Re: California-It's all a big show-Here's how it works!
Author: BOB2
Date: 07-09-2012 - 08:06
Let's explain this latest CHSRA charade to those who don't seem to understand much about how Federal Transportation Funds work.
If the Federal ARRA money for the segment from Coalinga to Oildale was not "programmed" by September 30, 2012, it is going to lapse.
If the Federal ARRA money for the segment from Coalinga to Oildale is "programmed" by September 30, 2012 it won't lapse.
The EIS/EIR on the segment from Coalinga to Oildale is a piece of garbage and the courts will likely toss it, after September 50, 2012.
Monies that are "programmed" can then be "reprogrammed" to other eligible projects.
This move by the CA Senate merely keeps the commitment to the Federal ARRA monies "alive" so these can be reprogrammed after the election, regardless of who wins.
The inclusion of the funding for the Bay Area and Sou Cal projects is the real key to this action, as it will allow for many of those project, which are truly needed, and much more "shovel ready" to proceed. And, these funds will allow other project components to complete a required programatic EIR/EIS to be eligible to use future reprogrammed ARRA or new Federal HSIPR funds.
This move will allow the funds for Coalinga to Oildale to be reprogrammed to these more worthwhile projects, after the courts toss out the whole lousy PB Coalinga to Oildale EIS as fatally flawed.......
This is why even some of the Republicans critical of the CHSRA in Congress are not being too aggressive in cutting the Federal funds. They want them reprogrammed, too......... All stripes of politicians are funded with contributions by the General Contractors, especially when construction is hutrting like now.
This was all just a big political Kabuki dance to keep the Federal stimulus funding from lapsing, and Dan Richard knows this, too.
Plan B is alive and well, and the funding for the local MOU projects is what is important in this vote.