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Glenville resident urges town to seek CHPE briefing, cites safety and health worries
Summary
At the Glenville Town Board meeting a lifelong resident asked the board to request a community briefing from Champlain Hudson Power Express (CHPE), citing construction activity observed locally, safety concerns near the Maple Avenue railroad trestle and questions about fire department coordination and potential health effects.
Andy Hess, a Glenville resident of 42 years, told the Town Board he observed recent construction near Hechtel Town Road and raised concerns that the work is part of the Champlain Hudson Power Express (CHPE) project. “The project is part of the Champlain Hudson Power Express,” Hess said, describing CHPE as a high‑capacity transmission line originating in Quebec and running to Astoria in Queens.
Hess told the board he has been in contact with CHPE information staff, including an Andrew Rush, and said CHPE (a project by TDI, with private financing noted in Hess’s remarks) had limited availability to hold community forums because construction is already under way. He said the project’s reported target completion is spring 2026 and estimated its cost in the billions. Hess asked the town to “get an information meeting with CHPE” so residents can learn construction plans, design, and schedule.
Hess raised two safety priorities for the board to pursue: the proposed power routing near the Maple Avenue railroad trestle (the site of a prior truck strike and ensuing fatal fire) and incident‑response coordination with volunteer fire departments. “Does the first responding fire department know who to call to ask the power be reduced or cut on that line?” he asked, urging the town to ensure local first responders have contact and contingency protocols for an energized line incident.
Hess also discussed health literature about overhead lines and cancer incidence and asked whether underground routing carries any known health risks. He said the research is mixed and that, as a resident and a pediatric psychologist with clinical experience, he was raising these questions to be informed rather than to advocate for or against the project.
Acting Supervisor (name not specified in the transcript) thanked Hess, said the town’s authority is limited because the project is state and federally regulated, and reported he had contacted Andrew Rush and obtained resources for the town to review. The Acting Supervisor said he will discuss incident action plans and follow up with CHPE’s contact information to explore an information session for residents.
What happens next: The board did not take formal action on CHPE at the meeting; the Acting Supervisor said he would follow up with CHPE staff and that the town will explore incident action plan coordination with local fire departments.
