EDF Joins Broad Coalitions Filing Amicus Briefs Supporting Congestion Pricing

(Newark, New Jersey) Today, broad public interest coalitions in New York and New Jersey filed amicus briefs in support of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and the Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority as well as the U.S. Department of Transportation to ensure the vital clean air, safety and economic benefits from New York City’s congestion pricing begin as required on January 5^th. The briefs are available here and here.

Environmental Defense Fund and a coalition of environmental, business and transportation groups united an additional time to defend the first-in-the-nation program. 

A coalition of New Jersey public interest organizations filed an additional amicus brief supporting the program and recognizing congestion pricing’s environmental benefits for New Jersey. 

The filings are a response to a motion from the Governor of New Jersey seeking to halt implementation of the program after a federal district court in New Jersey rejected sweeping attacks on the program, largely greenlit the program and cleared the way for the program to start on January 5^th.  In June, a federal district court in the Southern District of New York rejected similar legal claims. 

“EDF stands with a broad coalition of public interest organizations in New Jersey, New York and across the metropolitan region to ensure the vital clean air, safety and economic benefits of congestion pricing and the long overdue investments in modern public transit begin on January 5^th. The solutions for healthier lives, safer streets, and modern transit are at hand and we urge the obstructionist litigation to end.” 

 - Vickie Patton, General Counsel, Environmental Defense Fund

Environmental Defense Fund together with the New York League of Conservation Voters, Tri-State Transportation Campaign, Riders Alliance, Open Plans, Real Estate Board of New York, New York Lawyers for the Public Interest, WE ACT for Environmental Justice, StreetsPAC, Transportation Alternatives, New York Public Interest Group and Michael B. Gerrard filed an amicus brief in support of the congestion pricing program. 

New Jersey groups EmpowerNJ, New Jersey Police Perspective, Health Professionals & Allied Employees, Clean Water Action, Turnpike Trap Coalition, Hudson County Complete Streets, Soma Action, Unitarian Universalist Faith Action NJ, Pinelands Preservation Alliance, Bike North Bergen, Ecopoetry.org, Don’t Gas the Meadowlands, Isles, Inc., Bike JC, Safestreets JC, 350NJ-Rockland, Hackensack Riverkeeper, People over Pipelines, Fund for a Better Waterfront, Newark Green Team, Action Together New Jersey, New Jersey Association of Railroad Passengers, BlueWaveNJ, Bike Soma, Newark Science and Sustainability Inc., Our Revolution NJ, BICI UC, Friends of Liberty State Park, New Jersey Environmental Lobby, New Jersey Work Environment Council, New Jersey Citizen Action, South Ward Environmental Alliance, New Jersey Working Family Party, and Bike Hoboken joined together to file their own amicus brief in support of congestion pricing.