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Benton PUD’s tree program was developed to ensure
the District provided quality tree care practices
and help customers plant the appropriate trees
near utility lines. The benefits of the
program have been healthier trees, less outages
and long-term savings to Benton PUD.
Everyone loves trees. We are fortunate
to live in an area that supports a wide variety
of trees, which can be among the more appealing
features of our homes. Trees add to our
quality of life by providing beauty and shade,
they serve as wind, noise and visual barriers,
they help to improve your home’s energy
efficiency, as well as reducing airborne pollutants
while bringing in carbon dioxide and giving off
oxygen. Trees also provide food and cover
for birds and wildlife.
While trees provide us with many useful things,
trees that are not properly cared for may potentially
cause serious problems. Annually, thousands
of trees are trimmed to prevent their growth
from contacting the 700 miles of Benton PUD electrical
lines that serve our customers. Over 18,000 trees
of 28 different species are growing under and
beside our power lines. Trees that touch
or fall on power lines can cause wildfires, power
outages, property damage, or personal injury. Trees
interfering with power lines are one of the leading
causes of unscheduled interruptions in electrical
services. Unscheduled interruptions in
electrical service can also affect traffic lights,
residents on life support, and essential public
facilities such as hospitals.
Trees also give people a way to get close to
power lines. If you climb a tree and touch a
power line with your body or with some object,
your body gives electricity a path to the ground
(through you and the tree). You could be seriously
hurt or even killed.
These situations are easily preventable by proper
tree pruning and in some instances, removal and
replanting of power line friendly trees.
Please call Benton PUD Utility Tree Coordinator,
Brian Cramer, at (509) 585-5399 or email him
at cramerb@bentonpud.org if
you have any questions about our tree program,
pruning trees, and/or planting the right tree. |
