‘Project Beacon’ Proposed As Endbridge Pipeline For Peekskill; Residents Come Out To Reject And Call Out Congressman Mike Lawler For Supporting
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Lawmakers join the Peekskill community in rallying to reject pipeline expansion and calling out Congressman Lawler for putting the oil & gas industry before constituents
From a Press Release issued by New York Communities for Change.
Edits in [ ] made by A Little Beacon Blog.
Peekskill residents and elected officials gathered today to protest the latest “rebrand” of fossil fuel giant Enbridge’s proposed pipeline project, one that was resoundingly rejected by local communities last year for the skyrocketing utility costs and pollution it would bring to the region.
“Did the last pipeline to come through Peekskill lower our bills? No, it didn’t. ‘Project Beacon,’ aka ‘Project Maple,’ won’t either. Whatever you want to call it, we don’t need the disruption and pollution this pipeline expansion will cause for any reason. ”
Local elected officials including Assemblywoman Dana Levenberg, Tarrytown trustee Effie Phillips-Staley , and Rockland County legislator Beth Davidson rallied with the Peekskill community, calling out the rebranding and demanding an end to the development.
[ALBB Edit: Effie Phillips-Staley appeared in our recent article highlighting campaign money Congressman Mike Lawler AIPAC (American Israel Public Affairs Committee) accepted from AIPAC as someone running against Mike Lawler. Per her website: “Effie Phillips-Staley is a Tarrytown Trustee and nonprofit executive who has dedicated her life to social justice and public service. Raised in a union household by a public school educator from El Salvador and a blue-collar U.S. military veteran, Effie learned early the values of hard work, dignity, and community. She is running for Congress because this moment demands transformational change, not politics as usual that serve corporations and the ultra-rich while working families fall behind. In Congress, Effie will put people first by fighting for Medicare for All, universal childcare, building five million new homes across America, abolishing ICE and “Block the Bombs” legislation, a proposed Act of Congress introduced in 2025 to prohibit the President of the United States from "selling, transferring, or exporting certain defense articles or services to Israel, except in specified circumstances." She will never take money from corporate PACs or AIPAC.”
‘Project Beacon’? What Is This Oil Company Trying To Sneak In?
Less than three years ago, Enbridge introduced the “Project Maple” pipeline expansion, which residents and elected officials spent years fighting and soundly defeated in 2025. Now, Enbridge is attempting to resurrect the project under a new name, “Project Beacon.” Hudson Valley residents know this will only cause the spread of dirty, fracked gas to the region and will raise already-high utility bills.
Community members called out Congressman Mike Lawler, a former fossil fuel lobbyist who has previously supported dirty, expensive fossil fuel projects, noting the vast donations Lawler has accepted from oil and gas giants to fund his campaign. Advocates have called on elected officials at all levels to put their constituents first and oppose the project.
“Let’s call ‘Project Beacon’ exactly what it is: a corporate rebrand of the same dirty ‘Project Maple’ pipeline expansion that over 200 local and state elected officials already fought and defeated. It is unconscionable to spend taxpayer money on fossil fuel infrastructure that will worsen climate change against the will of the people of NY17. It’s time to put toxic energy behind us and direct our resources toward clean, renewable sources of the future.”
"Did the last pipeline to come through Peekskill lower our bills? No, it didn't. ‘Project Beacon,’ aka ‘Project Maple,’ won't either. Whatever you want to call it, we don't need the disruption and pollution this pipeline expansion will cause for any reason,” said Assemblywoman Dana Levenberg. “I remain firmly opposed to this project, because locally-developed clean energy is what we need for lower bills and healthy homes.”
“Let’s call 'Project Beacon' exactly what it is: a corporate rebrand of the same dirty 'Project Maple' pipeline expansion that over 200 local and state elected officials already fought and defeated. It is unconscionable to spend taxpayer money on fossil fuel infrastructure that will worsen climate change against the will of the people of NY17. It’s time to put toxic energy behind us and direct our resources toward clean, renewable sources of the future,” said Tarrytown trustee Effie Phillips-Staley.
