[Trees] Update on IPCUTSOT

[Gretchen E. Knapp]

Howdy Concerned Citizens!

        For those of you who have been enjoying summer vacations, here is a
brief synopsis of IPCUTSOT activities to date:

        Illinois Power Customers United to Save Our Trees (IPCUTSOT) -- a brief
history

Summer 2000 --Utility Tree-Trimming Bill SB 1541 (Maitland/Rutherford) was
signed into law as PA. 91-0902.  This law was written to do what HB 1776
(Rutherford/Brady et al) does; however, there has been dispute over whether a
municipal ordinance would override a filed and approved tariff.

12/2000 -- Illinois Power files a vegetation management tariff with the
Illinois
Commerce Commission.  Illinois citizens react strongly, and the ICC receives
the largest amount of mail, phone calls, and e-mail in its history.

2/2001 -- IPCUTSOT forms in Champaign-Urbana under the leadership of Laura
Huth,
director of the Illinois Student Environmental Network (ISEN).  ISEN, a
non-profit organization, becomes IPCUTSOT's fiscal agent.  IPCUTSOT holds
public meetings, distributes informational leaflets, issues press releases,
circulates petitions, and raises funds to retain an attorney.  Citizens can be
represented before the ICC only through an attorney.  IPCUTSOT files to be an
"intervenor" (legally recognized voice in this ICC action) against the IP
tariff.

2/2001 -- IPCUTSOT representatives hold a public meeting in Normal Public
Library.  Six B-N citizens create the B-N "chapter" of IPCUTSOT.  They
distribute informational leaflets, issue press releases, circulate petitions,
and raise funds through selling yellow ribbons and "Save Our Trees" buttons. 
IPCUTSOT puts up a website, a listserv, and, for B-N, an email newsletter.  The
town of Normal had won a lawsuit and appeal against IP concerning
tree-trimming.  ICC held a hearing in B-N in 1996 over tree-trimming.

2/2001 -- The ICC announces that, due to public outcry, six public informal
hearings will be held across the state.  The first is in Urbana at the Urbana
City Hall.  Members from the C-U and B-N groups attend and speak at the
hearing.
        Rep. Rutherford quietly begins to facilitate meetings between the
utilities and the other intervenors in this filing.  Intervenors include a
municipalities group of  12+ cities, counties, and towns from Chicago to
Edwardsville, including Champaign, Urbana, Bloomington, Normal, and the
Illinois Municipal Association.  The Citizens Utility Board is an intervenor,
as are other utility companies, such as Commonwealth Edison and Ameren CIPS. 
All intervenors are invited except IPCUTSOT.
        IPCUTSOT begins to work closely with city, town, and county board
representatives. 

3/2001 --  IPCUTSOT rallies citizens and begins a "yellow ribbon campaign" in
B-N.  The campuses of Illinois Wesleyan University, Illinois State University,
and Heartland Community College display trees tied with yellow ribbons.  In
C-U, a "green ribbon campaign" continues as a fundraiser.
        The Mclean County Board is preparing to vote on joining the
municipalities group to oppose the tariff when Illinois Power announces that it
is withdrawing the tariff.  All ICC hearings are cancelled, including the one
scheduled for Bloomington-Normal.

4/2001 -- After a letter-writing campaign, the IPCUTSOT attorney is (finally!)
invited to participate in the Springfield meetings held by Rep. Rutherford. 
Home owners continue to complain about IP's aggressive tree-trimming practices
and its trespassing over easement limits, or claiming easements where there are
none.
        IPCUTSOT members consult with Dr. Alex Shigo, whose leaflet on utility
tree-trimming is claimed by IP as one of its authorities.  B-N's IPCUTSOT has
an extensive photographic record of trees trimmed by IP in Bloomington and
Normal.  These are shared with Dr. Shigo, who points out how IP has disregarded
basic tree-trimming principles.

5/2001 -- HB 1776, the new Utility Tree-Trimming Bill, passes both houses. 
Electric public utilities must follow local tree-trimming ordinances for
non-emergency vegetation management practices; however, the municipalities must
pay additional costs incurred in following standards different from those of
the utility.  The utility standards described in the bill are ANSI A-300 and
OSHA, which cover the safety and equipment of the line clearance workers, but
do not set out line clearance lengths or how trees will be trimmed.  The city
of Chicago is exempt from HB 1776 by a technical amendment and signs an
agreement (franchise) with Commonwealth Edison.

7/2001 -- HB 1776 remains unsigned in Gov. Ryan's office.  IPCUTSOT puts up a
new website (Trim Update) to keep the public informed about tree-trimming crews
current and future whereabouts (www.geocities.com/trimupdate).
        IPCUTSOT in B-N continues to hold monthly public informational
meetings,
and mails copies of a leaflet describing HB 1776 to neighborhood associations,
members, and local government leaders.  The Citizens Utility Board posts the
leaflet and new website on its site.  Media interest, including interviews with
WGLT, WILL-AM, and television stations, and letters in local newspapers,
continues.  

Future plans:  
        
        1.  Heritage tree ordinances for all municipalities and counties.
These
would recognize and protect (a) native trees identified by the IDNR's Big Trees
program, (b) significant nonnative trees (e.g. gingko), and (c) trees with a
particular historical significance (associated with an historical figure or
event). 
        2.  New tariff.  All the intervenors which attended the Rutherford
meetings are still under a gag order as to what occurred during the meetings. 
But we expect a new IP tariff and have worked with other friendly intervenors
on a possible counter-tariff.
        3.  Meetings with IP.  Representatives from the C-U and B-N IPCUTSOT
groups have met with Peter Millberg of IP in public meetings and privately.  We
requested information from IP, and received some answers, although not the
complete information we were seeking.  Future meetings with Millberg are on
hold as we wait for the next tariff as he is not authorized to negotiate, but
only to inform us -- of what we already know.
        4. Expansion of IPCUTSOT.  We are in contact with Peoria's citizens
group against CILCO (Peoria CILCO Area Residents for Trees -- Peoria CARes for
Trees) and the Galesburg Tree Commission.


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