Fresno to Bakersfield Draft Environmental Impact Report

The draft Environmental Impact Report/Statement (EIR/EIS) for the Fresno to Bakersfield section of the California High-Speed Train System has been released. The draft evaluates six High-Speed Train (HST) alignments. The BNSF Alternative is a single continuous route from Fresno to Bakersfield. The Allensworth Bypass is one of five bypasses being considered for this section of the HST. The Allensworth Bypass would diverge from the BNSF Alternative at Avenue 84 in Tulare County and swing west of Allensworth State Historic Park, rejoining the BNSF Alternative at Elmo Highway in Kern County.

“The BNSF Alternative would require the acquisition of property from Allensworth State Historic Park and the Allensworth Ecological Reserve. This alternative would also cause visual and noise impact on the park. The Allensworth Bypass Alternative would avoid these impacts and reduce the acreage of jurisdictional waters permanently affected by the project. However, the Allensworth Bypass Alternative would have a greater property tax revenue reduction, cause more agricultural business impacts, convert more acres of farmland to nonagricultural uses, and affect more acres of Williamson Act land than the BNSF Alternative.”

The California High-Speed Rail Authority is accepting public and agency comments on the Draft EIR/EIS until September 28, 2011. After reviewing the public comments the Rail Authority will issue a final project EIR/EIS that includes responses to the submitted comments and the preferred alternative route. According to the Next Steps Schedule (below) operation of the Fresno to Bakersfield section of the High-Speed Rail will begin in 2018.

  

Next Steps Schedule

The summary and highlights of the California HST EIR/EIS gives more details about which of the twenty-four alternative combinations will have a visual and noise impact, introduce a modern feature that is not consistent with the historic atmosphere or require the acquiescent of property from Allensworth State Historic Park.

Please attend one of the public workshops, public hearings or submit your comments to the California High-Speed Rail Authority; they could help determine how the California HST will affect Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park.



Send written comments to:

California High-Speed Rail Authority

Fresno to Bakersfield Draft EIR/EIS Comments

770 L Street, Suite 800

Sacramento, CA 95814

Send email comments to:

Fresno_Bakersfield@hsr.ca.gov

With subject line "Draft EIR/EIS Comment”

California High-Speed Rail Authority Website:

http://www.cahighspeedrail.ca.gov/contact.aspx?cat=Fresno_-_Bakersfield

Stephen Hill, Sr.

Senate Takes The Bite Out of AB 1077

In their July 6, 2011 regular session the California Senate amended Assembly Bill 1077. The amended bill no longer prohibits incompatible development within 2 ½ miles of the boundary of Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park. The amended bill only requires the Department of Parks and Recreation to notify the State Parks and Recreation Commission about any proposed Development that may impact the park; and for the commission to hold a public hearing. Approval of development projects will still remain with the Tulare County officials.

Stephen Hill, Sr.

Midge Williams



No, that’s not English. It’s Midge Williams, granddaughter of Joshua Singleton owner of the Singletons Grocery Store in Allensworth, singing Lazy Bones in Japanese. She recorded this song while touring China and Japan.

Born in 1915 Virginia “Midge” Louise Williams lived in Allensworth until she moved to Berkeley, California in 1929. She began her career with the Williams Quartette; Midge and her three brothers, John Lewis Jr., Robert, and Charles.

After touring the Far East Williams returned to the United States and performed with jazz greats like Fats Waller, Glen Miller, and Louis Armstrong. Her own band, Midge Williams and her Jazz Jesters, performed at the Apollo Theater and the Savoy Ball Room.

Midge Williams passed away in 1952from tuberculosis.

You can read more about her career on Wikipedia and you can purchase her music on Amazon. You can also hear more samples of her songs on YouTube.



Stephen Hill, Sr.