Power lines win out over tree limbs

MOUNT PLEASANT — Complaints that a tree trimming company contracted by SCE&G is shearing the limbs from trees have been dropping into the town Planning Department, but the trimmers are just doing their jobs.

South Carolina Electric & Gas has a contract with the town to prune anything growing within a 10-foot radius of the power lines, to prevent power outages and protect workers who service the lines.

Trish Freshwater, SCE&G public affairs coordinator, said the company routinely trims trees along power lines according to American National Standards Institute guidelines.

In most neighborhoods, she said, that means trimming anything growing within 10 feet to either side of the line and anything 20 feet above the line. Freshwater likened the process to a haircut: "It's drastic in the beginning, but once it starts to grow back it looks really great."

Lewis Tree Co. has been trimming around power lines in neighborhoods around the Old Village and on Chuck Dawley Boulevard, and will soon begin trimming along oak-draped Mathis Ferry and Long Point road neighborhoods.

The company sends residents a postcard to notify them in advance.

Gary Hutchison, a Freelock Drive resident, said he fears that recent trims to trees in his neighborhood will lead to their eventual death.

"Some of it is so absolutely horrifying," Hutchison said.

Daniel Kelley, Mount Pleasant planner, said so many complaints have come in that the town hopes to reduce the pruning radius to eight feet the next time SCE&G's contract comes up for negotiation.

He's asked residents with similar concerns to send a letter so the town has a written record.

Kelley, who has been with the town for 18 months, said he isn't aware that any trees have died as a result of the utility-line pruning, although a trimmed cedar tree had to be removed in the Old Village.

SCE&G reviews each complaint before deciding whether to replace the tree, Freshwater said.

Resident Barbara Matheny got little satisfaction after complaining about cuts made to oak trees in her backyard last year. Mount Pleasant officials asked the company to come back and retrim the tree, but a town arborist said the tree likely would die.

SCE&G offered to remove and replace the tree, but she said no. A letter from SCE&G to Matheny said the company cuts trees along its power lines about every five years, and that over time the trims would convert the vegetation in the area to low-growing species.

Freshwater said this wouldn't kill taller trees but would instead train trees such as oaks to grow around the lines. Some residents have suggested burying power lines as a potential solution.

Roughly 80 percent of SCE&G's new lines go underground, which costs $880,000 more per mile to install compared to overhead lines. When power outages occur, it's more difficult to determine the cause and outages last longer, Freshwater said. Underground lines also would be susceptible to flooding.

Reach Jessica Johnson at 937-5921 or jjohnson@postandcourier.com.