Final Program Environmental Impact Report/Environmental Impact Statement (EIR/EIS) for the Proposed California High-Speed Train System Volume II: Response to Comments Prepared by: California High-Speed Rail Authority USDOT Federal Railroad Administration 925 L Street, Suite 1425 1120 Vermont Avenue N.W. M/S 20 Sacramento, CA 95814 Washington, DC 20590 Contact: Mr. Dan Leavitt Contact: Mr. David Valenstein 916/322-1419 202/493-6368 August 2005 California High-Speed Rail Authority and Federal Railroad Administration. 2005. Final program environmental impact report/environmental impact statement (EIR/EIS) for the proposed California high-speed train system. Volume II: Response to Comments. August. Sacramento, CA and Washington, D.C. Response to Comments on the California High-Speed Train Program EIR/EIS Contents CONTENTS: VOLUME II PARTS A AND B, RESPONSE TO COMMENTS Volume II Part A—Chapters 1 through 5 Volume II Part B—Chapters 6 through 9 (bound separately) Volume I, Report, and Volume III, Appendices, bound separately. CONTENTS BY ORDER OF APPEARANCE IN DOCUMENT Page Chapter 1 . Introduction 1-1 Chapter 2. Federal Agency Comments (by Comment Number) AF001 P. S. Parkhurst U.S. Marine Corp 2-1 AF002 Michael M. Honda U.S. Congress 2-5 Zoe Lofgren U.S. Congress 2-5 Anna Eshoo U.S. Congress 2-5 AF003 Anna Eshoo U.S. Congress 2-7 AF004 Mary G. Martin U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park 2-10 Service AF005 Dennis Cardoza U.S. Congress 2-12 AF006 Tom Lantos U.S. Congress 2-14 AF007 Aaron O. Allen U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 2-16 AF008 Enrique Manzanilla U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 2-26 AF009 Gene K. Fong U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal 2-43 Highway Administration AF010 Willie Taylor U.S. Department of the Interior 2-51 Chapter 3. State Agency Comments (by Comment Number) AS001 Sharon Runner California State Assembly 3-1 AS002 Dennis O’Bryant Department of Conservation, Division of Land 3-3 Resource Protection AS003 Dennis O’Bryant Department of Conservation, Division of Land 3-8 Resource Protection AS004 Ruth Coleman California Department of Parks and Recreation 3-15 AS005 Guenther Moskat California Department of Toxic Substances 3-59 Control AS006 Sherilyn Sarb California Coastal Commission 3-62 AS007 Maureen Gorsen California Environmental Protection Agency 3-78 Robert Conheim California Integrated Waste Management Board 3-78 AS008 Michael Machado California State Senate 3-82 U.S. Department Page i of Transportation Federal Railroad CALIFORNIA HIGH SPEED RAIL AUTHORITY Administration Response to Comments on the California High-Speed Train Program EIR/EIS Contents CONTENTS BY ORDER OF APPEARANCE IN DOCUMENT Page AS009 Warren Weber California Department of Transportation 3-84 AS010 Jeff Denham California State Senate 3-99 AS011 Mark Adelson California Regional Water Quality Control Board 3-101 AS012 Sandra Morey California Department of Fish and Game 3-103 AS013 Terry Roberts State of California Governor’s Office of Planning 3-115 and Research AS014 Dale Hoffman-Floerke California Department of Water Resources 3-117 Chapter 4. Local Agency Comments (by Comment Number) AL001 Jack Witthaus City of Sunnyvale 4-1 AL002 Violet Varona-Lukens Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors 4-3 AL003 Janet Brennan Monterey Bay Unified Air Pollution Control 4-6 District AL004 Clark Thompson Council of Fresno County Governments 4-8 AL005 Vincent Bertoni City of Santa Clarita 4-12 AL006 Steve Heminger Metropolitan Transportation Commission 4-16 AL007 Rudy Trevino City of Atwater, Mayor’s Office 4-19 AL008 Douglas Chotkevys City of Dana Point, Office of City Manager 4-22 AL009 Jerry Brown City of Oakland, Mayor’s Office 4-24 AL010 George Finney Tulare County Association of Governments 4-26 (TCAG) AL011 Karen Jost City of Los Altos Hills 4-30 AL012 Jean Hart Alameda County Congestion Management 4-33 Agency AL013 Jennifer Paedon Moffett Park Business & Transportation 4-36 Association AL014 Laura Simonek Metropolitan Water District of Southern 4-38 California AL015 Yvonne Arroyo Santa Clara Valley Water District 4-50 AL016 James Biery City of Buena Park 4-53 AL017 Fred Luedtke City of Escondido 4-55 AL018 Jose Esteves City of Milpitas 4-58 AL019 J. Boccignone City of Santa Clara 4-60 AL020 Dennis Kennedy City of Morgan Hill 4-63 AL021 Gary Gallegos San Diego Association of Governments 4-67 (SANDAG) AL022 Charles Holloway City of Los Angeles, Department of Water and 4-77 Power AL023 Steven Froberg Cross Valley Rail Corridor Joint Powers 4-79 U.S. Department Page ii of Transportation Federal Railroad CALIFORNIA HIGH SPEED RAIL AUTHORITY Administration Response to Comments on the California High-Speed Train Program EIR/EIS Contents CONTENTS BY ORDER OF APPEARANCE IN DOCUMENT Page Authority AL024 Art Brown Los Angeles, San Diego, San Luis Obispo Rail 4-81 Corridor Agency (LOSSAN) AL025 Harry Thomas City of Orange 4-83 AL026 Richard Scagliotti Pajaro River Watershed Flood Prevention 4-85 Authority AL027 Jim Simonian