A young Burlington woman removed herself from atop an excavator early Thursday afternoon, ending a protest by the group Rising Tide Vermont on a Vermont Gas Systems work site.
Protesters from group Rising Tide Vermont disrupted the site in Essex along the westbound lane of Vermont 289 early Thursday morning as part of their ongoing efforts to halt construction on the pipeline completely.
Molly Stuart, a member of the environmental activist group, chained herself to the arm of excavator on the site, Rising Tide said.
Essex police Capt. George Murtie said Stuart was taken to the Essex Police Department for processing, and he anticipates she will be charged with unlawful trespass.
Additional charges may also be brought if Stuart damages any of the equipment, Murtie said.
Protesters hung a sign that said, “This pipeline ends with us” from the excavator when Stuart first ascended.
Stuart, 22, remained locked to the equipment throughout the morning.
As of 1:15 p.m., Stuart was down from excavator, said Vermont Gas spokeswoman Beth Parent. She was the only protester remaining on the site after police asked almost 10 other protesters to leave the site earlier, Murtie said.
Rising Tide spokeswoman Maya Jarrad said the group declared the protest a victory after stopping work on that site for the day.
“It was a pretty exciting day for us,” Jarrad said. “We’re pleased with how the day went, that no one was harmed and that construction was stopped. We’ll be looking to see what the Public Service Board decides about reopening the permitting process.”
Jarrad said Stuart was came down because she was getting hot.
While chained to the excavator, Stuart wore a CamelBak hydration pack.
Vermont Gas spokeswoman Beth Parent said employees from the work site were relocated to continue constructing other parts of the line. Parent said in this particular section, the line had been laid and construction workers were back-filling the area around the pipe. The crew returned to work on the section after Stuart was arrested.
Essex police and the Chittenden County Sheriff’s Department were on the scene throughout the morning to ensure Stuart’s safety.
Murtie said law enforcement waited for Stuart to come down since law enforcement were unable to find
Murtie said law enforcement waited for Stuart to come down since law enforcement were unable to find a safe way to remove her themselves. Stuart has her arms placed in pipes welded together in a V shape, but officers had seen Stuart remove her arms from the cuff several times, Murtie said.
Parent said earlier in the day that Vermont Gas is committed to completing the pipeline and ensuring that Stuart is removed from the site safely. She called the actions of the protesters dangerous.
“These individuals are putting themselves at risk, law enforcement at risk and our crews at risk,” Parent said. “That is unacceptable.”
Parent said there are signs that say “No Trespassing” near the work site.
The work site is part of Phase 1 of Vermont Gas’ Addison Rutland Natural Gas Project, a 41-mile pipeline from Colchester to Middlebury. The company plans to complete the pipeline in fall 2016.
Rising Tide in a statement listed a litany of reasons behind the protest, including previous cost overruns in the Phase 1 project, concerns about the Wisconsin-based pipeline contractor and opposition to the expansion of fossil fuel infrastructure.
Protesters earlier this year shut down Vermont Gas work sites in Williston and Essex in similar actions.