Activists hold ‘tree-sit’ as gas pipeline giant clears trees in Lincoln

The project is just off of Route 2 in Lincoln and Waltham on land owned by the City of Cambridge, according to a federal lawsuit filed earlier this year. In June, Cambridge, Lincoln, and Algonquin came to an agreement for the company, which is owned by Enbridge, to rebuild its existing meter and regulation station.

Initially, Cambridge argued that the project could lead to “a long term degradation of a major municipal water supply” and a protected mature forest. The .247 acres is on watershed protection land with a conservation restriction, according to court records.

In their agreement plan, Algonquin said they will remove 23 canopy trees and could remove 17 more. 

As the activist remained in the tree Wednesday, crews could be seen beginning to cut down the trees in a video shared by protesters. “Protect the Lincoln Forest,” the group organizing the protest, said two people were arrested Tuesday.

Others were arrested for tampering with the equipment at the scene, the group said on X. Massachusetts State Police confirmed that one woman locked herself to a tractor trailer by means of a “sleeping dragon,” a manevuer designed to make detainment difficult. By 4:30 p.m. Wednesday afternoon, two people were in custody.

Police surrounded the wooded area along Route 2, Boston 25 News reported Wednesday night.

“The Lincoln Meter Station rebuild project in Lincoln, MA is a maintenance project to help support the ongoing safe operation of Algonquin Gas Transmission to continue meeting everyday energy needs in Massachusetts,” a spokesperson for Enbridge told Boston.com. “As a company, we recognize the rights of individuals and groups to express their views legally and peacefully. Our preference is always to seek to resolve differences of opinion through dialogue – peacefully and respectfully.”

Protesters say #StopProjectMaple

“Protect the Lincoln Forest” said the tree-sit is in protest of Project Maple, a major expansion project that would increase the capacity of the 1,100-mile-long Algonquin Gas Transmission Pipeline. Enbridge told Boston 25 the maintenance project in Lincoln is to support the current operation of the pipeline. 

Enbridge said the expansion will provide “supply reliability during peak daily demand, while stabilizing energy prices.” The Boston-based Conservation Law Foundation said the pipeline goes against New England’s move to sustainable energy.

“Gas customers will still be forced to pay for these obsolete pipelines for decades,” the foundation wrote in March. “As more people leave gas behind, the remaining gas customers will have to shoulder more of those costs.”