"The new program's rules for states and others wanting to participate remove any mention of diversity or climate change dating to the Biden administration. The new program will also put a priority on projects in areas with higher rates of birth and marriage and projects that improve safety at railroad crossings. The Trump administration has removed climate change and so-called DEI language from other grant requirements, and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy took a jab at that Biden-era language and California Gov. Gavin Newsom's rail project."
"The biggest chunk of this money the Federal Railroad Administration announced comes from the $4 billion that was pulled from the California project. The rest of the money comes from a combination of what was announced last year and what is in this year's budget. President Donald Trump and Duffy have both criticized the decades-old California project for its cost overruns and many delays that have kept the train that's designed to connect San Francisco and Los Angeles from becoming a reality yet."
A new $5 billion National Railroad Partnership Program will redistribute $2.4 billion previously pulled from California's high-speed rail project and emphasize safety over diversity and climate priorities. The program removes references to diversity, equity and inclusion and climate change from participation rules and prioritizes projects in areas with higher birth and marriage rates and those improving railroad crossing safety. Much of the funding is drawn from $4 billion reclaimed from the California project, with additional funds from earlier announcements and the current budget. President Trump and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy criticized the California project's overruns and delays, and California officials say they will challenge the reallocation legally.
Read at www.mercurynews.com
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