Two opponents of a planned gas pipeline across northern New Jersey briefly chained themselves to trees before a local Indian tribe leader persuaded them to leave.

Keith Wood, Getty Images
Keith Wood, Getty Images
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The Record of Woodland Park reports Matt Smith of Wanaque and Jerome Wagner of Wayne locked themselves to trees Wednesday near the Monksville Reservoir in Ringwood. They were protesting a planned 40-mile stretch of the Tennessee Gas Pipeline project.

The pair told the newspaper they planned to remain chained to the trees until March 17, and were prepared to ride out an approaching winter storm.

But the two left the site a short time later after Chief Vincent Mann of the Ramapough Indian tribe told them their actions were interfering with the tribe's own ongoing legal struggles with the pipeline developer.

 

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