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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 restoration time after major weather events.
The committee heard that setting a clear distance would reduce disputes with landowners and streamline vegetation management. Mazur said industry practice treats roughly 15 feet from the conductor as the practical standard and that codifying that distance would help with member education and contractor work. He described Thumb Electric’s service area as “12,000 members and over 2,000 miles of power lines,” and noted that limited crews covering long, forested rural circuits increase restoration times after outages.
Committee members asked how homeowners are involved. Mazur described an interactive process: the co‑op and its contractor mark trees and homeowners sign an agreement. He said some homeowners want extensive clearing while others resist any trimming; the bill’s proponents said a clear statutory standard would give utilities a predictable baseline to explain work to landowners. On compensation, Mazur said, “Oftentimes, there is not. We're a non profit cooperative. So every time we give compensation to 1 of our members, we're essentially taking it from the pockets of their neighbors.” He added that replacement plantings in alternative locations are sometimes used instead of cash payments.
Those who testified tied the proposal to public safety and reliability after ice storms, insect‑related tree losses (emerald ash borer, pine beetle, oak wilt) and large outage events described by Representative Green. Witnesses cited compliance obligations such as the National Electric Safety Code and standards of the Michigan Public Service Commission as the regulatory backdrop for vegetation programs.
No committee vote was taken on House Bill 4,361. The record shows support cards from utilities including ITC and Consumers Energy and from Thumb Electric; the committee proceeded afterward to other bills and a presentation.
The committee did not adopt statutory language at the hearing; testimony will be part of the committee record as members decide whether to advance the bill to committee action.
