New York and New Jersey Sue Over Halted Hudson River Tunnel Funding
In a latest development, the states have filed a joint lawsuit against the Trump administration in federal court, seeking to unfreeze funds for a new set of train tunnels under the Hudson River. The move comes as a day after the Gateway Development Commission, which oversees the $16 billion project, filed its own lawsuit.
According to sources, if the funding is not restored soon, construction could be halted as early as this Friday. The halt in funding has already caused tension between New York and New Jersey officials, who claim that it would put a heavily used transit corridor at risk.
New York Attorney General Letitia James described the situation as "disastrous" for commuters, workers, and regional economic growth. "Allowing this project to stop would be catastrophic," she warned in a statement.
The halt in funding was initially announced during the federal government shutdown last year, when President Trump declared that he would terminate funds allocated for the project due to requirements related to women- and minority-owned businesses. The Gateway Development Commission claimed to have complied with all federal requests, but the funding has not been restored since then.
A recent statement by a White House spokesperson suggested that funds would be released if Democrats in Congress agreed to fully fund the Department of Homeland Security. However, no further information was provided on this front.
Gateway officials point out that they need to build the new tunnels before repairing the aging ones damaged by Hurricane Sandy in 2012, which primarily serve NJ Transit and Amtrak riders. The old tunnels are at risk of collapse but will not be repaired until the new ones open for service, a projected date of 2035.
The latest lawsuit from New York and New Jersey argues that the White House decision lacks legal footing and violates the Administrative Procedure Act. It seeks an order to resume payments so that construction can continue without disruption.
In a latest development, the states have filed a joint lawsuit against the Trump administration in federal court, seeking to unfreeze funds for a new set of train tunnels under the Hudson River. The move comes as a day after the Gateway Development Commission, which oversees the $16 billion project, filed its own lawsuit.
According to sources, if the funding is not restored soon, construction could be halted as early as this Friday. The halt in funding has already caused tension between New York and New Jersey officials, who claim that it would put a heavily used transit corridor at risk.
New York Attorney General Letitia James described the situation as "disastrous" for commuters, workers, and regional economic growth. "Allowing this project to stop would be catastrophic," she warned in a statement.
The halt in funding was initially announced during the federal government shutdown last year, when President Trump declared that he would terminate funds allocated for the project due to requirements related to women- and minority-owned businesses. The Gateway Development Commission claimed to have complied with all federal requests, but the funding has not been restored since then.
A recent statement by a White House spokesperson suggested that funds would be released if Democrats in Congress agreed to fully fund the Department of Homeland Security. However, no further information was provided on this front.
Gateway officials point out that they need to build the new tunnels before repairing the aging ones damaged by Hurricane Sandy in 2012, which primarily serve NJ Transit and Amtrak riders. The old tunnels are at risk of collapse but will not be repaired until the new ones open for service, a projected date of 2035.
The latest lawsuit from New York and New Jersey argues that the White House decision lacks legal footing and violates the Administrative Procedure Act. It seeks an order to resume payments so that construction can continue without disruption.
for everyone involved... I mean, think about it, millions of people rely on those train tunnels every day 
and now we're talking halt and maybe even a complete shutdown 
? That would be devastating, especially with the whole aging tunnel situation just waiting to happen 
. I get why they need to fix those old ones ASAP but come on, can't we find a way to balance both projects without hurting people's daily lives 
? It feels like no matter what, someone's gonna lose out here... let's hope the court case goes in their favor and gets this resolved soon 
the situation with the hudson river tunnel funding is getting more intense by the minute! i feel for all the commuters and workers who are going to be affected if this project gets halted again. $16 BILLION is a LOT of money, but it's not just about the cash, it's about creating jobs and upgrading our infrastructure. NJ Transit and Amtrak riders are already dealing with aging tunnels that are at risk of collapse - it's like, how can we afford to wait any longer?! 
. First, they freeze funding for the Hudson River tunnel project, and now New York and New Jersey are suing over it? What's going on? And let me tell you, I've got my eye on the White House statement about needing to fund Homeland Security first. That's just a red flag waving in the wind 
.
it's not like the Gateway Development Commission didn't follow every single one of their requests... I mean what even is the point of having a commission if no one is gonna pay attention?!
this whole situation is just a mess, you know? Like, I get it, there's politics involved and all that, but come on... can't they just find a way to make it work? 
. And don't even get me started on the whole DHS thing - like, what does that even have to do with anything? 
It's just a bunch of red tape and bureaucracy, if you ask me 
. I mean, I'm no expert or anything, but it seems like the Gateway Development Commission has done everything right - they've got their requirements all in check, and still, the funding gets frozen 
. Imo, they should just work together on a compromise, like allocating funds for both projects simultaneously 
.