2 more congestion pricing lawsuits challenge Gov. Hochul's authority to scrap the plan. Her team's response? "Get in line."
NEW YORK -- New York Gov. Kathy Hochul's sudden pause on congestion pricing is facing two new lawsuits.
The City Club of New York is suing several people and agencies, including the governor, the state Department of Transportation and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. The lawsuit challenges Hochul's ability to block the 2019 MTA Reform and Traffic Mobility Act.
"It asked the court to order Gov. Hochul and her transportation commissioner to abide by the law or get out of the way. The law could not be more clear. Congestion pricing must happen to ease congestion in central Manhattan, to revive and upgrade our mass transit system for all of us, and to save the environment for today and for tomorrow," an attorney said of the first lawsuit.
The second suit was filed by the Riders Alliance, Sierra Club and New York City Environmental Justice Alliance, claiming the governor's decision violates the state constitutional right to clean air and a healthy environment.
"Her decision is absolutely at odds with the requirements of the Climate Leadership Community Protection Act," said an attorney for that suit.
"At Riders Alliance, we are not typically a litigious organization, but today our mission compels us," said Betsy Plum, the organization's executive director.
New York City Comptroller Brad Lander and Public Advocate Jumaane Williams were on hand as the lawsuits were announced Thursday in Lower Manhattan.
"No plan is perfect, but I don't see a time ever that is going be perfect to implement this plan. Whenever we do it, someone is going to be complaining," Williams said.
Lander said his office coordinated with the coalition of groups and attorneys, but added he, himself, has not been named a plaintiff.
A spokesperson for the governor responded with a statement, reading, "Get in line."
"There are now 11 separate congestion pricing lawsuits filed by groups trying to weaponize the judicial system to score political points, but Gov. Hochul remains focused on what matters: funding transit, reducing congestion, and protecting working New Yorkers," the statement continued.
As for the MTA, Chairman and CEO Janno Lieber said, "I am not going to get into my private conversations with the governor, but I am unaware of the specifics of those lawsuits, so it probably doesn't make sense for me to comment."
What happened to NYC congestion pricing?
Congestion pricing was supposed to charge drivers to enter Manhattan below 60th Street in an effort to reduce traffic and pollution.
After years of planning, Hochul called it off just weeks before it was set to start. She argued the added toll would hurt everyday New Yorkers and the city's economy, which is still recovering from the pandemic.
"After careful consideration, I have come to the difficult decision that implementing the planned congestion pricing system risks too many unintended consequences for New Yorkers at this time. For that reason, I have directed the MTA to indefinitely pause the program," she said in a video statement at the time.
MTA officials said the decision put certain projects on hold, like improving the subway signal system and making stations more accessible. The pause has since faced several lawsuits.