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House committee hears testimony on bill to set 15‑foot vegetation standard for power lines
Summary
Representative Phil Green introduced House Bill 4,361 to clarify vegetation‑management standards and allow utilities to maintain vegetation up to 15 feet from the outermost conductor; Thumb Electric Cooperative testified the change would improve safety, reliability and cost efficiency but homeowners’ consent and compensation remain variable.
Representative Phil Green introduced House Bill 4,361 on the House Committee on Energy floor, saying the bill would amend the act that created the Michigan Public Service Commission to allow utilities to “maintain all vegetation for up to 15 feet from the outermost portion of the wire.”
The change, Green told the committee, responds to recurring outages caused by trees and branches that fall on distribution and transmission lines after storms and insect die‑off. Kevin Mazur, legal and compliance engineer for Thumb Electric Cooperative, told the committee the co‑op supports a statutory standard because it would promote “safe, reliable, and affordable power” and reduce…
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