STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. (PIX11) — Days after New Jersey officials announced plans to sue to block congestion pricing, Staten Island Borough President Vito Fossella said Sunday he’s prepared to do the same.
The politician said the MTA’s congestion pricing plan will impact Staten Islanders negatively, both financially and environmentally. That’s why he’s leading the initiative to stop the plan that is set to go into effect in 2024.
“It’s a driving tax on individuals who have to drive on roads they have already paid for to build and maintain,” Fossella said at a press conference in the borough.
It was unclear which agency Fossella would sue. He said he has no choice because Staten Islanders already pay a toll to drive out of the borough through the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge or into Manhattan from New Jersey.
“Everything is going up. They’re going to increase now gas, electric 8% or 9%, and the tolls here. If you go to Manhattan now it’ll cost you maybe $75 by the time you park, pay for the bridge, and pay for congestion,” Staten Island driver Frank Cangiarella said.
The Garden State lawsuit targets the federal Department of Transportation and not the MTA, which may be added to the lawsuit later.
The federal suit demands the federal Department of Transportation do a more thorough environmental review of the plan to toll drivers entering Manhattan below 60th Street up to $23.
In response to the New Jersey suit, the MTA called the litigation “baseless” because a thorough environmental study was conducted.
“This lawsuit is baseless. The 4,000-page Environmental Assessment performed by MTA, New York State DOT and New York City DOT was supervised at every stage and specifically approved by the Biden Administration. Contrary to any claim that there was insufficient study, the EA 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 … we’re confident the federal approval – and the entire process – will stand up to scrutiny,” an MTA spokesperson said.
When asked specifically about a potential Staten Island suit, the MTA referred PIX11 News to the same statement. The DOT could not immediately be reached Sunday.