“I’m elated,” he said. “The little guy wins one once in a while.”

Ockomon said PEAT officials were not happy with his decision to not support the project, but PEAT spokesman Nelson Slavik was not available for comment Tuesday night.

PEAT — which stands for Plasma Energy Applied Technology — had planned to build a facility that would turn waste to energy using plasma torch technology. Upon the announcement of the company’s plans, nearby residents quickly gathered to protest PEAT, saying the plant would release harmful chemicals into the air and lower their property values.

The effort involved hundreds of manhours and was the beginning of a new group of volunteers involved in Anderson and Madison County, group organizer Andrew Hopper said.

“It’s the beginning of a new united effort to secure the future for the citizens of Anderson,” he said.