Trees Cut in New Milford for Gas Pipeline

Members of a new Milford family says they plan to continue to fight the building of the Constitution Pipeline through the region even though many trees in their maple sugar grove are gone today.

Armed federal marshals accompanied work crews Tuesday, March 1 to the Holleran property to cut down the trees for the right-of-way for the pipeline, which has been approved in Pennsylvania but is still being blocked in New York until necessary Department of Environmental Conservation permits are issued.

Megan Holleran said the family had hoped their maple trees, that had already been tapped for syrup production, would be spared until the New York water quality permit issue was settled.

Meanwhile, what is being called an emergency news conference was organized by opponents to the gas transmission line in Albany to release a letter from landowners located along the planned pipeline route in Pennsylvania and New York.