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The US Department of Transportation is giving Florida more time to come up with a high speed rail plan. Today Governor Rick Scott met with US DOT Secretary Ray LaHood.

Today was the deadline to claim the dollars, but after the two met LaHood extended the deadline. Scott says the project is too risky and fears, if it fails, Florida would be on the hook for the money. Brad Ashwell with Florida PIRG is just one of a dozen groups that will spend the next seven days trying to change Scott’s mind.

“There isn’t a lot of time. There are other states waiting for this money. They are drooling and salivating over the prospect of getting our tax dollars and putting it into their transportation infrastructure. It’s really short-sighted and frankly stupid to reject the money and lose an opportunity to move forward with this project,” said Ashwell.

Senator Bill Nelson released a statement regarding the extension. In the statement he says “there is too much at stake for us not to try everything we can.”