“I’m proud to have worked alongside environmental advocates to pass the first countywide resolution in New York State to oppose Project Maple, and I’ll work just as tirelessly to stop Project Beacon,” said Rockland County Legislator Beth Davidson. “We’ve sent Albany and Washington a strong message: no more dirty and dangerous pipeline expansions in our communities.”
Photo Credit: New York Community For Change
“Costs are already skyrocketing all over the state, and folks like me just can’t afford another dirty, expensive pipeline. Enbridge CEO Greg Ebel makes nearly $25 million a year. The Con Ed CEO makes $20 million – how is that right when the rest of us can barely get by?” said Jessica Martinez, Peekskill resident and member at New York Communities for Change. “Elected officials at every level up to Governor Hochul and Congressman Lawler must oppose and stop Enbridge's ‘Project Beacon,’ which would raise our bills and add tons of pollution.”
“Rep. Mike Lawler, who represents the parts of Rockland, Westchester, and Putnam county that the existing Enbridge pipeline runs through has not yet spoken out against this expansion and the hardship it would cause his constituents. Why not?”
“We are disappointed and angry that we have to have this fight. People are paying higher and higher prices for dirty energy, all while fossil fuel CEOs earn millions,” said Shokoofeh Rajabzadeh of Climate Families Westchester. “We are hopeful that after seeing our resilience and determination in the last round, our leaders – including Hochul – will step up and stop ‘Project Beacon’ or any other dirty fossil fuel project that comes our way.”
“There are three large interstate pipelines running through the Indian Point nuclear plant, including the 42-inch AIM pipeline that was added beginning in 2015. Based on New York State’s own independent safety analysis, the Homeland Security department wrote to FERC in 2018 expressing the view that any increase in capacity would be unacceptable and that Enbridge might need to ‘temporarily cease gas operations during the decommissioning activities,’” said Nancy Vann, President of Safe Energy Rights Group. “It makes no sense to increase the risks to our community by any expansion like ‘Project Beacon’ now or for the foreseeable future.”
What Else Has Congressman Mike Lawler Voted For?
"Rep. Mike Lawler, who represents the parts of Rockland, Westchester, and Putnam county that the existing Enbridge pipeline runs through has not yet spoken out against this expansion and the hardship it would cause his constituents. Why not?" said Melissa Hoffmann, organizer with Food & Water Watch. "Maybe it's because he voted for legislation that would fast track pipeline approvals and drastically limit state’s rights to have a say in fossil fuel projects. Maybe it’s because he also voted for legislation that would limit the ability of local communities that will be most affected by fossil fuel projects to speak out. If Lawler wants to do right by his constituents, he must end his record of prioritizing corporate polluters over the health and economic well-being of his constituents and oppose the Enbridge pipeline expansion."
Background On “Project Beacon” Pipeline
While Enbridge has yet to disclose full details of their proposed “Project Beacon,” it is nearly identical to the “Project Maple” pipeline expansion they proposed in 2023, which was eventually blocked by citizens and elected leaders concerned with the pollution and utility bill increases the pipeline would bring.
News Channel 7 Interviewing a spokesperson about the Algonquin Gas Transmission line.
Photo Credit: New York Community For Change
The expansion would drastically increase the gas flow from the Algonquin Gas Transmission line, transporting fracked gas into New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts. Enbridge is currently in the “open season” phase, meaning the company has announced the proposal and is soliciting bids from gas and power companies to gauge interest in buying the gas the expansion would bring. The company will then need to secure financing and permitting.
Residents of the areas affected by the pipeline expansion say it’s vital to stop this project before it gets any further along in the development process, as they managed to do with Project Maple. They note that the pipeline would be expensive to build, raise already sky-high utility bills, pollute the communities through which it runs, and further our dependence on dirty energy sources rather than investing in clean energy solutions.
