San Jose to Merced Project Section: Revised Draft Environmental Impact Report/Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement

San Jose to Merced Project Section: Revised Draft Environmental Impact Report/Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement

The San Jose to Merced Project Section: Revised Draft Environmental Impact Report/Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement was prepared as a joint document to meet all pertinent requirements of both the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Following NEPA Assignment in July 2019, the California High-Speed Rail Authority (Authority) has assumed the role of federal lead agency on the project. Specifically, the environmental review, consultation, and other actions required by applicable federal environmental laws for this project are being or have been carried out by the State of California pursuant to 23 United States Code 327 and a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) dated July 23, 2019, and executed by the Federal Railroad Administration and the State of California. Under that MOU, the Authority is the project’s lead agency under NEPA. Prior to the July 23, 2019 MOU, the FRA was the federal lead agency. The Revised/Supplemental Draft EIR/EIS presents new biological resources analysis that was not included in the San Jose to Merced Project Section Draft EIR/EIS of the California High-Speed Rail Project, published in April 2020. Following the Authority’s publication of the Draft EIR/EIS, the Authority learned that the California Fish and Game Commission published a notice of findings, on May 1, 2020, to designate the Southern California/Central Coast population (evolutionarily significant unit) of mountain lion (Puma concolor) as a candidate species under the California Endangered Species Act. Additionally, the monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) became a candidate for listing under the federal Endangered Species Act on December 15, 2020. New information includes background information, methodology, impact analysis, and mitigation measures. Changes in the Revised/Supplemental Draft EIR/EIS are primarily related to mountain lion and monarch butterfly but also include updates to other information as informed by the new or updated analysis.

Gilroy, Los Banos, Morgan Hill, San Jose, Santa Clara

Merced, San Benito, Santa Clara

Northern California

California Air Resources Board (ARB), California Department of Conservation (DOC), California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR), California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Bay Delta Region 3 (CDFW), California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE), California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD), California Department of Parks and Recreation, California Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR), California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery, California Department of Transportation, District 10 (DOT), California Department of Transportation, District 4 (DOT), California Department of Transportation, District 5 (DOT), California Department of Transportation, Division of Aeronautics (DOT), California Department of Transportation, Division of Transportation Planning (DOT), California Department of Water Resources (DWR), California Energy Commission, California Governor's Office of Emergency Services (OES), California Native American Heritage Commission (NAHC), California Natural Resources Agency, California Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development (OSHPD), California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), California Regional Water Quality Control Board, Central Coast Region 3 (RWQCB), California Regional Water Quality Control Board, Central Valley Fresno Region 5 (RWQCB), California Regional Water Quality Control Board, Central Valley Sacramento Region 5 (RWQCB), California Regional Water Quality Control Board, San Francisco Bay Region 2 (RWQCB), California State Lands Commission (SLC), California Transportation Commission (CATC), Central Valley Flood Protection Board, Delta Stewardship Council, Department of General Services (DGS), Department of Toxic Substances Control, Office of Historic Preservation, State Water Resources Control Board, Division of Water Quality, California Highway Patrol (CHP), California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Central Region 4 (CDFW)

California Highway Patrol (CHP), California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Central Region 4 (CDFW)

Transportation:Rail (High-Speed Rail)

Public Works

Biological Resources, Cumulative Effects