A 140-foot telecommunications tower is set to rise just northwest of Lake Willoughby, a nationally recognized natural landmark in Westmore, Vermont. A small group of residents, led by Donna Dzugas-Smith, has spent years and about $50,000 fighting the project, arguing that state regulators approved it without truly listening to the community.

Vermont's Public Utility Commission (PUC) approved the tower in 2025 after Massachusetts-based Industrial Tower and Wireless applied to build it. Westmore's own planning commission, select board, and town plan all raised objections, and neighbors say the tower's height and location were never properly weighed against the impact on the view of the lake. Residents appealed to the Vermont Supreme Court, which upheld the commission's decision on September 4, 2026. Last week, the group filed a motion asking the court to reconsider, saying the same errors remain unaddressed.

"The Public Utility Commission process is unjust, unfair, stilted and does not protect Vermont," Dzugas-Smith said. "What we've experienced is unbelievable and I know we're not the only town. This is about all of Vermont."

This fight is bigger than one town. It is about whether a small community can be heard when a state process moves forward over its objections, and whether one of Vermont's most treasured natural landmarks gets a fair hearing before it is permanently changed. The Vermont Public Utility Commission and the Vermont Legislature should ensure that local governments and neighbors have a real, meaningful voice before towers like this one are approved, not after construction is already underway.

Sign this petition to demand the Vermont Public Utility Commission and Legislature give Westmore and Lake Willoughby the fair process they were denied.