enforcement, The Californian learned Friday.
The death of Bakersfield father of four David Sal Silva immediately following his apparent beating Wednesday by Kern County law enforcement officers raises questions that have been asked in Bakersfield many times before -- questions about the use of deadly force by police.
Blood stains are still visible on the sidewalk at the corner of Flower Street and Palm Drive, where a Bakersfield man struggled with as many as nine officers and later died this week.
A war of words erupted Friday over video footage taken of David Sal Silva’s deadly encounter with law enforcement officers.
Responding to what he called a case that “has consumed the media and our community,” Kern County Sheriff Donny Youngblood said Tuesday he has asked the FBI to conduct a “parallel” investigation into the death of Bakersfield father of four David Sal Silva, who died May 8 after he was beaten by deputies.