December 5, 2011
Press releases, Vermont

Lowell protestors stop work at site due to environmental destruction

Mountain Talk, lowellmountainsnews.wordpress.com 5 December 2011

Lowell, VT – Early Monday morning a group of concerned citizens wearing shirts that read, “Ridges are Not Renewable” protested the Lowell wind project by occupying land currently being disputed between Green Mountain Power and the neighboring property owner. While on the disputed land, the protesters stopped construction vehicles with large signs, warning them “Road Closed: Due to Environmental Destruction” and redirected through “Detour To Honest Energy Policy.” The road closure and detour lasted for roughly an hour.

Orleans County Deputy Sheriff Phil Brooks later arrested seven including Barton Chronicle Publisher/reporter Chris Braithwaite and took them to State Police Barracks in Derby for processing. During the hour the protestors also sang the Vermont State song, “These Green Mountains” and raised their voices for the line “We live to protect their beauty.”

Dr. Ron Holland of Irasburg, when asked why he chose to stop the construction vehicles in their tracks said, “Green Mountain Power and the State of Vermont have not been honest with citizens about the impacts of this project, and it is now time that Vermonters demand a honest reassessment of our energy policy.”

Anne Morse, a protester from Craftsbury, “Today marks new path for Vermont’s energy future – one towards small-scale, community oriented solutions that protect natural resources and unite communities, not blast away mountains and create division.”

Eric Wallace-Senft, from West Woodbury said, “We can no longer let the corporations make energy decisions for us, Green Mountain Power has taken our property and constitutional rights, and is blasting away our mountains. It’s time the power returns to the people.”

Charges are pending for those arrested, and when asked to identify themselves they said they were known as “Green Mountain People”.

[photos and videos available at source, also here]

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2011/12/05/lowell-protestors-stop-work-at-site-due-to-environmental-destruction/