Ten Arrested at Seneca Lake Fathers and Grandfathers Blockade

from Finger Lakes Times

Nine men and one woman were arrested Wednesday morning and charged with trespass, part of the ongoing protest at the Crestwood Midstream facility north of Watkins Glen.

Houston-based Crestwood wants to store up to 88 millions gallons of liquid propane and butane in underground salt caverns near Seneca Lake. The company is awaiting state Department of Environmental Conservation approval.

Protesters also have cited the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s decision to allow Crestwood to expand natural gas storage at its 576-acre property as a reason for picketing.

The group apprehended Wednesday was participating in what they termed a “Fathers and Grandfathers Blockade” at the site.

About 200 people have been arrested since protests began in September.

Two of those charged Wednesday, John Dennis ofLansing and Daryl Anderson of Hector, are teachers. Both said they were protesting in memory of the deaths of their respective sons two years ago.

Dennis and Anderson met in a local bereavement group and drove to the protest together.

Here are the names of the arrested:

— Daryl Anderson, 61, Hector, Schuyler County

— Edgar Brown, 60, Naples, Ontario County

— Jim Connor, 83, Mecklenburg, Schuyler County

— Doug Couchon, 64, Elmira, Chemung County

— John Dennis, 64, Lansing, Tompkins County

— Marty Dodge, 72, Canandaigua, Ontario County

— Peter Drobney, Corning, Steuben County

– Sharon Kahkonen, 65, Mecklenburg, Schuyler County

— Peter Tringali, 62, Ithaca, Tompkins County

— Dwain Wilder, 75, Rochester, Monroe County