Mayor Michael Bloomberg (Photo: Getty)

Ulster County Executive Mike Hein wrote a scathing letter to Mayor Michael Bloomberg yesterday, accusing New York City's Department of Environmental Conservation of acting like an "occupying nation" while in Ulster County. But today during a press conference, Mayor Bloomberg casually dismissed Mr. Hein's complaints.

"I thought I'd give him Newt Gingrich's phone number," Mayor Bloomberg said, referencing a recent potshot the presidential candidate took against him. "They both seem to focus on New York City and I'm not quite sure why."

Mr. Hein's letter accused the New York City department of “polluting our waterways and causing massive regional economic hardships," while inviting Mayor Bloomberg to take a personal tour of his county to see for himself.  Today, the County Executive doubled down on his criticism. “Let’s take a look at what an occupying nation does," he said. "An occupying nation brings in its own police force. It follows its own rules. "

Mayor Bloomberg, however, heavily disputes this account. "The facts are that we're up there to protect the entire state's drinking water, including more than a million people who live north of New York City, including those in Ulster County," Mayor Bloomberg said, adding that New York City employs "like a thousand" workers up there and arguing "we're one of the largest taxpayers up in that region."

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