Sixty-seven people were arrested for trespassing as hundreds gathered Saturday in Bow, New Hampshire to demand the shutdown of the Merrimack Station power plant. Although it only runs a fraction of the year, the coal-burning power plant was targeted because it is the second largest in New England.
“Last year ratepayers paid $50 million just to keep this plant open even though it provides only about 1% of our electricity,” said Lila Kohrman-Glaser, an organizer with 350NH Action, in a statement. “The out-of-state owners are getting rich off of the destruction of our climate and environment and our elected officials have done nothing to stop them. We won’t stand for decision makers’ corruption and collusion with the fossil fuel industry anymore.”
The action was called by the No Coal No Gas Coalition, which includes 350 New Hampshire, Nonviolent Citizen Action, New Hampshire Youth Movement, and Climate Disobedience.
The arrests were for criminal trespass (a class B misdemeanor). If charged arrestees could face jail time of up to a year or fines. No Coal No Gas enlisted help from lawyers and state on their website that they “are prepared to raise bail funds and provide other forms of legal support until everyone is in the clear.”
Images from the action by Jim Mendell.
Photographer Bio:
Jim Mendell edited a community newspaper in Brooklyn for seven years before moving to Vermont where he taught journalism and photography at Burlington College. He then co-founded Common Ground Center, a year-round retreat and family center now in its 26th year. Jim is a board member of Toward Freedom, and often takes photographs for 350VT and Extinction Rebellion.