Sen. Chuck Schumer took a rare shot at Gov. Cuomo Monday in a simmering dispute over a massive Hudson River rail tunnel project.
After a meeting with President Trump last fall, Cuomo said he wanted to cut out Amtrak from a major role in constructing new tubes between New York and New Jersey.
“I worked with Amtrak. To be charitable, I don’t believe Amtrak is the best vehicle to manage this project,” Cuomo said in November.
Amtrak has a rep on the Gateway Development Corp. that is overseeing the project. Cuomo suggested replacing the Amtrak rep with a rep from another federal agency.
But Schumer, during a speech before the Association for a Better New York, called freezing out Amtrak a “dumb” idea — noting that the rail agency owns 90 percent of the tunnel and track infrastructure and has been a “stalwart” supporter of the rail project.
“Some have proposed that we move forward on Gateway without Amtrak,” Schumer said, without mentioning Cuomo by name.
“The notion that Amtrak has been an impediment to [to the project] …is misguided, counterproductive and will only lead to more delays.”
Schumer noted that Amtrak generates hundreds of millions a year that could used to finance the Gateway project, estimated to cost $14.5 billion for the tunnel work and replacing a portal bridge in Jersey.
“To cut Amtrak out is dumb,” Schumer said.
Schumer focused much of his ire at President Trump for holding up approval of the project, which was expected.
But it was the criticism of Cuomo that raised eyebrows.
Cuomo’s office sought to down-play any disagreement with the Democratic Senate leader.
“The governor doesn’t support kicking Amtrak out either – we partner with them on many projects, but that’s not to say we would rely exclusively on an Amtrak estimate to write a $5 billion dollar State check,” said Cuomo spokesman Patrick Muncie.