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Monday, December 14, 2009

Environment - "Indiana regulators ban IPL tree trimming on private land"

John Tuohy reports in the Indianapolis Star in a story posted late this morning that begins:

State regulators have ordered Indianapolis Power & Light to stop cutting down and trimming trees on private property.

The Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission issued a suspension of the controversial practice last Thursday while it continues an investigation of tree trimming policies across the state.

The commission found that IPL is the only utility that has a provision in its policy that permits it to trim and destroy trees in private yards when it thinks it is necessary to keep electricity flowing.

"It does not appear that such a provision is necessary for public utilities to provide electric service," the order reads. The commissioners found that the provision "to be without authority granted by statute or Commission rule."

The ILB was unable to locate the IURC order online.

Posted by Marcia Oddi on December 14, 2009 01:56 PM
Posted to Environment