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April 2017

MARTIN COUNTY WILL CONTINUE TO FIGHT FOR THE SAFETY OF THEIR CITIZENS AND PROTECT THEIR ENVIRONMENT

In a guest column by the TC Palm, Martin County Administrator Taryn Kryzda relays why Martin County is against All Aboard Florida's Brightline high-speed passenger train project. She highlights important concerns regarding the safety of the local residents, guests, and environmental hazards that have been cast aside as "simple NIMBYs with no legitimate concerns."

STILL WAITING - SENATORS GET NON-ANSWER FROM FDFC ON ALL ABOARD FLORIDA BONDING

Senators Anitere Flores and Debbie Mayfield have yet to receive answers from the Florida Development Finance Corporation (FDFC) and its approval of a $600 million private equity bond application for All Aboard Florida.

These questions arose after the first request for $1.75 billion in bonds was withdrawn, replaced by a new application for $600 million from the U.S. Department of Transportation.

LETTER TO GOVERNOR RICK SCOTT, CONCERNS OF THE TREASURE COAST FIRE CHIEFS' ASSOCIATION AND BRIGHTLINE

ON APRIL 12, THE TREASURE COAST FIRE CHIEFS' ASSOCIATION (TCFCA) SENT A LETTER TO GOVERNOR RICK SCOTT regarding emergency service and LNG (liquified natural gas) concerns, and services to prepare them for what is coming.

LACK OF TRANSPARENCY REGARDING AAF/FDFC BONDS

It's taken a month and a half from Sen. Debbie Mayfield for the FDFC's executive director, William Spivey, to answer Sen. Anitere Flores' letter asking about new financing for the Miami-Orlando high-speed rail service All Aboard Florida.

ALL ABOARD FLORIDA FACING SENATORS' SCRUTINY OVER BONDS FOR BRIGHTLINE

Florida Senate President Pro Tempore Anitere Flores, R-Miami, and Sen. Debbie Mayfield, R-Melbourne, are pressing the Florida Development Finance Corp. to be more forthright about the $1.75 billion of bonds that were given to All Aboard Florida's reworked railroad financing plan.

Flores, chairwoman of the Senate Banking and Insurance Committee, said she is "concerned" about the agency's apparent "informal" handling of All Aboard Florida's bond financing.

FDFC SILENT AFTER LAWMAKERS QUESTION ALL ABOARD FLORIDA BONDING PROCESS

Two Republican lawmakers are still waiting for a response from the Florida Development Finance Corporation about its approval of a $600 million private equity bond application for All Aboard Florida.

HIGH-SPEED TUBE TRAIN COULD COME TO ORLAND AND MIAMI - POSSIBLE COMPETITOR WITH BRIGHTLINE

The Los Angeles-based, high-speed tube train called Hyperloop One could get you from Miami to Orlando in 26 minutes - quite a number when compared to the 3-ish hour, $3.1 billion high-speed Brightline trip.

As of right now, Brightline is caught in litigation battles regarding the project's financial plans with Martin and Indian River counties. The suit alleges that the federal transportation department skirted environmental protocols and gave Brightline improper access to more than $1 billion worth of tax-exempt government bones to build the project through those counties.

HYPERLOOP ONE - A POSSIBLE SOLUTION FOR MIAMI-TO-ORLANDO ROUTE?

A Miami-to-Orlando proposal is one of 11 contenders in the United States under consideration for a 700-mph tube train. Hyperloop One, a private company developing revolutionary transportation technology, announced 11 proposals Thursday that span the county, and an additional 24 proposals from outside the United States.

MAN AND WOMAN HIT AND KILLED BY A TRAIN TUESDAY MORNING IN KANAWHA COUNTY

Around 5:30 a.m. a man and woman were hit and killed by a train in St. Albans. Kanawha County Sheriff's say the two were walking along the train trestle when they were hit.

Another train had passed through the area moments ago and the conductor seen the two walking along a parallel set of tracks. The conductor had alerted the conductor of the CSX train heading towards the pair, but it was too late.

THE REAL SAFETY ISSUES AND COST BURDENS RELATED TO THE AAF HIGH SPEED RAIL PROJECT

Unique Safety Issues and Cost Burdens Related to the AAF High Speed Rail Project March 28, 2017

Executive Summary: The proposed AAF high speed passenger rail system through the Treasure Coast counties of Indian River, St. Lucie and Martin is unique among passenger rail systems in the U.S. in several ways:

1) No other U.S. passenger rail system combines 110 mph passenger trains and 70 mph freight operating through such densely populated urban areas and along coastal recreation areas with such a high concentration of tourists and seasonal visitors.