Gov. Linda Lingle said yesterday that she would not "rubber stamp" the final environmental impact statement on Honolulu's $5.5 billion rail project, promising a thorough review of whether the city adequately explored alternatives and whether the financial plan remains sound given the recession.

Both the state and the federal government have to accept the final environmental report, a key benchmark before the city can begin construction on the project.

Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann, who wants to break ground early next year, has said the Lingle administration has already looked at the draft report and that the governor merely "closes the loop" by formally accepting the finished document.

Lingle, on her weekly appearance on the Mike Buck radio show on KHVH, said she would take her time.

"I'm going to spend my life in Hawai'i," Lingle said. "I'm not going to have people look back and say 'Why couldn't you see that this couldn't work? Why didn't you force them to review the alternatives?'

"So I will not rubber-stamp the document. It will not be a quick, couple days turnaround."

Lingle said she would examine whether the city adequately considered a street-level design as an alternative to an elevated train between East Kapolei and Ala Moana. The American Institute of Architects Honolulu chapter and Kamehameha Schools have suggested a street-level design for cost savings and aesthetic reasons.

The governor said the city has to take cost into consideration as tax revenues, which will help finance the rail project, decline because of the recession.

Hannemann said the financial plan for the project has already been extensively analyzed. The mayor said the state's environmental review law does not call for a financial analysis of projects and questioned whether the governor has a political motive for raising the issue.

Hannemann, a Democrat, said he hoped the Republican governor's comments reflect "her ignorance of the EIS process and not an indication of how she intends to politicize the process."

Hannemann and his aides believe Lingle has been tepid on rail. In 2005, the governor allowed a general-excise tax increase to finance the rail project to become law without her signature. Last year, the governor signed a petition to put the r ail project before O'ahu voters, saying people should be given the opportunity to make an informed decision.

A lengthy review by Lingle of the final environmental impact statement could delay Hannemann's ambitious construction schedule.

Hannemann said it is ironic Lingle would aggressively scrutinize the environmental report on rail after exempting Hawai'i Superferry from environmental review, a decision that ultimately led to the project's collapse.

"I find it very ironic that, with Superferry, she ran roughshod over that, didn't think there was a need to do that, and then now with rail, she's going to hold our feet to the fire and ask questions that really speak to her ignorance of the EIS process," the mayor said.