Federal Court Largely Greenlights New York’s Congestion Pricing Program

A New Jersey federal district court largely upheld New York’s landmark congestion pricing program this evening, setting the stage for the first-in-the-nation clean air measure to start as planned on January 5^th.

The ruling by the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey also required more analysis on parts of the program’s planned mitigation components and alternatives.

“The congestion pricing program is designed to reduce traffic and provide cleaner, healthier air for millions of people in New York and New Jersey, and to fund public transportation improvements essential to the region’s future. We’re happy to see that today’s court decision recognizes that, and that the New York Metropolitan Transit Authority has announced this vital program will begin without delay,” said Fred Krupp, president of Environmental Defense Fund. “EDF is fully committed to working with all stakeholders to address ongoing mitigation.” 

EDF joined 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, and New York Public Interest Research Group Fund to file an amicus brief in the case in support of the congestion pricing program. A broad coalition of New Jersey health, faith, transportation and environmental groups also filed an amicus brief supporting the program.

In June, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York also ruled in favor of New York’s congestion pricing plan in a separate legal challenge. In that case the court held that an environmental assessment for the program was legally sound and contained important mitigation measures. Environmental Defense Fund, New York League of Conservation Voters, Tri-State Transportation Campaign, Riders Alliance, Real Estate Board of New York, New York Lawyers for the Public Interest, WE ACT for Environmental Justice, StreetsPAC, and Transportation Alternatives jointly submitted an amicus brief in that case supporting the adequacy of the environmental assessment.