OBITUARIES / PASSINGS / Guy Chichester

Guy Chichester, 73, an environmental activist and founding member of the Clamshell Alliance who helped lead protests against the Seabrook nuclear power plant in New Hampshire, died Sunday of a heart ailment at his home in Rye, N.H.

Chichester, who moved with his family to Rye in 1970, helped organize opposition a few years later to shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis’ plan to build an oil refinery on the New Hampshire coast.

After helping to defeat that proposal, Chichester and the newly formed Clamshell Alliance turned their attention to Seabrook Station, a nuclear power plant under construction.

On April 30, 1977, more than 1,400 protesters were arrested at the construction site. The demonstration helped spur the “No nukes” protest movement, but Seabrook eventually received a license to operate.

In 1990, Chichester was charged with malicious mischief when he used a chain saw to cut down a 60-foot pole and warning siren outside the power plant. He was later acquitted.

He was active in the Seacoast Anti-Pollution League and in 1990 ran for governor of New Hampshire on the Green Party ticket.

Chichester grew up on Long Island and, after dropping out of school at 16, joined the Navy and served in the Korean War. He subsequently became a carpenter.