Lowell, Vermont - October 26, 2011
There's a showdown brewing over wind power in Vermont.
Ira Powsner and those with him aren't out for a day hike. They're a part of a movement of what some at base camp have dubbed, "Occupy Lowell Mountain." They climb about 900 vertical feet several days a week to protest Green Mountain Power's construction of a new wind farm.
When asked, about a dozen of those at camp say they're willing to stand their ground despite a court order and possible arrest.
Green Mountain Power spokeswoman, Dotty Schnure, says the protesters represent a minority view. "Ninety percent of Vermonters say they want wind. Seventy-five percent of Lowell voters support the project. The Vermont Public Service Board has done extensive reviews of the project, reviewed testimony even by the opponents and determined that this project is in the public good," she said.
"As a community, we feel assaulted. We don't think this project is environmentally friendly and we don't really think it creates a lot of green energy and its really about a company making profits," Powsner said. Powsner, a senior at Sterling College and one of the few protesters willing to go on camera without a pseudonym, says he and others tried to make their case in the proper venue but were ignored. "It came to this because we've been fighting for so long and we're all up here because it's right to protect our mountain and stand up against bullies," he said.
"The effect of the protestors, if they have an effect, will be to delay the project and raise costs for our customers and VEC members," Schnure said.
The protesters are on a piece of private property. Green Mountain Power obtained a temporary restraining order last week to keep them 1-thousand feet from construction during blasting.
But the sheriff's office has yet to enforce the order, saying they need more direction from the court.
Most protesters say if and when they do, they'll stand their ground but won't resist arrest. So far GMP says it has modified blasting on occasion in order to continue, despite the protesters presence. It's unclear why Wednesday's scheduled blasts didn't occur.
