Politics & Government
Petition Calls for End to UI's 'Enhanced Tree Removal' Program
Residents opposed to the plans to remove trees around utility poles have formed 'Save Hamden Trees.'
A petition posted by new organization formed in opposition to United Illuminating's plan to remove trees surrounding utility poles asking the utility to abandon those plans has almost 1,000 signatures.
Save Hamden Trees "is dedicated to the preservation of a healthy and diverse tree canopy in Hamden CT," according to its website. "Save Hamden Trees is opposed to the Enhanded Tree Removal plan put forth by United Illuminating."
The group also has a Facebook page with more than 500 members.
The petition advocates for the elimination of the Enhanced Tree Removal program and urges people to contact UI and the Public Utility Regulatory Authority, who has regulatory authority over UI. PURA is scheduled to review UI's plans on Wednesday.
From the petition site:
"United Illuminating (UI) has begun a pilot tree removal program that will needlessly cut down trees in Hamden and other UI service areas, and UI customers will be billed 100 MILLION DOLLARS to pay for it.
"UI plans to remove healthy, curbside trees taller than approximately 15-20’ under utility lines in a practice called Enhanced Tree Removal (ETR) and severely trim tree branches from nearby trees in a practice called Enhanced Tree Trimming (ETT). In the past UI provided selective trimming in a U or V shape around power lines, if trimming was needed at all. Common-sense selective trimming worked well for over a hundred years in Connecticut when responsible routine maintenance by the utility companies has occurred.
"The aggressiveness of the ETR tree removal process and ETT will damage the environment and the beauty of our neighborhoods, as well as lower property values in Hamden and all other UI-serviced communities. Lower property values contribute to increased tax mill rates.
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