WASHINGTON, Dec 26 (Reuters) - California has dropped a lawsuit challenging the decision by the administration of President Donald Trump to cancel more than $4 billion in federal grants for the state’s high-speed rail project, the state said late on Friday.
The California High-Speed Rail Authority, which filed the lawsuit in July, said the decision to abandon it reflected the state’s “assessment that the federal government is not a reliable, constructive, or trustworthy partner in advancing high-speed rail in California.”
The agency said it plans to move forward without federal funding, adding that only 18% of program expenditures for the long-delayed project have come from federal funds. A judge this month rejected a bid to dismiss the lawsuit.
The Federal Railroad Administration issued a 315-page report in June finding the project was plagued by missed deadlines, budget shortfalls and questionable ridership projections.
The U.S. Transportation Department said on Saturday that the FRA investigation demonstrated that after more than 15 years, the California high-speed rail authority “would be unable to deliver on their high speed rail promises on time or on budget.”
