TRENTON, N.J. (AP) -- New Jersey owes the federal government more than $271 million for canceling a rail tunnel connecting the state with New York. An invoice from the Federal Transit Administration's chief financial officer to NJ Transit's executive director was sent Nov. 24. It says the amount of $271,101,291 is due within 30 days. The Associated Press obtained a copy of the correspondence Monday.
It's money the government wants New Jersey to repay for work done on the Hudson River tunnel before Republican Gov. Chris Christie terminated the project. The notification is formal demand for payment and follows a warning letter earlier this month estimating the charges.
NJ Transit Executive Director Jim Weinstein said earlier this month that the state hadn't determined if it would have to pay any money back.
Christie's office did not immediately return a message for comment.
The $8.7 billion project to construct a second rail tunnel between New Jersey and New York was 15 years in the making when Christie pulled the plug on Oct. 27, citing potential cost overruns. More than $600 million had been spent for engineering, construction and environmental studies.
