Public Hearing on PSC Rules on Right-of-Way Tree Cutting

A public hearing will be held on August 24, from 1:30-3:30 p.m. at the Greenburgh Public Library on Public Service Commission right-of-way tree cutting. 

"After 6 years of grassroots community efforts across the region, we finally have obtained Public Hearings with the NYS PSC," Patricia Podolak said. "This was triggered by Con Edison's problematic vegetation management practices on its electric transmission line right of way."

The New York State Public Service Commission instituted a proceeding at its session on April 15, 2010 to consider New York State electric utility transmission right-of-way (ROW) management practices. 

Secretary Jaclyn A. Brilling said the Commission has invited public comment on the implementation of utility ROW management practices and the contribution of ROW management to the safety and reliability of the State's electric transmission system, and comments on the following questions are invited:

• Do the programs used by State utilities for transmission ROW vegetation management conform to industry best practices? 
• At what point, at what height, or under what circumstances should the trees be removed from the transmission ROW in order to protect the safety and reliability of the transmission system?
• Are alternate or supplemental practices available which would reduce the environmental or aesthetic impacts of transmission ROW vegetation management wittransmission system safety or reliability?
• If supplemental vegetation management practices are preferred by a community through which transmission ROW passes, how should the community preference for such practices be demonstrated? How should the costs of such practices be distributed to or divided among the utility which owns the transmission line, the ratepayers for that utility, the users of the transmission line, the community through which the transmission line passes, and the owners of properties adjacent to the transmission line? 
• In what ways can a utility mitigate the impact of its transmission ROW management practices without sacrificing electric system safety and reliability?
• Are there cost effective strategies available to utilities to mitigate the aesthetic impacts of transmission ROW management? 
• Is cleanup after utility ROW management activities adequate? 
• What type of notifications regarding vegetation management do utilities currently employ? What type of notification by utilities would be most effective for landowners who live adjacent to a ROW prior to utility transmission ROW vegetation management work (for example: phone call, letter, newspaper, other)? When and how frequently should such notice be provided? Should others, besides adjacent property owners, be notified? What information should be provided in such notices?
• Apart from such notices, what information should utilities provide to the owners of property adjacent to utility transmission ROW to suggest strategies or practices a landowner may use to protect his or her land from the aesthetic impacts of transmission ROW maintenance, and at what intervals and through what means should this information be provided? 

People who would like to speak  at a public statement hearing, don't need to make an appointment in advance or present written material to speak. All comments at the hearings will be transcribed, and each hearing will remain open until everyone who wanted to comment has been heard.

Anybody wishing to comment on the issue can write to Brilling at NYS Public Service Commission, 3 Empire State Plaza, Albany, NY 12223-1350; or, call the toll free 24-hour hotline at 1-800-335-2120 or; submit comments on the PSC's website. You can also e-mail Brilling at secretary@dps.state.ny.us.