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Hochul Faces 2 New Lawsuits Over Her Decision to Halt Congestion Pricing

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Thursday, July 25, 2024

A coalition of supporters of congestion pricing filed two lawsuits on Thursday that demand that Gov. Kathy Hochul allow the tolling program to move forward, arguing that she exceeded her authority when she indefinitely suspended the start of congestion pricing last month.The first lawsuit was filed by the City Club of New York, a civic organization founded more than a century ago. It argues that Governor Hochul violated the law, approved by the State Legislature in 2019, that called for the creation of the tolling program, which would have charged most drivers $15 to enter Manhattan below 60th Street in an effort to reduce traffic and pollution.The second lawsuit was filed by Riders Alliance, a grass-roots organization of transit riders, and two environmental groups. It contends that Ms. Hochul’s move undercut the state’s efforts to cut down on greenhouse gas emissions, which contribute to climate change.“Governor Hochul may dislike congestion pricing; she may fail to grasp the threats of climate change or our need for a reliable, accessible transit system,” Betsy Plum, the executive director of the Riders Alliance, said at a news conference on Thursday morning.But congestion pricing is still the law, she said.The lawsuits, filed in New York State Supreme Court, were produced by a coalition of advocacy organizations and other supporters of congestion pricing that was convened by Brad Lander, the New York City comptroller. The group has not ruled out additional lawsuits over the halting of congestion pricing, Mr. Lander said at the news conference on Thursday. But his office does not plan to be a plaintiff in any upcoming lawsuits, he added.In a statement on Thursday, Ms. Hochul’s office noted that there were numerous pending lawsuits related to congestion pricing, and said that they had been filed by groups “trying to weaponize the judicial system to score political points.” Subscribe to The Times to read as many articles as you like.

The lawsuits are among the first legal efforts aiming to force Gov. Kathy Hochul to move forward with the tolling program as planned.

The first lawsuit was filed by the City Club of New York, a civic organization founded more than a century ago. It argues that Governor Hochul violated the law, approved by the State Legislature in 2019, that called for the creation of the tolling program, which would have charged most drivers $15 to enter Manhattan below 60th Street in an effort to reduce traffic and pollution.

The second lawsuit was filed by Riders Alliance, a grass-roots organization of transit riders, and two environmental groups. It contends that Ms. Hochul’s move undercut the state’s efforts to cut down on greenhouse gas emissions, which contribute to climate change.

“Governor Hochul may dislike congestion pricing; she may fail to grasp the threats of climate change or our need for a reliable, accessible transit system,” Betsy Plum, the executive director of the Riders Alliance, said at a news conference on Thursday morning.But congestion pricing is still the law, she said.

The lawsuits, filed in New York State Supreme Court, were produced by a coalition of advocacy organizations and other supporters of congestion pricing that was convened by Brad Lander, the New York City comptroller. The group has not ruled out additional lawsuits over the halting of congestion pricing, Mr. Lander said at the news conference on Thursday. But his office does not plan to be a plaintiff in any upcoming lawsuits, he added.

In a statement on Thursday, Ms. Hochul’s office noted that there were numerous pending lawsuits related to congestion pricing, and said that they had been filed by groups “trying to weaponize the judicial system to score political points.”

Subscribe to The Times to read as many articles as you like.

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Fire Disrupts UN Climate Talks Just as Negotiators Reach Critical Final Days

Fire has disrupted United Nations climate talks, forcing evacuations of several buildings with just two scheduled days left and negotiators yet to announce any major agreements

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Engineering microbes to soak up more carbon, boost crop yields and restore former farmland is appealing. But synthetic biology fixes must be done thoughtfully

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Because methane is a much more potent greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide, these emissions account for roughly 12% of total warming potential from greenhouse emissions. Bioengineered yeasts could absorb up to 98% of these emissions. After being eaten by cattle or other ruminants these yeasts block production of methane before it can be belched out. Synthetic biology could even drastically reduce how much farmland the world needs by producing food more efficiently. Engineered soil microbes can boost crop yields at least by 10–20%, meaning more food from less land. Precision fermentation can be used to produce clean meat and clean milk with much lower emissions than traditional farming. Engineered microbes have the potential to boost crop yields considerably. Collab Media/Unsplash, CC BY-NC-ND If farms produce more on less land, excess farmland can be returned to nature. Wetlands, forests and native grasslands can store much more carbon than farmland, helping tackle climate change. 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