On Sept. 21, 2017, the Public Utility Commission announced its denial of Verizon Wireless application to install and operate a telecommunications facility on nearly 1O4 acres of of unique land in Waterbury, VT. PUC Commissioners determined the project construction would "destroy or significantly imperial necessary wildlife habitat" in the North Hill forest block, a large area of undeveloped forest with diverse natural communities, necessary bear habitat, and wildlife corridors. The project requires significant earth disturbance, tree clearing and blasting of rock ledge. In their order, Commissioners also wrote that the "evidence presented by ANR demonstrates that the North Hill forest block constitutes a rare and irreplaceable natural area which will be unduly, adversely impacted by the construction of the project in the core of the block. . . . Further, a reasonable alternative location exists that would allow for construction of the project.