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Bellingham Select Board approves National Grid permit to remove 75 town-owned shade trees
Summary
After a public hearing, the Select Board approved National Grid's application under MGL c.87 to remove and prune public shade trees on identified circuits, with the utility saying 75 trees over 9 inches DBH were slated for removal and the company offering a small replanting program to the town.
The Bellingham Select Board on June 15 voted to approve National Grid's application for the removal and pruning of public shade trees under Massachusetts General Law, chapter 87, section 3, following a public hearing at which the utility described the scope and rationale for the work.
At the hearing, Joe King, lead supervisor for National Grid's Enhanced Vegetation Management program, said the work stems from a 2016 Department of Public Utilities directive to reduce tree-related outages on poor-performing circuits. King said certified arborists inspected trees along the circuit and recommended removals or pruning "to improve system reliability for residents of Bellingham." Ryan, the company's arborist, answered technical questions about diameter-at-breast-height counts and species selection.
Town officials and members of the public pressed National Grid on the number of removals. Staff presented the utility's list and explained it included roughly 120 stems on the inventory, of which about 75 trees were larger than 9 inches DBH and identified for removal; nine trees were slated for pruning. King said National Grid seeks to avoid unnecessary removals and typically offers any municipality a replanting program, with "anywhere from five to eight trees per town depending on the volume of work that we've performed in the town." He added that species selection would be coordinated with the town and that the company advocates the "right tree, right place" approach.
Board members asked for follow-up on replanting specifics and a timeline for public notice; National Grid agreed to coordinate with town staff and to confirm arrangements for an autumn planting program. The board voted to approve the application and authorized the chair to sign tree- and brush-removal permits. The transcript does not provide a roll-call vote tally in full; the motion was recorded as approved.
The company characterized the work as reliability-driven rather than aesthetic and said replanting and siting would be discussed with the town prior to planting. The board directed staff to work with the utility on public notifications and replacement planting plans.
What happens next: National Grid will proceed with permitting steps and coordinate a replanting plan with town officials; the board's signed permits and any required follow-up meetings will be available in the town files.
