Bill > A4789

Introduced Session

This bill requires electric public utilities to develop and submit to the Board of Public Utilities (board) a vegetation management plan within six months of the bill's enactment. The plan is required to, at a minimum: (1) identify on a map those areas in need of vegetation management; (2) describe the type of vegetation management required at each of the identified areas; and (3) provide a timeframe for when vegetation management action will be taken at each of the identified areas. In addition, the bill requires an electric public utility to annually maintain and submit its vegetation management plan to the board. Under the bill, the board is required determine criteria for "dangerous vegetation," which is required to, at a minimum, include a tree, shrub, plant, or any other vegetation growing in, near, or adjacent to an electric public utility's right of way, and the electric distribution and transmission system, but not including a service line to an individual customer, which may include an electric distribution line, as determined by the electric public utility or local government entity that controls the right of way. The board is also required to establish criteria for a vegetation management plan, approve or reject a plan within 60 days of its submission to the board, and establish an appeal process for electric public utilities whose plans have been rejected by the board. Additionally, the bill defines "vegetation management" as the clearing, moving, cutting, or destroying to remove, replace as reasonable and necessary, or maintain dangerous vegetation.

Committee Categories

Alex Sauickie (R)*,  Dawn Fantasia (R), 

Introduced, Referred to Assembly Telecommunications and Utilities Committee (on 09/19/2024)

Official Document