Urban Forestry Commission

P.O. Box 270 Hartford, CT 06141-0270 March 23, 2021 Dear Neighbor, As part of our everyday effort to deliver reliable energy to our customers and communities, we will be conducting vegetation management work in our rights of way (power line corridor) in your neighborhood. Safety First and Always The safety of our employees, our customers, and the public is our top priority during the ongoing pandemic. Our commitment to safety, first and always, is continuous. Providing Reliable Service to Our Customers At the same time, Eversource must fulfill its critical mission to deliver safe, reliable service to our customers, in support of the economic health of New England and the basic needs of society. We continue to call on our employees and contractors to perform essential work in the field that maintains and improves the reliability of our networks and serves customers’ best interests, while also adapting our work practices to incorporate social distancing, heightened hygiene, and other federal and state health and safety guidelines. In addition to relying on alternate communications channels to keep customers safe and informed (letters, emails and/or phone calls), we will also be using door hangers as a part of our community outreach efforts. Eversource representatives will be leaving notifications that include information on our work in the rights of way and who to contact with any questions — without knocking on doors. Why Tree Work is Important To protect the electric system, we remove tall-growing species from the rights of way and cut branches extending into the rights of way. These trees and branches pose a serious safety hazard, now or in the future, if they are too close or contact energized equipment. Vegetation too close or in contact with electric facilities may lead to power outrages that could impact thousands of electric customers. The clearing of trees and branches in and along the rights of way will improve system performance, especially during severe weather events. Work in Your Neighborhood To enhance the reliability of the electric grid, Eversource will be working in the power corridor on or near your property to expand the existing maintained (cleared) areas. The expanded clearing includes removal of incompatible tree species from the transmission lines to the right of way (easement) edge. In cases where the edge of the right of way is a good distance from the lines, approximately 100 feet off the outside wires is to be cleared. In certain areas, this vegetation management scope may be more than what has been experienced in the past. Based on the width of the right of way, the type and number of transmission lines, the location of the lines within the right of way, and the topography, Eversource employs a “two-zone” vegetation maintenance method. This method establishes the following: • The Wire Zone is the area directly under the transmission lines, extending out 25 to 40 feet outside the wires depending on voltage. Eversource manages the wire zone to promote a low-growing plant community dominated by grasses, flowers, ferns and small shrubs under 3 feet in height at maturity. Within this zone, trees and brush are selectively removed to allow for the establishment and preservation of these native, low-growing plant communities in non-lawn areas. Only established compatible species with a mature height of 15 feet or less at maturity may be allowed to remain in the wire zone, depending on location. All other plants with a mature height greater than 15 feet will be removed. • The Border Zone is the area from outside wire zone to the edge of the cleared area or the easement edge. In this zone, incompatible tall-growing trees are removed and native trees and shrubs that have a mature height of 25 feet or less may remain where possible.  • The Additional Right of Way to be Cleared is the area from the existing maintained edge to the edge of easement or up to 100 feet from the outside wire. This diagram is for illustrative purposes. Your neighborhood may have a different configuration of transmission structures. Distances shown are the minimum clearances from the conductors and may be greater based on line construction. What You Can Expect We want you to know that this work will not interrupt electric service to your property. Work hours will typically be 7 am to 7 pm, Monday through Saturday. Due to weather or other unexpected circumstances, crews may need to work longer hours or on a Sunday. Work Performance Eversource is using approved contractors to conduct this work. The work may be completed in several stages, or at various times throughout the year. Work may also be performed by different contractors depending on the scope of work required in the particular rights of way. Keeping the Wood from Cleared Areas If you would like to keep the wood from trees cut on your property, please call 888-673-9943. The wood that is to be kept for your personal use will be placed along the edge of the maintained area within the rights of way and outside of the wire zone and environmentally sensitive areas. Wood and cut branches not left for personal use will be chipped and removed or may be chipped and left within the rights of way in non-lawn areas. Wood debris will not be left within access areas or within the cleared areas around structures and guy wires, and will also be kept out of water courses, stream and river banks and bodies of water, including standing water in wetland areas. Always Working to Serve You Better Keeping the lines of communication open is an important part of our work in your community. If you would like additional information, please contact us at 888-673-9943 or CTVegMaintenance@eversource.com Thank you for your patience and cooperation while Eversource performs this important system reliability work. Sincerely, Michael Rasy Michael Rasy- Transmission Arborist, Vegetation Management