A Vermont woman has filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against the state's Public Service Board over an upcoming closed-door hearing regarding the Vermont Gas pipeline to Addison County.
The lawsuit, filed by Lisa Barrett on Friday in Burlington, alleges that the board violated the public's rights by denying them entry to the Aug. 4 hearing.
The Public Service Board ordered the hearing closed last week after citing examples of disruptions at prior hearings that they say made the proceedings difficult to carry out.
The Huntington woman says she felt the need to file the lawsuit to defend the basic principle of democratic government. Barrett hopes the court will rule that the hearing must be held in a public venue.
Public Service Board representatives were unavailable for comment.
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