Thu, Nov 26 2009
|
|
Published September 26, 2007 10:16 am - JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — State utility regulators are trimming back a plan to mandate more extensive tree trimming by Missouri’s public utilities, fearing consumers could have been hit with a costly rate increase. 9:18a.m. Utility regulators scale back on tree trimming regulation, citing impact on utilities, customersJEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — State utility regulators are trimming back a plan to mandate more extensive tree trimming by Missouri’s public utilities, fearing consumers could have been hit with a costly rate increase.
The Missouri Public Service Commission is expected to approve the new tree-trimming rule next week. While still imposing the first industrywide requirements for tree pruning, the rule still would allow trees to grow closer to power lines than regulators had initially proposed. Utility regulators are considering tree-trimming regulations after summer storms with high winds and winter storms with heavy ice downed thousands of tree limbs on power lines around Missouri in 2006 and early 2007. The state’s four investor-owned utilities estimated that a proposed vegetation management rule published this July could have cost up to $364 million to comply with in the first year and an additional $288 million annually thereafter. Joplin-based Empire District Electric Co. claimed it would have cost $45 million annually for it to comply with the initial proposal — an amount greater than the company’s $41 million in net income during the past state fiscal year. Utilities could have sought to pass on those costs to consumers the next time they asked the PSC for a rate increase. Consequently, utility regulators are revising their proposal with the aim of making it less stringent and thus less costly. A draft of the revised rule, provided Tuesday to The Associated Press, drew a mixed reaction from commissioners. Among other things, it would strip a section that would have prohibited trees taller than 15 feet within the right of way of the largest transmission lines, instead letting utilities continue to abide by whatever guidelines the federal government sets. As originally proposed, the PSC also would have required vegetation to be periodically trimmed within 25 feet of power lines with more than 50,000 volts and within 10 feet of power lines with between 600 volts and 50,000 volts, creating the possibility that utilities would have been required to cut trees behind their legal rights of way. As revised, the proposed rule would lower the clearance for those larger power lines to 15 feet and leave the smaller lines’ clearance at 10 feet — with the caveat in both cases that utilities would not have to trim beyond the right of way, even if that is a smaller distance than the new requirements. 
![comment on this story](http://community.cnhi.com/eve/ubb.x?a=dl&f=55410432
&x_id=local_story_269101658.html&x_subject=<img+src="+http://www.joplinglobeonline.com/images/zope/business.gif+"+Border=0>++9:18a.m.++Utility+regulators+scale+back+on+tree+trimming+regulation,+citing+impact+on+utilities,+customers&x_link=http://www.joplinglobe.com/local/local_story_269101658.html)
•
Click to discuss this story with other readers on our forums.
More from the Local News section
Hundreds served at churches, shelters in Joplin area Budget cuts, enrollment declines take toll at some Kansas schools PSU planning forums to discuss latest round of Kansas budget cuts |
Print this story
E-mail this story
Post to del.icio.us
Locals react with dismay to new breast cancer screening guidelines w/ new cancer screening recommendations and American Cancer Society response
 |
 |
: Special Offer For New Subscribers
:
 |
|||||||
|
|||||||
 |
|
|
Published by Newspaper Holding, Inc. 117 East Fourth Street, Joplin, MO 64801 Using our site is your agreement to the terms and conditions. News: news@joplinglobe.com • (417)623-3480 Advertise with the Joplin Globe Copyright © 2006 The Joplin Globe, Joplin, MO All rights reserved. 
|
Popular Business directory links - Joplin Apartments | Joplin Attorneys | Joplin Auto Dealers | Joplin Auto Parts | Joplin Auto Repair | Joplin Beauty Salons | Joplin Car Rental | Joplin Dentists | Joplin Doctors | Joplin Flowers | Joplin Hotels | Joplin Insurance | Joplin Loans | Joplin Mortgages | Joplin Movers | Joplin Pizza | Joplin Realtors | Joplin Restaurants | Joplin Storage | Joplin Tax Preparation | Joplin Travel | Joplin Featured | More...
|
|
Community Newspaper Holdings, Inc. • CNHI Classified Advertising Network • CNHI News Service |
![Add a comment on this story](http://www.joplinglobeonline.com/zope/add_comment.php?section_id=local&story_id=local_story_269101658.html&headline=<img src=" http://www.joplinglobeonline.com/images/zope/business.gif " Border=0> 9:18a.m. Utility regulators scale back on tree trimming regulation, citing impact on utilities, customers&portal_url=http://www.joplinglobe.com&portal=joplinglobe){kind=link}