| |
Activist's Report Pruned from Hearing
(posted Oct 12)
Disappointment is "an understatement" as far as Charles Goodman
is concerned over being denied the opportunity to speak at the October
9 public hearing concerning utilities tree trimming practices. Goodman
has been a citizen lobbyist for 18 years and took up the cause of tree
trimming practices about two years ago after his own tree fell victim to
a utility company's cutting procedures. Goodman was suppose to give wrap-up
testimony to the state Regulatory Flexibility Committee, but Co-Chairman
Senator Brandt Hershman called the meeting to an end so they could pick
up the issue regulating wind energy.
Goodman tossed his hands in the air to signal Hershman not to forget about
him. Goodman was on the agenda to speak. Goodman said that Hershman apologized
to him after the meeting, saying the committee just ran out of time, and
offered him the opportunity to submit a written report to the committee.
Goodman contends the committee received incomplete and distorted information
about the utilities vegetation management practices that he intends to
rectify this in his report.
A point of contention is Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission Chairman
David Hardy's statement telling the committee that the IURC has no rules
governing tree trimming practices. Hardy told the committee the best the
IURC could do is offer sympathy to the property owners that have received
the "whoops we goofed" tree trimming. Hardy also said the east coast blackout in August 2003 was due to human error and equipment failure, rather than a tree limb falling on a line as CN Utility Consulting President Stephen Cieslewicz told the committee.
Hardy also presented different facts that showed vegetation and trees causing
fewer power outages than Indiana Energy Association President Ed Simcox's
data showed. Hardy said from 2002-2004, outages caused by trees and vegetation
were from 17% to 34% for IPL , while Simcox said it was closer to 50 %
for IPL in 2008.
Goodman said that IURC passed a tariff ruling that allows utilities to
enter private property to conduct vegetation management practices at their
judgment. He said the IURC has failed to develop a committee to oversee
the utilities and their vegetation management practices. Goodman sees the
tariff rulings as violating private property rights guaranteed by the Constitution.
Cieslewicz and Simcox told the committee that federal guidelines are getting tougher for the upkeep of vegetation management since the blackout. They both cited various statistics showing a crack down from National Energy Regulatory Commission, including assessing $1 million fines to utility companies for compliance failure.
Cieslewicz said pruning trees in a "V" shape is "best science"
when dealing with a standard 28 foot high power line straddling over a
tree. He said it was public perception that trees need to be rounded and
topped. He said the public needs to be educated on proper pruning based
on what science says rather than what is aesthetically pleasing.
|
|