97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2011 and 2012
HB3884

 

Introduced 11/21/2011, by Rep. Jack D. Franks

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
New Act

    Creates the Overhead Utility Facilities Damage Prevention Act. Provides that it shall be unlawful for any person to plant restricted vegetation within 20 feet of an electric utility pole or overhead electrical conductor located within the State. Provides that any restricted vegetation planted, whether by a person or by natural means, within 20 feet of an electric utility pole or overhead electrical conductor located within the State shall be subject to removal. Provides that any person who sells restricted vegetation within this State shall affix a label to each piece of restricted vegetation identifying it as restricted vegetation. Permits the Illinois Commerce Commission to adopt rules concerning the removal of restricted vegetation. Provides that it shall be unlawful for any person to interfere with an electric utility while performing vegetation management and removal activities. Also creates provisions concerning findings, definitions, and Commission enforcement. Effective immediately.


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FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

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1    AN ACT concerning regulation.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the
5Overhead Utility Facilities Damage Prevention Act.
 
6    Section 5. Findings. The General Assembly recognizes that
7it is a goal of this State to provide residents with safe and
8reliable electric service. The General Assembly finds that
9certain vegetation poses serious hazards to electric utility
10power lines. Specifically, the General Assembly finds that
11electric power outages related to the interference of
12vegetation are often caused by the planting of tall-growing
13tree species near electric utility power lines. As a result,
14the General Assembly finds that it is necessary to impose
15regulations regarding the sale and planting of these trees and
16to provide procedures for the electric utilities' maintenance
17and removal of such trees, which will reduce power outages and
18increase reliability of electric service.
 
19    Section 10. Definitions. For the purposes of this Act:
20    "Commission" means the Illinois Commerce Commission.
21    "Electric utility" has the same meaning as set forth in
22Section 16-102 of the Public Utilities Act.

 

 

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1    "Restricted vegetation" means any tree with a mature height
2that is greater than 25 feet as identified in the most recent
3version of "Manual of Woody Landscape Plants" by Michael Dirr.
 
4    Section 15. Restricted vegetation. It shall be unlawful for
5any person to plant restricted vegetation within 20 feet of an
6electric utility pole or overhead electrical conductor located
7within the State. Any restricted vegetation planted, whether by
8a person or by natural means, within 20 feet of an electric
9utility pole or overhead electrical conductor located within
10the State shall be subject to the removal procedures
11established pursuant to the rulemaking proceeding conducted in
12accordance with Section 25 of this Act.
 
13    Section 20. Labeling of restricted vegetation. Any person
14who sells restricted vegetation within this State shall affix a
15label to each piece of restricted vegetation that provides the
16following notice:
17        "It is unlawful for a person to plant this vegetation
18    within 20 feet of an electric utility pole or overhead
19    electrical conductor located within Illinois. Violators
20    may be subject to the removal of the restricted vegetation
21    pursuant to the removal procedures established under
22    Section 25 of the Overhead Utility Facilities Damage
23    Prevention Act.".
 

 

 

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1    Section 25. Rulemaking to establish removal procedures.
2Within 60 days after the effective date of this amendatory Act
3of the 97th General Assembly, the Commission shall initiate a
4rulemaking proceeding to establish rules regarding:
5        (1) an electric utility's removal of restricted
6    vegetation planted after the effective date of this
7    amendatory Act of the 97th General Assembly, including, but
8    not limited to, permitting the electric utility to remove
9    the restricted vegetation without replacement;
10        (2) an electric utility's removal of restricted
11    vegetation planted prior to the effective date of this
12    amendatory Act of the 97th General Assembly; and
13        (3) an electric utility's removal of restricted
14    vegetation planted by natural means both before and after
15    the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 97th
16    General Assembly.
 
17    Section 30. Interference with utility maintenance and
18removal of vegetation. It shall be unlawful for any person to
19interfere with an electric utility, including, but not limited
20to, its employees and contractors, while performing vegetation
21management and removal activities pursuant to this Act or
22Section 8-505.1 of the Public Utilities Act, including, but not
23limited to, tree trimming and tree removal activities.
 
24    Section 35. Commission enforcement. The Commission shall

 

 

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1have the power and jurisdiction to enforce the provisions of
2this Act. The Commission may adopt rules and develop
3enforcement policies in the manner provided by the Public
4Utilities Act in order to implement compliance with this Act.
 
5    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
6becoming law.