California High-Speed Rail Authority (CHSRA) CEO Ian Choudri issued a sharp and comprehensive rebuttal to the Federal Railroad Administration’s (FRA) proposed termination of two key cooperative funding agreements. 

In a 14-page letter addressed to FRA Acting Administrator Drew Feeley, Choudri defended the project’s progress and sharply criticized what he described as the FRA’s “unfounded,” “misleading,” and “disingenuous” assertions.

“Termination of the Cooperative Agreements is unwarranted and unjustified,” Choudri stated. “FRA’s conclusions are based on an inaccurate, often outright-misleading, presentation of the evidence.”

CHSRA Disputes FRA Claims Point-by-Point

In the detailed response, Choudri methodically refutes the FRA’s primary findings, rejecting claims that the authority has made minimal construction progress or lacks a clear funding strategy. He argued that the FRA mischaracterized data, misrepresented supporting documentation, and used opaque review methodologies that do not align with the FRA’s previous assessments.

Among the significant points of contention is the FRA’s suggestion that the authority has made “minimal progress” on the project. “The authority’s work has already reshaped the Central Valley,” Choudri wrote, citing significant achievements including:

• Completion of the 4,741-foot San Joaquin River Viaduct in Fresno.

• Completion of the Hanford Viaduct, the longest high-speed rail structure in the Central Valley.

• A railyard is currently under construction to support materials and logistics.

• A total of 53 structures and 69 miles of guideway have been completed.

Choudri noted that more than 1,700 workers are engaged in daily field construction, primarily in Fresno, Kings, and Tulare counties.

“These are momentous achievements,” he said. “Combining feats of engineering, complex logistical and legal coordination, and a daily workforce in the thousands.”

Addressing the Funding Gap

The authority also challenged the FRA’s concerns regarding a projected $7 billion funding shortfall. 

Choudri pointed to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s proposal to extend the state’s Cap-and-Trade program, rebranded as Cap-and-Invest, which could provide an estimated $1 billion annually through 2045. The letter also previewed a forthcoming Request for Expressions of Interest (RFEI) from private sector partners to explore innovative cost and delivery solutions.

Choudri emphasized that the authority aggressively pursues funding and partnership opportunities, contrary to the FRA’s suggestions.

CHSRA’s response also questioned the integrity and consistency of the FRA’s review process. 

Choudri cited an October 2024 FRA monitoring report that found no major compliance issues, calling the agency’s current position a “dramatic about-face.”

“There have been no meaningful changes in the past eight months that justify FRA’s reversal,” he wrote. “Hostility to public investments in high-speed rail, and to California’s leadership, appears to be the real basis for the proposed determination.”

The letter highlighted the FRA’s attempt in 2019 to revoke funding, framing the current move as part of a longer-term pattern of federal skepticism toward California’s high-speed rail ambitions.

Project Milestones and Economic Impact

The authority also reaffirmed that environmental clearance is complete for the full Phase 1 system between downtown San Francisco and downtown Los Angeles. Electrification of the Caltrain corridor between San Francisco and San Jose has also been completed.

Currently, 171 miles of the high-speed rail corridor from Merced to Bakersfield are under active design and construction. In total, nearly 70 miles of guideway have been built, with 54 structures completed and 30 more under construction. According to the CHSRA, the project has also created over 15,300 construction jobs to date, most of which have gone to Central Valley residents.

Choudri concluded the letter with a call for collaboration rather than conflict.

“I hope that FRA and the authority can move forward to support this program, a project with a big future and great promise to better the lives of Californians and spur economic growth in the state and across the nation,” he wrote.

As the future of federal funding hangs in the balance, CHSRA said it is continuing work on its ambitious vision to connect Northern and Southern California with clean, high-speed electric rail, reaffirming its commitment to transparency, public benefit, and transformative infrastructure.