California Drops Lawsuit Seeking to Reinstate Funding for State’s Bullet Train

California has dropped a lawsuit against the Trump administration over the federal government’s withdrawal of $4 billion in funding for the state’s long-delayed high-speed rail project, Sophie Austin reported for the Associated Press (AP).

The US Transportation Department alleged that the California High-Speed Rail Authority had “no viable plan” to complete a major segment of the project in the Central Valley. (Photo: California High-Speed Rail Authority)

The US Transportation Department cut funds for the bullet train connecting San Francisco to Los Angeles in July, saying the California High-Speed Rail Authority had “no viable plan” to complete a major segment of the project in the Central Valley.

The authority responded by filing a lawsuit, with Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom calling the decision “a political stunt to punish California.”

This week, the authority said it would instead focus on securing alternative funding sources to complete the project, now estimated to cost more than $100 billion.

“This action reflects the state’s assessment that the federal government is not a reliable, constructive, or trustworthy partner in advancing high-speed rail in California,” an authority spokesperson said.