Trees near power lines in La Plata and Archuleta counties could be trimmed back more aggressively or cut down entirely this year and in years to come to help prevent wildfires.
The La Plata Electric Association board of directors will review policy changes in April to allow the co-op to create more space between its power lines and nearby vegetation, said Justin Talbot, manager of operations for the co-op. Talbot is helping draft policy revisions.
The co-op is looking at changes in the wake of major fires in other states that have been started by power lines, including last year’s Camp Fire in California – the most destructive in the state’s history.
PG&E the utility responsible for many California fires, including the Camp Fire, has filed for bankruptcy, according to The Sacremento Bee.
“We don’t want to put La Plata (electric) in that situation,” Talbot said.
The areas around LPEA’s power lines are regularly trimmed and maintained, he said. But the policy changes would allow crews to further widened the area between the lines and vegetation.
The current policy says that trees will be trimmed to allow for a “minimum clearance area.”
LPEA’s easements around power lines extend 10 feet on either side of a line, he said. Ideally, the co-op would keep the entire 20-foot-wide space around the lines open, he said.
However, he is not interested in creating eyesores on the landscape. He expects to gradually widen the space around lines over several years, he said.
“We understand and know our membership really loves their trees,” he said.
Members interested in commenting on the policy changes can come to the board meeting April 17 at 45 Stewart St. in Durango. Meetings generally start at 9 a.m., but a start time has not been posted.
The existing vegetation management policy can be found online at LPEA.com.
mshinn@durangoherald.com
