Sacramento, California - Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. today issued the following statement after the Federal Transit Administration announced that it intends to sign the Full Funding Grant Agreement for the Caltrain electrification project:

“This shovel-ready project will help expand service on an already congested corridor, improve air quality and put thousands of people to work. Secretary Chao did the right thing on Caltrain. This is not only good for California, it’s good for America.”

The administration lobbied the U.S. Department of Transportation, White House and Congress extensively on this issue and in March, Governor Brown met with both Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao and Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy in Washington, D.C. to push for the approval of this grant agreement. Administration officials also held numerous meetings with local leaders, business groups and members of the California Congressional delegation. Additionally, Governor Brown penned two letters to Secretary Chao on the project: one in February ahead of his March meeting and another just last week. The Caltrain Peninsula Corridor Electrification Project is among the key infrastructure projects submitted to the federal government in February.