"We are confident that California's system is well ahead of every other high-speed train project in the country and should be a leading candidate to receive stimulus funding." -- California High Speed Rail Authority Chair Quentin Kopp (pictured)

Vice President Joe Biden and Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood met with eight governors and transportation officials from 15 states yesterday for a roundtable discussion on high-speed rail. In April President Obama released a high-speed rail strategic plan that identified $13 billion in federal funding for the effort. Later this month the administration will release more detailed guidance for the first $8 billion in federal grant applications. The first round of grants are expected to be awarded by late summer.

Today at 10 a.m. PDT the California High-Speed Rail Authority will webcast a meeting that will include the status of ARRA grant proposals and other matters. In a release on May 7, Authority Board Chair Quentin Kopp said "We are confident that California's system is well ahead of every other high-speed train project in the country and should be a leading candidate to receive stimulus funding. Ours is the only one with billions of dollars in voter-approved state funding committed to the project, with environmental clearances already in place and with construction elements already identified and ready to go."