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UI Completes First Phase Of Fairfield Tree Trimming Pilot Program

FAIRFIELD, Conn. -- First Selectman Mike Tetreau said the tree trimming and removal pilot project taking place across Fairfield by United Illuminating (UI) has been completed and that soon workers will begin going door-to-door to obtain property owner's consent on work for the upcoming year.

David Goodson, United Illuminating's manager of vegetation management, speaks to a group of Fairfield residents about UI's plan for tree trimming over the coming years.

David Goodson, United Illuminating's manager of vegetation management, speaks to a group of Fairfield residents about UI's plan for tree trimming over the coming years.

Photo Credit: Alissa Smith, file
The yellow marked area of the maps shows where trimming and removal of trees will be taking place this year as part of a pilot program.

The yellow marked area of the maps shows where trimming and removal of trees will be taking place this year as part of a pilot program.

Photo Credit: City of Fairfield
The yellow marked area of the maps shows where trimming and removal of trees will be taking place this year as part of a pilot program sponsored by UI and the city.

The yellow marked area of the maps shows where trimming and removal of trees will be taking place this year as part of a pilot program sponsored by UI and the city.

Photo Credit: City of Fairfield

These planners will have identification and brochures with them. The door-to-door visits will begin this month, and work will begin in early July, Tetreau said.

The main goal of the pilot program, part of the state-mandated Enhanced Tree Trimming program, was to reduce the amount of vegetation that threatens power lines during storms. Recent severe storms, including Tropical Storm Irene in 2011 and Super Storm Sandy in 2012, serve as reminders of the threat that trees can pose to the integrity of the town's electrical system, the reliability of service and the safety of customers and employees.

Those storms left hundreds of thousands of customers without electrical service, in some cases for extended periods. The largest cause of these outages was damage from trees located close to power lines and other equipment.

In addition to the work completed, UI will continue its enhanced tree trimming program throughout the town over the next five years. The next phase of the program will continue in the Mill Plain and the Greenfield Hill sections this year, Tetreau said.

Throughout the pilot program, 370 trees were removed on private property and 250 trees were removed within the public right of way. In addition, 345 trees were pruned on private property and 230 trees were pruned within the public right of way. For more information about the program and the Utility Protection Zone, visit http://www.uinet.com/trees.

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