Tree Safety and Vegetation Management - Residential - California Electric - Liberty
Community Canopy Program
At Liberty, we believe in giving back to our communities and contributing to a more sustainable future. Our vegetation management efforts include inspecting, pruning, and removing trees, branches, and other vegetation to maintain power line clearance. Dead and dying trees are removed to reduce the threat to power lines, enhance forest health, and help protect the local community through fuel reduction.
Trees are an integral part of our environment in the Tahoe-Sierra area, so Liberty is partnering with the Arbor Day Foundation to give back to our customers with our Community Canopy program. Liberty customers may receive a free, low-growing tree or plant on a first-come, first-serve basis while supplies last.
Tahoe Tree Company, a 65-year-old family-owned business, is currently operated by long standing resident John Crus and his outstanding team. As a retail and wholesale nursery, Tahoe Tree Company offers a large variety of locally propagated native plants, perennial flowers, shrubs and trees. John is working with Liberty and the Arbor Day Foundation to implement Liberty’s Tree Replacement Program. Tahoe Tree Company values the Tahoe community and hopes to continue to keep the Tahoe spirit alive and well.
Vegetation Management
Vegetation management is a critical, yet somewhat behind the scenes department of an electric utility. Unless tree work is being done in your neighborhood or backyard, it goes largely unnoticed. Inspecting, pruning, and removing trees, branches, and other vegetation to maintain power line clearance is essential to safe operations. Trees may cause power outages when branches contact power lines, break and fall on lines, or when trees are blown over on to power lines during storms.
Liberty employs International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) certified arborists to manage our vegetation management program. ISA certified arborists must demonstrate a high level of knowledge and experience to gain certification, and are required to maintain certification through continuing education in the science and best practices of proper tree care.
When trees are identified for trimming, crews are instructed to prune branches and vegetation back to a minimum of 12 feet from the high voltage power lines to maintain adequate clearance. Additionally, trees that are dead, diseased, or structurally unsound, which have the potential to fall on power lines are identified and scheduled for removal.
Liberty’s vegetation management efforts include:
- Inspections using LiDAR technology and remote sensing, as well as ground-based inspections performed by ISA certified arborists
- Routine maintenance to maintain proper power line clearance, mitigate tree fall-in risk, manage and reduce fuels, clear poles, and more
- Collaborating with other agencies and organizations, such as:
- The United States Forest Service (USFS) and National Forest Foundation (NFF)
- Local fire agencies
- Arbor Day Foundation
- California Tahoe Conservancy (CTC)
Submit a Tree Inspection Request
Customers should not attempt to trim trees in the vicinity of power lines, due to the danger and risk of coming in contact with power lines. If you are concerned about trees or vegetation in or near power lines please review the FAQs or complete the Tree Inspection Request form.
Submit a Tree Inspection Request
Tree Safety and Vegetation Management FAQs
Liberty is coordinating with the California Tahoe Conservancy (CTC) to reduce and remove wood and fuels from parcels owned by the CTC in the Tahoe Basin. Liberty routinely conducts vegetation management work along power lines to remove identified hazards. Removal of dead trees or other hazards sometimes results in a significant amount of wood left on site. In cooperation with the CTC, Liberty’s authorized contractors will cut logs from tree removals into firewood lengths and leave on site in an accessible location. These locations are reported back to the CTC to advertise to the public for free firewood collection. Firewood pickup locations and fuel wood permit application can be found at the button below:
Laws and Regulations
Liberty is a California-based utility, regulated by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC). Liberty will obtain a reasonable amount of clearance beyond the minimum requirements to allow for a several years’ worth of growth, potential wind sway and other environmental factors. Distance obtained from the line after a pruning cycle may be more than 20 feet for fast growing species such as poplars or elms along distribution lines.
There are rules and regulations designed to maintain public safety and electric service reliability. Major regulations covering vegetation management include:
Utilities are required to maintain firebreaks around poles located in wild land areas during fire season that have certain equipment with the potential to emit sparks when operating properly.
Utilities are required to maintain clearance between vegetation and high voltage power lines during fire season in wild land areas to prevent wild fires. Also requires removal of dead, diseased or dying trees that could fall into power lines.
Utilities are required to maintain clearance between vegetation and high voltage power lines at all times in all areas for public safety and electric system reliability.
Other References
If you have additional questions please email CAtree@libertyutilities.com.