INFORMATION ON PURA DOCKET NO.12-01-10, TREE TRIMMING
PURA Final Decision in Docket No. 12-01-10
PURA Press Release re: Final Decision in Docket No. 12-01-10
PURA Press Release re: Final Decision in Docket No. 12-01-10
At the Oral Arguments on Written Exceptions on June 10, PURA announced that it would issue a Final Decision in Docket No. 12-01-10 on June 25. Commissioner Betkoski made clear that PURA would fully comply with Public Act 14-151 and ensure that the utilities do so. Based on its preliminary review of the Written Exceptions, he announced changes that had already been made in the Revised Draft Decision.
The Garden Club of New Haven filed Exceptions to the Revised Draft Decision on June 6 2014. Oral arguments from Participants who filed Exceptions took place on Tuesday, June 10 at 10:00 am at PURA headquarters in New Britain, 10 Franklin Square. The Garden Club of New Haven presented an Oral Argument in support of its Exceptions.
PURA released its Draft Decision in its tree trimming docket, 12-01-10, on May 30, 2014.
PURA was expected to issue a decision in this docket by the end of April, but had postponed any decision until after the end of the current session of the CT legislature, which ended May 7. It had indicated that it would issue a draft decision by the end of May and a final decision by mid-June.
PURA was expected to issue a decision in this docket by the end of April, but had postponed any decision until after the end of the current session of the CT legislature, which ended May 7. It had indicated that it would issue a draft decision by the end of May and a final decision by mid-June.
PURA Site Inspections:
PURA Inspection of CL&P "tree trimming practices" in Naugatuck, Bethany and Cheshire took place on Friday, April 11, beginnning at 3:00 pm at "Connecticut Park & Ride Lot" commuter parking lot near the intersection of Route 8 and Cross Street in Naugatuck, Connecticut located off Route 8, Exit 25 in the Town of Naugatuck.
The PURA Inspection (See Notice of Inspection ) took place on April 3 from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm, beginning at the Administrative Offices of United Illuminating in Orange. PURA commissioners, staff, UI representatives and members of the public visited sites in Hamden, Bradley Street in New Haven and a site in Orange.
PURA Inspection of CL&P "tree trimming practices" in Naugatuck, Bethany and Cheshire took place on Friday, April 11, beginnning at 3:00 pm at "Connecticut Park & Ride Lot" commuter parking lot near the intersection of Route 8 and Cross Street in Naugatuck, Connecticut located off Route 8, Exit 25 in the Town of Naugatuck.
The PURA Inspection (See Notice of Inspection ) took place on April 3 from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm, beginning at the Administrative Offices of United Illuminating in Orange. PURA commissioners, staff, UI representatives and members of the public visited sites in Hamden, Bradley Street in New Haven and a site in Orange.
The following information is provided in chronological order:
Documents pertaining to PURA and Utility Tree Pruning and Removal prior to March 2014: Click to read UI's plan, CL&P's plan, as described in testimony, and PURA's approval of the CL&P plan, the Urban Forest Council's response to UI's plan for removal of street trees, the State Vegetation Management Task Force's Exceptions to a PURA Draft Decision on Tree Trimming in Docket No. 12-01-10, and the Task Force Chair's oral argument in support of the Exceptions before PURA on December 20, 2013. PURA transferred its consideration of utility vegetation management (" tree trimming"), required by Public Act 12-148, to Docket 12-01-10, Tree Trimming, which it had earlier opened on its own motion. (The transfer is made in Final Decision, Docket 12-06-09, p. 12- 14 [extensive discussion of vegetation management issues highlighted]. See also Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Deputy Commissioner letter filed in Docket No. 12-01-10. Docket No. 12-01-10 is a separate proceeding from the proceedings in which UI's or CL&P's plans for tree pruning and removal were approved. See also, the Garden Club of New Haven's testimony in this Tree Trimming docket, July 31, 2013. Comments of the Garden Club of New Haven for March 5 and March 6, 2014 Public Meetings. Comments of the Bureau of Natural Resources, Forestry Division of DEEP to PURA Public Meeting on March 5, 2014. See Previous Updates and Recent Information, Notices and News for additional, important, information.
The Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA) had officially closed the record in Docket 12-01-10, Tree Trimming, on September 24, 2013. In PURA's decision on January 29, 2013, it reopened the record for purposes of addressing UI's request for a technical session (see UI request below) and for additional public comment.
See filings by Northeast Utilities (CL&P) and UI in response to public concerns: CL&P letter and UI request for technical meeting, open to customers and municipalities.
Read letter filed January 27 by the Connecticut Fund for the Environment and URI's position on United Illuminating's Tree Trimming and Removal Plan.
See filings by Northeast Utilities (CL&P) and UI in response to public concerns: CL&P letter and UI request for technical meeting, open to customers and municipalities.
Read letter filed January 27 by the Connecticut Fund for the Environment and URI's position on United Illuminating's Tree Trimming and Removal Plan.
Background and News Coverage re:
PURA TECHNICAL AND PUBLIC INFORMATION MEETINGS
DOCKET NO. 12-01-10, March 5 and 6, 2014
Click comments (listed as correspondence and organized by month rather than year) to read all comments submitted in this docket. Of particular interest, is the Connecticut Fund for the Environment's testimony arguing that ETT and ETR are in violation of Section 60 of Public Act 13-298.
PURA TECHNICAL AND PUBLIC INFORMATION MEETINGS
DOCKET NO. 12-01-10, March 5 and 6, 2014
Click comments (listed as correspondence and organized by month rather than year) to read all comments submitted in this docket. Of particular interest, is the Connecticut Fund for the Environment's testimony arguing that ETT and ETR are in violation of Section 60 of Public Act 13-298.
In its NOTICE OF TECHNICAL MEETING, PURA asked CL&P and UI to suspend use of Enhanced Tree Trimming and thus, removal of healthy tall trees, pending a final decision in Docket No. 12-01-10. Neither utility agreed to suspend use of ETT, and PURA has approved CL&P's refusal. (See Utility Responses below which includes PURA ruling.) The Technical Meeting was held at PURA headquarters at 9:30 AM on March 27, 2014, 10 Franklin Square, New Britain, CT. Click for PURA Press Release and NEWS COVERAGE re: this Technical Meeting and Utility Response.
The agenda released the day before the meeting allowed from some public participation.
UTILITY RESPONSES TO REQUEST FOR SUSPENSION
CL&P requested "the Authority's approval to continue with noticed ETT activities for which customer and municipal consents have been granted. In accordance with PURA's request, CL&P commits to suspend any ETT work (including appeals) to which property owners and/or town officials have objections pending a final decision in this docket." Click CL&P Response to read full statement and explanation. PURA ruled that CL&P may continue use of ETT. UI's response was submitted on March 14. It also does not agree to suspend use of ETT unless tree wardens and property owners have objected. PURA has not yet ruled on UI's response.
The agenda released the day before the meeting allowed from some public participation.
UTILITY RESPONSES TO REQUEST FOR SUSPENSION
CL&P requested "the Authority's approval to continue with noticed ETT activities for which customer and municipal consents have been granted. In accordance with PURA's request, CL&P commits to suspend any ETT work (including appeals) to which property owners and/or town officials have objections pending a final decision in this docket." Click CL&P Response to read full statement and explanation. PURA ruled that CL&P may continue use of ETT. UI's response was submitted on March 14. It also does not agree to suspend use of ETT unless tree wardens and property owners have objected. PURA has not yet ruled on UI's response.