HUDSON COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT DISMISSES NEW YORK WATERWAY LAWSUIT AGAINST CITY OF HOBOKEN

This morning, the Hudson County Superior Court dismissed the lawsuit filed by New York Waterway against the City of Hoboken. The lawsuit sought declaratory judgement against the City to allow New York Waterway to begin building a heavy refueling station at Union Dry Dock without obtaining approvals from the City and circumventing local land use approvals.  Most notably, Judge Jablonski referred to New York Waterway’s claim that without its use of Union Dry Dock, a regional transportation would occur, as “unsubstantiated.”

“Hoboken is appreciative of the Court’s sound decision on this matter of critical importance to our City,” said Mayor Ravi S. Bhalla. “It affirms that no one is above the law, and the rules apply equally to everyone including New York Waterway. As we’ve said all along, New York Waterway manufactured the claim of a ‘regional transportation crisis’ without Union Dry Dock and I’m thankful the Hudson County Superior Court characterized the claim as ‘unsubstantiated.’ Hoboken remains committed to acquiring Union Dry Dock for public, open space, and I’m thankful this decision puts us one step closer to making this a reality.”

In addition, during oral arguments this morning, an attorney for New York Waterway referred to the Hoboken Police Department as the “Gestapo,” the official secret police of Nazi Germany.

“It’s abhorrent that New York Waterway’s high paid attorney would equate the Hoboken Police Department as the ‘Gestapo,’ said Lt. John Petrosino, President of the Hoboken Police Superior Officers Association. “Any comparison between the hardworking men and women of the Hoboken Police Department and the Nazi regime is offensive and insulting. We demand an immediate and unequivocal apology from New York Waterway.”

“I strongly condemn the sickening comparison between Nazis and the Hoboken Police Department,” said Mayor Bhalla. “This inflammatory language has no place in a court of law or anywhere else in society, and Mr. Imperatore owes the Hoboken Police Department and our City an apology.”