The militia, which has occupied a federal building in an Oregon wildlife refuge since January 3, has said that it does not desire an armed confrontation with authorities, and it sounds like its wish will be granted. Rather than firing off tear gas canisters or kicking in doors and storming the building, authorities are instead planning to cut the Bundys’ electricity, then phone service, before shutting off roads to the refuge, according to The Guardian.
An unnamed federal official reportedly told The Guardian, “After [authorities] shut off the power, they’ll kill the phone service,” adding that “then they’ll block all the roads so that all those guys have a long, lonely winter to think about what they’ve done.”
In Harney County, Oregon, where the Bundy group is camped out, January temperatures hover around a 24 degree average, and winter typically brings plenty of snow. Nonetheless, the Bundys told The Guardian they are “ready and waiting” should their electricity be cut off.