29 ARRESTED IN TRACTOR BLOCKADE OF CONTROVERSIAL POWER PLANT;
CLIMBERS SCALE 28-STORY SMOKESTACK & SHUT DOWN PLANT CONSTRUCTION
Plant construction halted as community rallies against public risk for private gain.
Hudson Valley residents chained themselves to a tractor for 8 hours, successfully shutting down construction for Cricket Valley fracked gas plant.
Video by Monica Dudarov Hunken of Creek Iversen, Hudson Valley farmer, on top of smokestack: https://vimeo.com/373771634
Link to video of farmer Ben Schwartz on top of smokestack: HERE
Link to livestream: HERE
More photos: https://www.flickr.com/photos/
Video of protesters here amplifying affected story of resident
Wingdale, NY– 29 concerned residents were arrested on Saturday after participating in non-violent civil disobedience that resulted in a halt for the day on construction of the Cricket Valley fracked gas plant (CVE). A tractor blockade organized by the community group ResistCVE was put in place early in the morning. Additionally, four climbers scaled a 275-ft-tall smokestack and stayed at the top for 12 hours, resulting in a halt to CVE’s construction.
Throughout the morning, protesters sang chants accompanied with drums and gave testimonials, breaking their blockade briefly so that plant workers could leave once construction operations ceased. The blockade was joined in the late morning by attendees of Breakdown the Fracked Gas Shakedown, an event that was initially scheduled to be held at an adjacent private property. Neon was the visual theme of the day’s artwork and clothing. Music was provided by Tin Horn Uprising, a brass marching band from the Hudson Valley, The Stop Shopping Choir, Vassar students, and others. Free food was served alongside the road, where twice-weekly pickets by Stop Cricket Valley have been held for over a year. A cheerful crowd of supporters and a small contingent of police were present from early in the morning, with dozens of state troopers arriving by midday. Arrests were made in 3 rounds–first the largest group, 15 participants who held sun rays throughout the day and then gathered around a fluorescent green and yellow tractor, refusing to depart from the private property. Next to be arrested were the Tractor 10, ten residents including a grandmother nearing 80, a local engineer, and two university students. The ornate chains fettering them to the tractor had to be cut by the police. Hours later, at sunset, the Smokestack 4 descended and were apprehended. All those arrested were released the same evening.
The 1100-megawatt plant, which would be the largest fracked gas plant in the Northeast, was proposed in 2009, over a decade ago; scientists, elected officials, and residents have argued that projects such as CVE must be replaced by investments in large-scale renewable energy and battery storage. Opponents of the plant point to studies and research about the negative effects that burning fracked gas/methane has on the climate crisis, air quality, community health, water supply, and surrounding eco-systems.
“As a Connecticut resident, I am very upset about Cricket Valley Energy Center. The pollutants released in the air will travel into New Milford and be trapped due to topography. The pollutants released contain detrimental chemicals contributing to asthma, birth defects and other health problems. The plant was already approved and in construction when Connecticut residents learned about the plant.”
— Cindy Davis, Western Connecticut Clean Air Action
“My family farmed just down the road for generations–some still do to this day. Our area is rooted in agriculture, and our economy relies on clean air, water and soil. Cricket Valley Energy is directly contradicting the needs of the local people and businesses. The people that are building this plant are not going to have to endure the negative repercussions of the pollution that it is going to cause. They will profit from it, but their lives, health and livelihood won’t be affected in any way. The people who live here–we are the ones who will suffer the consequences.”
— Justin Holden, U.S. Army Veteran, Stanfordville, N.Y.
CVE is a project being financed by a hedge fund based in Switzerland called Advanced Power AG. In January, 2017, eight years after the plant was first proposed, Advanced Power announced that it had successfully completed its efforts to collect $1.584 billion from investors and banks to finance the construction of CVE. Advanced Power AG includes JERA Co., Inc. (half-owned by Chubu Electric Power Company and half by TEPCO Fuel & Power, which maintained the Fukushima nuclear reactors that melted down in 2011). Additional investors include BlackRock Financial Management Inc.; Development Bank of Japan, Inc.; NongHyup Financial Group (under the direction of the National Agricultural Cooperative Federation of Korea); and TIAA Investments. CVE’s construction contract was awarded to Bechtel, the US’s largest construction company, with subsidiaries that were key to the controversial privatization of water in Bolivia.
Both the action and the rally were focused on Governor Cuomo, because he has ignored requests for a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS), a study done to determine how various aspects of the environment and community will be affected by a new project or action.
“If Governor Cuomo is serious about meeting the climate goals mandated by the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA), he must shut down the Cricket Valley fracked gas power plant. Cuomo cannot simultaneously consider himself a climate leader while allowing such a massive polluting power plant to be built and come online. Governor Cuomo must shut down Cricket Valley, and move New York to 100% renewable energy.” — Laura Shindell, New York Organizer at Food & Water Action.
“We are rallying in support of the protesters who are being arrested today, and we call upon Governor Cuomo to do the right thing. His father shut down Shoreham Nuclear Power Plant nearly three decades ago, when it was fully constructed but had not begun to operate. We hope the Governor will follow in his father’s wonderful footsteps, and fulfill his destiny as a true climate leader.”
–Jess Mullen, New Paltz Climate Action Coalition Coordinator
A special direct line for contacting Governor Cuomo regarding CVE is in place: 877-235-6537. Residents are encouraged to call with their concerns.
Photos by Jess Mullen:
Hudson Valley residents lock down to a tractor for 8 hours, and shut down construction operations at Cricket Valley fracked gas plant.
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