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Utility Companies Sue Hamptons Villages Over Eruv

By Howard M. Friedman

Following on a suit filed last week by the East End Eruv Association (EEEA) challenging as religious discrimination decisions by three municipalities in The Hamptons (NY) to prevent use of utility poles to create an eruv (see prior posting), this week two utility companies filed a federal lawsuit challenging the towns' interference with the utilities' agreement to permit EEEA to install the eruv.  An eruv permits observant Jews under religious law to carry items on the Sabbath that would otherwise be impermissible. The complaint (full text) in Verizon New York Inc. v. Village of Westhampton Beach, (ED NY, filed 1/18, 2011), alleges that the utilities are contractually obligated to permit installation of lechis (plastic or wooden strips) on utility poles to create an eruv, so long as the installation conforms to valid local laws. Plaintiffs seek a declaration that local laws being invoked to block the eruv are unenforceable. Courthouse News Service reported on the filing of the lawsuit. [Thanks to Steven H. Sholk for the lead.]

Full post as published by Religion Clause on January 21, 2011 (boomark / email).