This afternoon, demonstrations from 350 VT and Rising Tide Vermont gathered in Montpelier for a long brewing confrontation with the Public Service Board over the ongoing struggle against the Vermont Gas Pipeline slated to snake its way through Addison County.
After a short parade around downtown Montpelier, demonstrators gathered on State Street in front of the Public Service Building and erected a faux fracking derrick on the center line of State Street. "We're going to hold this space until the State stops making backroom deals with utility companies and until this fracked gas pipeline is shut down" said Rising Tide one organizer to the gathered crowd as a fellow protest climbed the thirty foot derrick to laughably impersonate Public Service Board Commissioner Chris Recchia in a precarious puppet show from atop the derrick.
Vowing to stay until the pipeline project is shut down, the occupation of State Street appears ready to continue until the upcoming Public Service Board meeting on Monday.
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