This is an important milestone in the project because Florida is the first high speed rail project in the country to achieve this status. Nazih Haddad, Staff Director of the Florida High Speed Rail Authority with the Florida Department of Transportation in Tallahassee, said he had been notified the Federal Railroad Authority would be delivering the statement within the next two weeks.

The action culminates more than three and half years of work by the High Speed Rail Authority to receive the Environmental Impact Statement. The authority began the process in October of 2001 and it covers the first leg – Tampa to Orlando -- of the planned state-wide network of high speed rail.

All major transportation projects must receive this federal approval before construction can begin.

The Federal Railroad Administration examines all aspects and impacts of the proposed project before it grants the statement. Haddad noted that because the project envisions utilizing existing medians in the I-4 and Beeline corridors, required mitigation will be minimal.

The Federal Railroad Administration will now distribute the Environmental Impact Statement to other federal agencies, state, local and regional entities for comment.

In March 2001, the Florida Legislature created the High Speed Rail Authority. While voters eliminated the Constitutional mandate last year that Florida build a high speed rail system, the Legislature has not eliminated the Authority. The Authority has approximately $4 million in its coffers from federal grant monies which it utilizes to continue operations.

The Federal Railroad Administration approval is valid for approximately three years from the date of issue.