JCP&L Plans Vegetation Management in Red Bank

Several of Red Bank's trees are set for a trim as part of Jersey Central Power and Light's scheduled vegetation management program, the power conglomerate announced Monday afternoon.

According to JCP&L, 24 New Jersey towns are set for vegetation management, which began this month and continues through September. The goal of the program is to improve reliability throughout its service territory by trimming limbs that interfere with power lines or limbs that could fall during a storm.

The power company is expected to trim more than 3,900 miles of power lines, JCP&L Vice President of Operations Holly Kauffman said in a release, noting that the work is essential to maintaining service.

JCP&L from towns throughout the state following its poor response to Hurricane Irene last August. In Monmouth and Ocean Counties alone, more than 200,000 customers found themselves without power following Irene's under-powered landing on the Jersey Shore.

Both Red Bank and Shrewsbury mayors Pat Menna and Donald Burden criticized JCP&L after thousands of their residents and several business were without power for the better part of a week following the storm.

Their criticisms and complaints were heard. In response, JCP&L has visited council meetings throughout the state regularly to accept browbeatings and inform municipalities about their plan to invest $200 million into improving infrastructure. Part of that plan is vegetation management.

In addition to Red Bank, JCP&L will be trimming trees in Atlantic Highlands, Basking Ridge, Beachwood, Berkeley Township, Blairstown Township, Brick Township, Denville, Frelinghuysen Township, Green Village, Hardwick, Hope, Howell, Independence Township, Knowlton Township, Lacey Township, Lakewood Township, Middletown, Mountain Lakes, Morristown, New Providence, New Vernon, Parsippany and Wall.

The company’s certified forestry experts inspect vegetation near the lines to
ensure trees are pruned in a manner that preserves the health of the tree, while also maintaining safety near electric facilities, the company said in a release. Trees that present a danger or are diseased may also be removed.