(Editor's Note: The following is Floral Park Mayor Phil Guarnieri's reaction to Congresswoman Carolyn McCarthy's recent statement regarding the "third" track project.)

"Congresswoman McCarthy's recent statement carried in several Anton Newspapers set a new standard for incredulity. Representative McCarthy is quoted as saying: 'I don't think that petitions urging me to oppose the plan is the right move mainly because I've always stayed neutral.'

"Congresswoman McCarthy not only takes a non-committal stance on the project but also summarizes her general opposition to congressional intervention in the project's NEPA (National Environmental Protection Act) process by saying 'it will set a dangerous precedent' and that local legislators are more appropriate interveners than national legislators in local projects that spend state dollars.

"This is a frightfully narrow reading of the potential role of Congress and congresspersons in the NEPA review process. The Third Track mega project is subject to NEPA review because it relies in part on federal funding and approval. Congressional input in the NEPA process is appropriate as a legislative influence on federal spending and actions. Congressional input would also be consistent with the open review and comment process built into NEPA specifically the DEIS (Draft Environmental Impact Statement) and the FEIS (Final Environmental Impact Statement) both of which are requirements for a project of this magnitude.

"Unfortunately, this statement from Congresswoman McCarthy is meant to remove her from playing any role in critically evaluating the proposal and the NEPA statement both of which fall in the purview of her responsibilities as an elected representative of the people of her congressional district.

"This project will have a broad and sweeping regional impact and thus far the dismal fact remains that Ms. McCarthy has been in favor of federal funding of the MTA-LIRR Project from the beginning and has done nothing to stop the federal gravy train from earmarking funding specifically for the third track.

"Some 10,000 signatures have been accumulated throughout the villages - almost 4,800 in Floral Park alone - in opposition to the Third Track. It is time for Congresswoman McCarthy to come off the fence, time to stop wavering, vacillating, hesitating, shilly-shallying and dilly-dallying. You can no longer balk, demur, hang back, shrink and flinch where duty calls. There is no middle ground. So for crying out loud congresswoman, batten down the hatches, put on your seatbelt, shift the gear out of neutral and step on the gas. Other congresspersons play an active role in protecting their constituents' interests on major federally funded projects and proposals. Why not you?"