WASHINGTON – Now that President Obama has approved the fast-tracking of federal approvals to build a new Tappan Zee Bridge, US Senator Charles Schumer said he will push for federal funding.

New York’s senior senator said the ball is now in the state’s court.

“You are not going to build a major project like the Tappan Zee without federal funds so fast track is important,” Schumer said. “Now it’s up to the state and the local communities to come up with a plan. Once they do, I will push hard to get as much federal funding as we can and we fast-tracked other bid New York projects like Second Avenue subway, East Side access, and I expect to have good success here too.”

Meanwhile, the agencies developing the plans for the new bridge have scheduled two public scoping briefings on the proposed new bridge project. They will be held on Tuesday, October 25 at Doubletree Hotel in Tarrytown and on Thursday, October 27 at the Palisades Center Adler room in West Nyack. Both sessions will begin at 4 p.m.