City of Fowler (Resolution No. 1966) 4-88 Jeannie Davis City of Fowler (Resolution No. 1966) 4-88 AL028 Susan Bauch City of Kingsburg (Resolution No. 2004-46) 4-90 AL029 Leland Bergstrom City of Kingsburg 4-93 AL030 Dennis Courtemarche City of Pico Rivera 4-96 AL031 Joan Malloy City of Union City 4-98 AL032 Larry Greene Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality 4-100 Management District AL033 Paul Saldana Tulare County Economic Development 4-103 Corporation AL034 Chris Zirkle City of San Diego, Land Development Review, 4-105 Development Services AL035 Richard Phillips City of Encinitas 4-107 AL036 Richard Powers Gateway Cities Council of Governments, 4-111 Southeast Los Angeles County AL037 David Price III County of Kern, Resource Management Agency 4-119 AL038 John Wells City of Madera 4-121 AL039 James Rowe City of Morgan Hill, Community Development 4-124 Department AL040 Karen King North County Transit District (NCTD) 4-126 AL041 Ronald Brummett Kern Council of Governments 4-128 AL042 Arthur Leahy Orange County Transportation Authority 4-130 (OCTA) AL043 Mark Frederick County of Santa Clara, Environmental 4-132 Resources Agency, Parks and Recreation Department AL044 Gwen Owens City of Elk Grove 4-135 AL045 Larry Hansen City of Lodi 4-137 AL046 Michael Amabile City of Los Banos 4-139 AL047 Keith Greer City of San Diego, Planning Department 4-141 AL048 Pete McHugh County of Santa Clara, Board of Supervisors 4-144 AL049 Frederick Latham City of Santa Fe Springs 4-147 AL050 Wayne Tanda City of Los Angeles 4-152 AL051 Lee Duboc City of Menlo Park 4-166 U.S. Department Page iii of Transportation Federal Railroad CALIFORNIA HIGH SPEED RAIL AUTHORITY Administration Response to Comments on the California High-Speed Train Program EIR/EIS Contents CONTENTS BY ORDER OF APPEARANCE IN DOCUMENT Page AL052 David Macedo City of Tulare 4-171 AL053 Thomas Margro San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District 4-173 (BART) AL054 Ian McAvoy Caltrain 4-178 AL055 Susan Anderson County of Fresno, Board of Supervisors 4-194 AL056 Barbara Goodwin Council of Fresno County Governments 4-197 AL057 Wendie Rooney City of Gilroy 4-200 AL058 Michael Amabile City of Los Banos 4-203 AL059 Kathleen Crookham County of Merced 4-205 AL060 Michael Amabile Merced County Association of Governments 4-208 AL061 David Solow Metrolink, Southern California Regional Rail 4-210 Authority AL062 Thella Bowens San Diego County Regional Airport Authority 4-225 AL063 Daniel Hyde City of Palmdale (Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & 4-235 Smith) AL064 Norman King San Bernardino Associated Governments 4-247 (SANBAG) AL065 Mark Pisano Southern California Association of Governments 4-249 (SCAG) AL066 Bob Link City of Visalia 4-262 AL067 Kathy McKeithen Town of Atherton 4-267 AL068 Jack Broadbent Bay Area Air Quality Management District 4-272 AL069 Thomas Margro San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District 4-275 (BART) AL070 David Kriske City of Burbank, Community Development 4-279 Department AL071 Alan Autry City of Fresno 4-281 Brad Castillo City of Fresno 4-281 AL072 Thomas Enslow Grassland Water District and Grassland 4-284 Resource Conservation District AL073 Christopher Cabaldon Sacramento Area Council of Governments 4-318 (SACOG) AL074 Scott Peters City of San Diego 4-320 AL075 Maria Ayerdi Transbay Joint Powers Authority 4-323 AL076 Scott Reekstin City of Tustin, Community Development 4-326 Department AL077 Rebecca Klisch City of Fresno (Resolution No. 2004-298) 4-329 James Sanchez City of Fresno (Resolution No. 2004-298) 4-329 AL078 Douglas Chotkevys City of Dana Point, Office of the City Manager 4-332 U.S. Department Page iv of Transportation Federal Railroad CALIFORNIA HIGH SPEED RAIL AUTHORITY Administration Response to Comments on the California High-Speed Train Program EIR/EIS Contents CONTENTS BY ORDER OF APPEARANCE IN DOCUMENT Page AL079 Richard Earnest City of Del Mar 4-335 AL080 Marty Bryant City of Irvine 4-338 AL081 John Morgan City of Laguna Niguel 4-344 AL082 James de la Loza Metropolitan Transportation Authority 4-346 AL083 Julia Greene San Joaquin Council of Governments 4-349 Chapter 5. Organization Comments (by Comment Number) O001 Eric McCaughrin East Bay Bicycle Coalition 5-1 O002 Percy “Steve” Malicott Antelope Valley Chambers of Commerce 5-3 O003 Werner Barasch Sierra Club Loma Prieta Chapter, Guadalupe 5-5 Regional Group O004 Carl Guardino Silicon Valley Manufacturing Group (SVMG) 5-7 O005 Larry Salinas University of California, Merced 5-9 O006 Alicia Bohlke Merced/Mariposa County Asthma Coalition 5-11 Mary-Michal Rawling Merced/Mariposa County Asthma Coalition 5-11 O007 William Watkins Seagate Technology 5-13 O008 Hal B. H. Cooper Cooper Consulting Company 5-15 O009 Deberah Bringelson Samceda 5-18 O010 Tom McGuire UC Berkeley Extension 5-20 O011 Margaret Park Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians 5-22 O012 Guy Maxwell Maxwell Homes 5-24 O013 Pam Slater-Price San Dieguito River Valley Regional Open Space 5-26 Park O014 Dennis W.