New York and New Jersey Launch High-Profile Lawsuit Against Trump Administration Over Hudson River Tunnel Funding.
The two states are seeking an immediate court order to unfreeze federal funding for a $16 billion mega-project, which aims to build the first new set of train tunnels under the Hudson River since 1910. A joint lawsuit filed by both state attorneys general in Manhattan federal court argues that the White House's decision to halt funds is unlawful and damages residents of New York and New Jersey.
The Gateway Development Commission, overseeing the project, has warned that the freeze could force it to halt construction as early as this Friday. However, officials claim that stopping the project now would put one of the country's most heavily used transit corridors at risk, with the tunnels already under strain from an aging infrastructure.
New York Attorney General Letitia James stated that allowing the project to stop would be disastrous for commuters, workers, and the regional economy, highlighting the potential consequences on residents who rely on this vital transportation link. The lawsuit also claims that the funding freeze violates the Administrative Procedure Act, as there is no clear legal basis for the decision.
The dispute began during a federal government shutdown in the fall, when President Trump declared he would "terminate" the allocated funds. Initially, officials stated that the funding was put on hold while reviewing requirements for women- and minority-owned businesses to receive contracts. However, this requirement has yet to be fulfilled, with no indication that the funds will be reinstated.
A White House spokesperson had previously indicated that the money would continue flowing if Democrats in Congress agreed to fully fund the Department of Homeland Security. Nevertheless, Gateway officials emphasize that they need the new tunnels to close and repair the old ones, which were damaged by Hurricane Sandy in 2012.
The project's leaders have warned that the aging infrastructure poses a risk of collapse, but are unlikely to start repairs until the new tunnels open for service, expected around 2035.
The two states are seeking an immediate court order to unfreeze federal funding for a $16 billion mega-project, which aims to build the first new set of train tunnels under the Hudson River since 1910. A joint lawsuit filed by both state attorneys general in Manhattan federal court argues that the White House's decision to halt funds is unlawful and damages residents of New York and New Jersey.
The Gateway Development Commission, overseeing the project, has warned that the freeze could force it to halt construction as early as this Friday. However, officials claim that stopping the project now would put one of the country's most heavily used transit corridors at risk, with the tunnels already under strain from an aging infrastructure.
New York Attorney General Letitia James stated that allowing the project to stop would be disastrous for commuters, workers, and the regional economy, highlighting the potential consequences on residents who rely on this vital transportation link. The lawsuit also claims that the funding freeze violates the Administrative Procedure Act, as there is no clear legal basis for the decision.
The dispute began during a federal government shutdown in the fall, when President Trump declared he would "terminate" the allocated funds. Initially, officials stated that the funding was put on hold while reviewing requirements for women- and minority-owned businesses to receive contracts. However, this requirement has yet to be fulfilled, with no indication that the funds will be reinstated.
A White House spokesperson had previously indicated that the money would continue flowing if Democrats in Congress agreed to fully fund the Department of Homeland Security. Nevertheless, Gateway officials emphasize that they need the new tunnels to close and repair the old ones, which were damaged by Hurricane Sandy in 2012.
The project's leaders have warned that the aging infrastructure poses a risk of collapse, but are unlikely to start repairs until the new tunnels open for service, expected around 2035.
The Trump admin is really messing with the commuters in NY & NJ over this Hudson River tunnel project 
. They're basically holding up a $16 billion mega-project that'll improve our transportation infrastructure and put people's lives at risk. It's so not cool that they're using an old requirement to freeze the funds, but haven't even checked if it's still applicable 
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. We can't just sit around while our infrastructure falls apart - we need new tunnels ASAP! The fact that they're threatening to halt construction if the funding isn't unfrozen is just crazy talk 
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. Trump's all about messing with the other states' projects, but what's good for him? 
I mean, we need better leaders who actually care about the people, not just their own interests 
. Anyway, fingers crossed that this lawsuit gets resolved ASAP so we can get back on track 
. The fact that they're freezing funding because of some shady requirement for women- and minority-owned businesses is just ridiculous 
. I mean, can't we just focus on fixing our infrastructure without all the drama? 
. That's just crazy talk! We need those tunnels now, not in 2035 
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. It's time someone held them accountable for their actions 
. Let's hope the courts can get this sorted out soon 
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! The Gateway Development Commission is right to be all up in arms about this too 
the fact that the White House just froze funds without any clear explanation is super frustrating 
i'm rooting for NY and NJ to win this lawsuit and get those funds unfrozen ASAP 
. Give me a break. We need those tunnels now, not in 2035 when who knows what else will have gone wrong 
this is getting outta hand man... can't believe trump is playing games with our infrastructre 
we need this new tunnel ASAP, it's not just about the money 
. And honestly, can we talk about how delayed it already is? 2035 feels like an eternity for something that should've been happening years ago 
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This is a huge deal, I'm not surprised they're going all in on this one. I mean, can you imagine if this project was put on hold? It'd be chaos for people commuting between NYC and NJ. The White House should have been more considerate about the impact on regular folks. 16 billion dollars is a big chunk of change, but it's not like they're getting richer off it... 
It's like they're trying to make everyone suffer for their own ego trip 
. The economy is already struggling enough without this kind of uncertainty 
. Fingers crossed the court gets involved and brings some sense back to this situation 
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. But now they're saying no funding? That's not only gonna cause delays but also put a lot of pressure on the existing infrastructure 
? I get that diversity is important, but can't we just focus on getting the tunnels built first? 
️.
. Can't we just have one conversation about how to get this done without all the drama? 
... if they really care about commuters and the economy, they should be working together with both parties to get this done ASAP 
...
. If the funding freeze continues, it could cause massive delays and affect millions of commuters 
. Let's hope the court order happens ASAP so we can finally see some progress on these new train tunnels