Coastal and Historic Communities Protection Act of 2003

        [Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2165 Introduced in House (IH)]

108th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 2165

To prohibit the use of Federal funds for double tracking of the Pacific
Surfliner corridor through the Historic Mission District and downtown
area of San Juan Capistrano and along the coastal beaches of Dana Point
and San Clemente.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

May 20, 2003

Mr. Cox (for himself and Mr. Calvert) introduced the following bill;
which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To prohibit the use of Federal funds for double tracking of the Pacific
Surfliner corridor through the Historic Mission District and downtown
area of San Juan Capistrano and along the coastal beaches of Dana Point
and San Clemente.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Coastal and Historic Communities
Protection Act of 2003''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

The Congress finds the following:
(1) Since 1888, Southern Californians have been served by a
railroad line that traverses scenic beaches and historic
resources in south Orange County, California. Officials of the
California High Speed Rail Authority and the California
Department of Transportation have proposed plans that could
facilitate construction of an additional set of tracks on the
coastal Pacific Surfliner corridor accommodating future high-
speed rail cars. With 1,700,000 rail passengers traveling in
the corridor in 2002, double tracking the line would increase
train traffic to an unacceptable level. It can threaten the
environmental and economic stability of the local communities,
and jeopardize the region's coastal and historic resources.
(2) The proposed double tracking plans of the California
High Speed Rail Authority and the California Department of
Transportation are inconsistent with the spirit and intent of
the National Costal Zone Management Act of 1972 as amended by
The Coastal Zone Protection Act of 1996 (16 U.S.C. 1451 note).
(3) The cities of Dana Point, San Juan Capistrano, and San
Clemente, and the Orange County Transportation Authority
overwhelmingly oppose double tracking of the existing Pacific
Surfliner Corridor through the Historic Mission District and
downtown area of San Juan Capistrano and along the coastal
beaches of Dana Point and San Clemente.
(4) Because our Nation's transportation priorities should
correspond to the wishes of the taxpayers who fund these
projects, the active participation of these cities in the
decision making process is imperative to strengthen the local,
State, and Federal partnership that administers the route that
is eventually chosen.

SEC. 3. PROHIBITION ON USE OF FEDERAL FUNDS FOR DOUBLE TRACKING OF THE
PACIFIC SURFLINER CORRIDOR THROUGH THE HISTORIC MISSION
DISTRICT AND DOWNTOWN AREA OF SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO AND
ALONG THE COASTAL BEACHES OF DANA POINT AND SAN CLEMENTE.

(a) In General.--After the date of enactment of this Act, the
Secretary of Transportation may not provide funds to study, design,
engineer, or construct double tracking of the Pacific Surfliner
corridor through the Orange County, California coastal and historic
cities of Dana Point, San Juan Capistrano, and San Clemente.
(b) Funds for Pacific Surfliner.-- No provision contained herein
shall prohibit the Secretary of Transportation from authorizing the
expenditures of funds to support Pacific Surfliner service in the
corridor consistent with the provisions of the Rail Passenger Service
Act of 1970.

SEC. 4. DEFINITION.

For purposes of this Act, the term ``double tracking'' means the
establishment of a second set of rail tracks on, under, or above an
existing right-of-way, wherever coastal or historic resources, in the
cities of San Clemente, San Juan Capistrano, or Dana Point, may be
affected.
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