Questions & Answers

Protecting Our Environment

How will high-speed trains benefit our environment?

The development of the high-speed train system is one of many strategies that we can employ to reduce global warming and bring under control our resource consumption to preserve the earth for future generations. Recent environmental analyses and studies* comparing California’s proposed high-speed train system against building more highways and airports to meet projected travel demands found that the system would have the following benefits by 2030:

• High-speed trains will have less impact on the environment than expanding airports and highways, less potential impact on wetlands and water resources, biology and farmlands; and less noise impact.
• High-speed trains need only one-third of the energy than that of an airplane and one-fifth of an automobile trip.
• The system is projected to save 12.7 million barrels of oil per year by 2030, even with future improvements in auto fuel efficiency.
• Electrically-powered high-speed trains reduce pollutant and greenhouse gas emissions and reliance on fossil fuels. The total predicted emissions savings of the California high-speed train system is up to 12 billion pounds of CO2 per year by 2030 and would grow with higher ridership. The system will avoid and/or minimize the potential impacts to cultural, park, recreational and wildlife refuges to the greatest extent possible.
• The system will decrease air pollutants statewide and in all air basins analyzed by reducing pollution generated by automobile internal combustion engines.
• The system will maximize the use of existing transportation corridors and railroad rights-of-way in order to minimize the impacts on California’s treasured landscape.

* Final Bay Area to Central Valley high-speed train Program Environmental Impact Report/Environmental Impact Statement (EIR/EIS) certified July 2008 and Final Program Environmental Impact Report/Environmental Impact Statement (EIR/EIS) for the Proposed California High-Speed Train System (Certified November 2005).

Will high-speed trains promote clean air or reduce the emissions that cause global warming?

Global warming and unsustainable rates of natural resource usage pose serious threats to California, the nation and the world community. They threaten our economic well-being, the public’s health and the environment in which we live. The potential adverse impacts of global warming, including worsening air quality, reductions in water supply and quality, disruptions to ecosystems and damage to the natural environment, pose significant threats to California’s major industries, activities and quality of life. The development of the high-speed train system is one of many strategies that we can employ to reduce global warming and bring under control our resource consumption to preserve the Earth for future generations.

The California high-speed train system will remove 12 billion pounds of CO2 in the year 2030, by attracting riders from more polluting air and auto modes, and by using electric power generated from wind, solar, and other renewable sources. Additionally the system will produce a savings of 12.7 million barrels of oil in 2030.

Furthermore, a study undertaken for the High-Speed Rail Authority entitled “The Use of Renewable Energy Sources to Provide Power to California’s High Speed Rail” presents the data and reasons supporting the technical and commercial feasibility for the system to use 100% renewable energy with no CO2 emissions whatsoever.

At its September 2008 meeting, the Authority Board approved the following: “The California High-Speed Rail Authority’s policy goal is to power the train by clean renewable energy, making it the first true zero-emission train in the world.”

How will high-speed trains promote more sustainable development in California?

In contrast to highway improvements that encourage sprawl, high-speed trains are consistent with the State’s adopted smart growth principles and are highly compatible with local and regional plans that support rail systems and transit-oriented development. All high-speed train stations will be multi-modal transportation hubs that will stimulate denser infill development and will be linked directly to local and regional transit systems, airports, and highways.

High-speed trains will act as a catalyst for wider adoption of smart growth principles in communities near high-speed train stations. To meet the Authority’s adopted objectives; the locations that were selected would provide linkage with local and regional transit, airports, and highways. In particular, convenient links to other rail services (heavy rail, commuter rail, light rail, and conventional intercity) would increase ridership and pedestrian activity at these hub stations. Most of the 26 potential stations identified are located in the heart of the downtown/central city area of California’s major cities. By eliminating potential greenfield sites, the proposed system meets the objectives of minimizing potential impacts on the environment and maximizing connectivity with other modes of transportation. These locations also would have the most potential to support infill development and transit oriented development.

For more information please see Chapter 6 of the Bay Area to Central Valley high-speed train Program EIR/EIS, available in the Library section of this website.