NEWS RELEASE: California High-Speed Rail Celebrates Earth Day by Launching Carbon Footprint Calculator – California High Speed Rail

April 22, 2022

Sacramento, Calif. – In honor of Earth Day, the California Excessive-Pace Rail Authority (Authority) is launching an interactive carbon footprint calculator on-line to indicate the environmental advantages of the nation’s first electrified high-speed rail undertaking.

Web site guests can use the calculator to see their potential carbon emissions financial savings from touring by electrified high-speed rail in comparison with by automotive and aircraft on 4 roundtrips alongside the deliberate high-speed rail system:

• San Francisco to Los Angeles
• San Francisco to Anaheim
• San José to Burbank
• San Francisco to Bakersfield

Extra undertaking segments will likely be added sooner or later. The financial savings of local weather change-inducing greenhouse gasoline emissions for every roundtrip are transformed into tangible equivalents, like gallons of gasoline and kilos of coal saved.

“Excessive-speed rail is delivering a system interconnected with native and regional transit to deliver advantages inside deprived communities, cut back automobile journey and air pollution, shield assets, and serve within the transition to a low-carbon financial system,” mentioned Director of Planning and Sustainability Meg Cederoth. “We’re launching the carbon footprint calculator to assist future riders visualize the environmental advantages high-speed rail journeys will present to California.”

This new on-line device highlights the Authority’s longstanding dedication to sustainability. Based on a latest report by the World Well being Group, many giant cities alongside the Authority’s Part 1 system, together with Los Angeles, Bakersfield and Fresno, rank among the many highest when it comes to quantity of ozone air pollution within the state. Clear, electrified high-speed rail, whereas serving to to scale back native air pollution, can be some of the energy-efficient mobility choices. In development, the Authority is dedicated to utilizing sustainable practices corresponding to recycling, clear automobiles and cleaner supplies, to ship the system.

The Authority requires 100% zero-emission automobile (ZEV) fleets in future infrastructure and development contracts. By its Voluntary Emissions Discount Agreements (VERA) program, the Authority has offset every ton of air pollutant emitted throughout development inside native air high quality districts. Up to now, this system has resulted in additional than 7,100 bushes planted in deprived California communities close to the longer term high-speed rail hall and a couple of,320 acres preserved for pure habitat and restoration.

For extra on the Authority’s sustainability practices go to www.hsr.ca.gov/sustainability.

The Authority is accountable for planning, designing, and constructing a 100% renewably powered high-speed rail service between San Francisco and Los Angeles and Anaheim, through the Central Valley. With the system able to speeds above 200 miles per hour, the journey between San Francisco and Los Angeles will take beneath three hours.

California high-speed rail is beneath development alongside 119 miles with greater than 35 energetic job websites. Up to now, greater than 7,500 development jobs have been created for the reason that begin of development.

For extra on progress of the nation’s first high-speed rail system go to: www.buildhsr.com

The next hyperlink accommodates latest video, animations, pictures, press heart assets and newest renderings: https://hsra.app.field.com/s/vyvjv9hckwl1dk603ju15u07fdfir2q8 

These information are all accessible free of charge use, courtesy of the California Excessive-Pace Rail Authority.