NEWS RELEASE: California High-Speed Rail Authority Launches Online Resources for San Francisco to San Jose Project Section Community Open House

Jul 13 2020 | San Jose

Today the California High-Speed Rail Authority (Authority) launched an online web portal for the San Francisco to San Jose project section. The new portal, similar to portals created for other recently released environmental documents, is designed to help the public better understand the Draft Environmental Impact Report/Environmental Impact Statement (EIR/EIS) released July 10, 2020. The Draft EIR/EIS, the second and final project-level Draft EIR/EIS in Northern California, studies high-speed rail upgrades along the Caltrain corridor between San Francisco and San Jose.

“We are adjusting our approach to engaging the public in light of the necessary health and safety precautions around COVID-19,” said Northern California Regional Director Boris Lipkin. “Similar efforts in Northern and Southern California in the past few months have demonstrated we can reach as many members of the public – if not more – using an online approach. We look forward to getting feedback on this next step in bringing high-speed rail to Northern California.”

The new online web portal, accessible via the Authority’s website at hsr.ca.gov, will be available for the duration of the public comment period for the Draft EIR/EIS. Authority staff will use this portal to conduct online/teleconference webinars and answer questions from members of the public.

The online open house dates and times, unchanged from the original in-person schedule, are as follows:

• Open House Live Webinar #1: July 20, 2020 4:00-7:00 p.m.
• Open House Live Webinar #2: July 30, 2020 4:00-7:00 p.m.
• Open House Live Webinar #3: August 5, 2020 4:00-7:00 p.m.
• The public can continue to submit their comments on the San Francisco to San Jose Draft EIR/EIS in the following ways:
  • Via web comment form on the Authority’s website at hsr.ca.gov
  • Via email to san.francisco_san.jose@hsr.ca.gov with the subject line “Draft EIR/EIS Comment”
    • *Please note the communication sent Wednesday 7/8 contained an error in the email address used for submitting comments. The correct address for submitting all comments about the San Francisco to San Jose project segment draft EIR/EIS is above.
  • Via postal mail at the address below:
  Attn: San Francisco to San Jose: Draft EIR/EIS California
  High-Speed Rail Authority
  100 Paseo de San Antonio, Suite 300
  San Jose, CA 95113
  • Verbally at the San Francisco to San Jose Project Section Public Hearing:
  August 19, 2020 from 3:00–8:00 p.m.
  Bay Area Metro Center*
  375 Beale Street
  San Francisco, CA

  After the comment period closes on August 24, 2020, and the comments received have been evaluated, staff will prepare and issue the Final EIR/EIS document. The final document is then presented to the Authority Board of Directors, who will consider it for certification and project approval under the California Environmental Equality Act (CEQA) and the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).

  To view the contents of the Draft EIR/EIS, please visit our website at hsr.ca.gov.

  *Due to public health and safety requirements concerning the coronavirus, the public hearing for the Draft EIR/EIS may need to occur as online and/or teleconference meetings only.

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