Above Photo:Â Pipeline demonstrators walking onto restricted land at the Otis State Forest in Sandisfield on May 6, 2017. (Submitted photo)
SANDISFIELD – Twenty two people were arrested at a staged protest of the construction of the Kinder Morgan pipeline extension in Sandisfield Saturday morning, police said.
The “Connecticut Expansion,” an extension of an already extant Kinder Morgan pipeline that will stretch four miles through Berkshire County’s Otis state forest, has been the site of repeated protests during recent months, including a recent incident involving the arrest of 98-year-old Northampton peace activist Frances Crowe.
Massachusetts State Troopers took the demonstrators into custody Saturday after they refused police orders to leave a restricted area of the construction, police said in a statement. The protesters were charged with trespassing, police said.
Arrests have been a common occurrence during recent protests, with activists commonly trespassing onto pipeline property as an act of protest.
Many protesters are members of the Sugar Shack Alliance, a Western Massachusetts affiliation of activists that pledges non-violent resistance to the fossil fuel industry.
Police noted that the arrests were made “peacefully and without resistance,” similar to other trespassing arrests that have occurred in the vicinity of the pipeline project during recent weeks.
The activists arrested were taken for booking to a Berkshire Sheriff’s Department facility, police said.
Afterward, they were released on personal recognizance pending a court appearance, police said.
Those arrested were listed as follows:
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Eesha D. Williams, 42, of Dummerston, Vermont
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Catherine N. Woolner, 66, of Northfield
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Benjamin J. VanArnam, 30, of Easthampton
-
Stephen J. Stoia, 69, of Northfield
-
Edward D. Stockman, 73, of Plainfield
-
Dennis P. Carr, 62, of Cummington
-
Erik W. Burcroff, 61, of Plainfield
-
Micah L. Carpenter-Lott, 24, of Riverton, Wyoming
-
Joan L. Levy, 65, of Pelham
-
Steven D. Botkin, 62, of Pelham
-
Fergus R. Marshall, 68, of Chicopee
-
Martin H. Urbel, 74, of Northampton
-
Rema Loeb, 84, of Plainfield
-
John K. Cohen, 79, of 86 of Northampton
-
Mary C. Link, 64, of Ashfield
-
Ronald Coler, 61, of Ashfield
-
Esther Coler, 33, of Ashfield
-
Nina Anderson Coler, 62, of Ashfield
-
Carol Lewis, 74, of Amherst
-
Alice McKusick, 35, of Colrain
-
Patricia C. DeAngelis, 71, of Amherst
-
Kevin Young, 32, of Northampton
SANDISFIELD – Twenty two people were arrested at a staged protest of the construction of the Kinder Morgan pipeline extension in Sandisfield Saturday morning, police said.
The “Connecticut Expansion,” an extension of an already extant Kinder Morgan pipeline that will stretch four miles through Berkshire County’s Otis state forest, has been the site of repeated protests during recent months, including a recent incident involving the arrest of 98-year-old Northampton peace activist Frances Crowe.
Massachusetts State Troopers took the demonstrators into custody Saturday after they refused police orders to leave a restricted area of the construction, police said in a statement. The protesters were charged with trespassing, police said.
Arrests have been a common occurrence during recent protests, with activists commonly trespassing onto pipeline property as an act of protest.
Many protesters are members of the Sugar Shack Alliance, a Western Massachusetts affiliation of activists that pledges non-violent resistance to the fossil fuel industry.
Police noted that the arrests were made “peacefully and without resistance,” similar to other trespassing arrests that have occurred in the vicinity of the pipeline project during recent weeks.
The activists arrested were taken for booking to a Berkshire Sheriff’s Department facility, police said.
Afterward, they were released on personal recognizance pending a court appearance, police said.
Those arrested were listed as follows:
Eesha D. Williams, 42, of Dummerston, Vermont
Catherine N. Woolner, 66, of Northfield
Benjamin J. VanArnam, 30, of Easthampton
Stephen J. Stoia, 69, of Northfield
Edward D. Stockman, 73, of Plainfield
Dennis P. Carr, 62, of Cummington
Erik W. Burcroff, 61, of Plainfield
Micah L. Carpenter-Lott, 24, of Riverton, Wyoming
Joan L. Levy, 65, of Pelham
Steven D. Botkin, 62, of Pelham
Fergus R. Marshall, 68, of Chicopee
Martin H. Urbel, 74, of Northampton
Rema Loeb, 84, of Plainfield
John K. Cohen, 79, of 86 of Northampton
Mary C. Link, 64, of Ashfield
Ronald Coler, 61, of Ashfield
Esther Coler, 33, of Ashfield
Nina Anderson Coler, 62, of Ashfield
Carol Lewis, 74, of Amherst
Alice McKusick, 35, of Colrain
Patricia C. DeAngelis, 71, of Amherst
Kevin Young, 32, of Northampton