POSITION STATEMENT

RAIL PASSENGER ASSOCIATION OF CALIFORNIA
550 Battery Street #917, San Francisco, CA  94111, 877-288-3103
info@railpac.org             www.RailPAC.org

For Release: 9:30am January 27, 2004

Contact: Richard L. Silver, Executive Director,
   Rail Passenger Association of California    877-288-3103

RELEASE OF HIGH SPEED RAIL DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL REPORT

The Rail Passenger Association of California (RailPAC) is the largest statewide membership organization working since 1985 for the expansion and improvement of passenger rail service in California and Nevada.

RailPAC has been an enthusiastic supporter for the establishment of a high speed rail system that will serve the entire state.

Transportation in California has been functioning at a Third World level, with passengers throughout the state being forced, unnecessarily, to ride for hours at a time just to get from Los Angeles to San Francisco. High Speed Rail will change all of that allowing commuters, tourists and business leaders to easily move throughout the State to get to work, conduct business, or simply travel for pleasure.

Today's release of the draft environmental report begins the long process of hearings, studies, and workshops that will help to create a final High Speed Rail plan that will best serve the state, and that all Californians will be proud of.

RailPAC pledges to work with the High Speed Rail Authority Board and its staff, to insure that all the people have a voice in the process. It is only in that way that we will succeed.