Rep. Calvert Statement on Perris Valley Line Decision

Today, Congressman Ken Calvert (CA-42) issued the following statement in response to the Superior Court ruling on the Perris Valley Line mass transit project:

"The decision to strike down the Perris Valley Line's environmental impact report and seriously jeopardize the project is an outrage.

The people of Riverside County are left wondering how an activist judge can thwart a widely supported, thoroughly studied project by siding with an extreme minority of special interests. It's shocking to me that judges continue to validate and allow narrow special interests to obstruct the will of the community and abuse our laws.

Make no mistake, by siding with the so-called "Friends of the Hills" the judge has not only jeopardized the project, but the jobs, the traffic relief, and the environmental improvements that are the demonstrated benefits of the project.

I will take whatever steps I can to help make the Perris Valley Line a reality and I hope my fellow state and federal colleagues on both sides of the aisle will join me in righting this wrong.

For many years now I have spoken out about the overreaching regulatory policies of our state and federal governments. Unfortunately with this ruling my fears have once again become a reality."

Background:

The Perris Valley Line project is a 24 mile extension of the Metrolink 91 Line, currently providing service from Riverside to Fullerton and downtown Los Angeles. The extension would begin at a junction with the Burlington Northern Santa Fe line, north of the city of Riverside and turn southeast along the San Jacinto Branch Line. The terminus of the Line is in the City of Perris at Route 74 and Ethanac Road in Perris.

The estimated total project funding for the Perris Valley Line project is $248.3 million, with more than 50% of the funding coming from federal sources.

The entire Perris Valley Line project utilizes existing railroad right-of-way that cargo trains have utilized for more than 100 years. The environmental impact report that was determined to be deficient by the court ruling was more than 3,000 pages in length.

According to the Riverside County Transportation Commission, the Perris Valley is projected to serve 4,350 riders daily when it opens, eliminating thousands of vehicle trips per day on I?215 and SR-60.

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