Years ago, this area of Palmdale/Lancaster was going to be the site of an International airport. It was to relieve the congestion of LAX. Never happened. The environmentalists killed it off. Now the County wants to OWN an industrial center for 100,000 NEW jobs. Your grandchildren will have grandchildren before an EIR for this project is ever approved. This is a campaign talking point, not real policy.
“The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday, Jan. 9, unanimously approved a motion introduced by Supervisor Kathryn Barger that authorizes the County to enter into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with L.A. Metro and the City of Palmdale to bring a massive bus and passenger rail car manufacturing facility to Palmdale.
“We are continuing our momentum to make this once-in-a-lifetime economic investment in our Antelope Valley region,” Barger said. “A lot of hard work by many partners has gotten us to this point, and I appreciate the vast support this project has received so far. We are poised to bring billions of dollars in economic return and over 100,000 jobs by anchoring this hub for bus and rail car manufacturing and testing in the Antelope Valley.”
Just another political stunt, pretending to do something.
LACo Supervisors move forward $1.6B bus and rail car manufacturing center in Palmdale
by The AV Times Staff, 1/10/24 https://theavtimes.com/2024/01/10/laco-supervisors-move-forward-1-6b-bus-and-rail-car-manufacturing-center-in-palmdale/
PALMDALE – The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday, Jan. 9, unanimously approved a motion introduced by Supervisor Kathryn Barger that authorizes the County to enter into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with L.A. Metro and the City of Palmdale to bring a massive bus and passenger rail car manufacturing facility to Palmdale.
“We are continuing our momentum to make this once-in-a-lifetime economic investment in our Antelope Valley region,” Barger said. “A lot of hard work by many partners has gotten us to this point, and I appreciate the vast support this project has received so far. We are poised to bring billions of dollars in economic return and over 100,000 jobs by anchoring this hub for bus and rail car manufacturing and testing in the Antelope Valley.”
The Center for Transportation Excellence has the potential to generate $11.5 billion in economic returns and over 114,300 direct and indirect jobs, according to the American Public Transportation Association.
“The project will meet a critical industry gap by improving the availability of transit vehicle development and will train the next generation of operators and maintenance experts on new transit technologies,” said Elissa Diaz, Senior Public Policy Manger with the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce.
“By having multiple stakeholders at the planning table, we will create plans that are inclusive and thoughtful,” said Arthur Sohikian, Executive Director of the North Los Angeles County Transportation Coalition Joint Point Powers Authority.
A preliminary site plan for the 2 million-square-foot bus and passenger rail car manufacturing center was unveiled during a prior Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority Board meeting. Located in the eastern section of Los Angeles World Airports’ Palmdale Airport land holdings, the nominated site is approximately 8.6 square miles and spans both unincorporated Los Angeles County and the City of Palmdale.
The MOU identifies several tasks that will be completed once it is fully executed, including developing a governance strategy among the partners involved in developing the Center and the appointment of a Regional Innovation Officer to oversee the effort.
Oh, wow. 100,000+ jobs. That’s a couple cities worth of people.
Unfortunately it is heavy industry, so addressing the usual problems of noise and pollution and roadway maintenance will probably be opposed by the ‘no tax’ numbskull Republican stance Barger usually takes, and thus turn the locale into something like a scene from the very old Mad Max movies.
Careful what you wish for, AV.
And Kathryn…why not build it in San Marino?
