Elderly WMass women charged for anti-nuclear protest

MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) - Six elderly Massachusetts women are scheduled to go on trial next week on charges they chained themselves to the gate at the Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant two days after the state was hammered by the remnants of Hurricane Irene.

The women, all members of the Shut It Down Affinity Group, traveled to the plant gate in Vernon on Aug. 30, 2011, used a chain and padlock to lock the entrance gate and chained themselves to the fence.

It was one of about 22 protests the group has mounted against the reactor's continued operation in recent years. There have been five similar protests since the one that triggered the trespass charges.

Three of the women are from Northampton and one each is from Athol, Colrain and West Springfield.