Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced that as of today, the North Country has met all seven metrics required to begin phase one of the state's regional phased reopening plan when NYS on PAUSE orders expire on May 15.

If the trend continues, St. Lawrence County can begin opening businesses for phase one, which includes construction; manufacturing and wholesale supply chain; retail for curbside pickup and drop-off or in-store pickup; and agriculture, forestry and fishing.

A guide to the state's "NY Forward Reopening" Plan is available at https://on.ny.gov/3cxyzaM

Congresswoman Elise Stefanik released the below statement following the announcement in Watertown that the North Country has met seven out of the seven metrics needed to reopen businesses:

“Since the beginning of the COVID-19 health and economic crisis, I have advocated against a one-size-fits all approach and instead for a regional approach within the State understanding the unique challenges and strengths of the North Country. After working diligently with our local, county, and state elected officials - as well as community leaders - our region has met all of the metrics laid out by New York State, it is imperative for small businesses and hardworking families that we start the process to safely re-open our North Country economy," said Congresswoman Stefanik.

“I want to applaud our healthcare workers and county health departments for their courageous and essential service to our communities that helped our region get here today. Additionally, I’ve worked closely and constantly with local elected officials, chambers of commerce, and small businesses across our district and I appreciate their diligence throughout this challenging time. It’s important that we remain safe and vigilant in order to keep moving in the right direction so people can continue to get back to work and provide for their families. I will continue to work tirelessly on the federal level and in our district to keep us safely moving toward a healthy North Country economy.”

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