Staten Island Sues Over Congestion Pricing, Too

According to a WABC article, Staten Island is the second jurisdiction to take legal action against New York City’s proposed congestion pricing plan.

Staten Island Borough President Vito Fossella argues “the tolling plan, aimed at reducing traffic in Manhattan's central business district and raising $15 billion for the MTA, will send more traffic into his borough to get around it all,” harming Staten Island’s air quality and putting an undue economic burden on residents who commute to Manhattan. As the article explains, “unlike New Jersey, Fossella says his lawsuit would not be against the Federal Highway Administration, but will name the MTA itself, and he is looking to build a coalition.”

“The MTA is pointing to its response to New Jersey's threatened lawsuit saying, ‘Contrary to any claim that there was insufficient study, the environmental assessment actually covered every conceivable potential traffic, air quality, social and economic effect, and also reviewed and responded to more than 80,000 comments and submissions.’”