$1 Million for Businesses Affected by CHPE

Since 2024, the Champlain Hudson Power Express has been installing cables from Lake Champlain to bring hydroelectric power to New York City. The construction, which has been ongoing along Route 9W, has wreaked havoc on small businesses in Stony Point, Haverstraw, and Congers. On May 5th, Congressman Lawler, in conjunction with the North Rockland Chamber of Commerce and the County, announced a relief fund totaling $1 million for those businesses affected by the ongoing construction.

Through the efforts of the Congressman and local activists, CHPE has agreed to put the million dollars into a “good neighbor” fund that was established with the Community Foundation of Orange, Sullivan, and Rockland. 

This funding comes at the direct intervention of Congressman Lawler, who stepped up to speak with CHPE and Blackstone on behalf of North Rockland. The State of New York was not involved in efforts to secure the relief funds. 

The project is meant to bring clean, efficient electricity to the five boroughs, focusing on Queens. Most of the wire south of Ulster County is being laid underwater along the Hudson, save for the several-mile stretch that runs along 9W. This blip, with wire being run over land, is due to a local population of sturgeon whose habitat would have been disrupted by the construction. Loss of revenue and foot traffic during construction, which was slated for completion in late 2025, has led to outrage from residents and business owners. On top of the initial construction, Orange & Rockland has had to complete infrastructure upgrades along the same route at the same time as the CHPE project, causing a revenue loss of over $10 million for businesses along the corridor. 

Amy Stamm, town supervisor for Stony Point, as well as Howard Philips, town supervisor for Haverstraw, also spoke at the event. Stamm thanked former town supervisor Jim Monaghan for his efforts in securing these funds before his retirement and thanked Congressman Lawler for his work in securing the funds as well. Stephanie Melowsky, President of the North Rockland Chamber of Commerce, and Ron Guerra, owner of Titan Fitness Gym, both spoke as well as members of the community impacted by the construction. 

The importance of such infrastructure was stressed by the Congressman, but the importance of factoring in local economies was also emphasized as something missed by both the State of New York and Blackstone. As of right now, construction seems to be completed. Although the North Rockland Chamber of Commerce, which includes businesses in Stony Point and Haverstraw, was deeply involved in securing these funds, any business in Rockland whose operations were affected by the construction is eligible to receive relief.