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GOVERNOR Ned Lamont has been cited for illegally removing over 180 trees from protected land behind his home.
The Connecticut lawmaker has reportedly outraged his neighbors who called the police after hearing chainsaws on the protected wetland area.
Lamont was cited for the action that a neighbor claimed was taken so he could have a better view from his home in Greenwich, according to CT Insider.
The 70-year-old lives in a multi-million dollar home and the cutting reportedly improved his home’s view of a pond.
At a meeting held last month about the wetlands, land use attorney John Tesei slammed the Governor’s alleged actions.
Tesei is representing nearby property owners INCT LLC who also accuse the workers reportedly hired by Lamont of “trespassing” on its land, according to sources from the Inland Wetlands and Watercourse Agency.
‘CHAINSAW MASSACRE’
The agency claims that the Governor had workers remove sugar maples, beech trees, and pignut hickories from acres of land behind his property, per the CT report.
The town’s director of environmental affairs told CT Insider that the Governor’s family “appear to be the ones that hired the contractor.”
It is claimed that Lamont, who has championed the planting of more trees across the state, did not have permits for the removal of these plants.
“[It’s a] chainsaw massacre, I’ve never seen anything, overall, like this, ever.” ” Tesei told CT.
“Our clients are deeply disturbed and devastated,” he said at the meeting last month.
Sources allegedly told the news outlet that some of the illegally removed trees were around 40 feet tall.
Such plants have a vital role in the local ecosystem, they added.
Neighboring land owner Fred Jacobsen who manages forest lands told the outlet that he called the police in the fall when he heard chainsaws near Lamont’s property.
At the wetlands meeting, he accused the Governor of a “coordinated destruction of the entire ecosystem in that area.”
Meanwhile, Peter Thorén, an executive of INCT LLC, described the tree felling as an “illegal invasion.”
“It’s no coincidence that the cutting opened up a very wide view of the lake for the personal aesthetic benefit and viewing enjoyment of two dwellings, Gov. Lamont and the Viks,” he added.
‘SELF-ENTITLED’
Lamont, his neighbors, and the Ashton Drive Homeowners Association were subsequently all issued citations for the violations on the wetlands, according to the outlet.
The Inland Wetlands and Watercourse Agency issued a cease-and-correct order in November to all three parties.
It is unclear if any fines have been issued and police have confirmed that no charges have been filed regarding the trespassing claims.
“This is a dispute between the homeowners association and one of the neighbors,” a spokesperson for the Governor told The New York Post.
The representative claimed that the HOA was issued the citation, not Lamont.
Tree-cutting Neighbor Fined $13k
A homeowner in New Jersey was issued a huge fine for cutting down his neighbor’s trees allegedly so he could get a better view of New York City.
Samih Shinway had more than a dozen trees on his property removed in 2023 by his neighbor.
The neighbor, Grant Haber, was hit with a $13,000 fine for doing the job without a permit, however, he might have to shell out more money to replace and care for the trees.
Shinway claimed that some of the trees were around 150 years old.
Haber, a security exec from Kinnelon, New Jersey cut a deal with a judge to only be fined for 18 of the 32 trees that he had a contractor knock down last March.
Had the deal not been made, he would have faced a $32,000 fine and a trespassing charge.
However, despite the $13,000 fine, local prosecutors even warned that the damages could exceed $1 million for the replacement and care of the trees.
Read more here.
Meanwhile, the Democrat told CT Insider that “the association and the neighbors are working it out.”
No comment has been issued by the Inland Wetlands and Watercourse Agency as the subject is up for discussion at a public hearing scheduled for April 29.
On Facebook, people have shared their outrage at the Governor’s alleged actions.
“Another case of a politician doing whatever he wants,” one wrote.
“This is nothing new they all do whatever they want and get away with it all.”
“So much for the green agenda,” another said.
Meanwhile, a fellow resident called Lamont “self-entitled” before adding: “Ironic how the ones ramming laws about the environment down our throats are the ones destroying it the most.”
“180 trees? Hope he gets charged financially to replace each tree, I know those penalties can be extremely pricey (thousands per tree in some cases)….” another said.
The U.S. Sun has contacted Lamont for comment.
