When extreme weather or other natural events cause trees or other vegetation to fall on power lines and damage facilities, we cut trees and shrubs so that poles and lines can be replaced and revitalized. The removal of wood, branches or debris resulting from this type of emergency operation is the responsibility of the owner. Any person who intentionally and knowingly falls, digs, buries, destroys or mutilates a fruit tree or ornamental tree or shrub, bush or plant enclosed in premises that are not their own without the consent of the owner must pay the owner $15.00 for each of those trees, shrubs or plants. (c) The measures referred to in this article may be combined with measures for the intrusion, cutting, injury or removal of wood. Note: You cannot remove the entire tree if its trunk is on your neighbour`s property. You can only remove roots/limbs that extend to your property. Only qualified line clearing personnel should perform tree work around or near power lines and electrical equipment. Serious injuries and even deaths have occurred when untrained people have done this work without the help of qualified professionals. Please contact us to ask a representative to evaluate your application. Keep a copy of the letter and photos. If the tree falls on your property and someone is injured or property is damaged, you have proof that your neighbor acted negligently. There are more failures caused by trees or branches falling on power lines and power poles than by weather conditions alone.
Trees also provide easy access to our power lines for wildlife like squirrels. Squirrels and other animals on a leash are a common source of chess. (a) Any person who intentionally and knowingly falls, destroys or takes away cypresses, pecans, oaks, pines, cedars, poplars, walnuts, hickory or wild cherry trees on land that is not his own land without the consent of the owner of the land must pay the owner $20.00 for each of such trees or seedlings; and for any other tree or seedling not described above, so felled, blunted, belted, packed, destroyed or taken away by a person, he must pay to that owner the sum of $10.00. To prove negligence in this context, you must prove that they knew, or should have known, that the tree died and was likely to fall. You will also need to prove that they did not take the appropriate measures to prevent the tree from damaging your property. Alabama Power plans to regularly maintain vegetation along power lines to minimize outages caused by trees in or near transmission and distribution rights. We also depend on the help of the public. When people identify fallen lines or trees that touch power lines and act wisely, it minimizes the risk of trees coming into contact with power lines.
You cannot remove a tree if the trunk is on the demarcation line, unless you and your neighbor agree to the removal. Young vs Ledford, 37 Sun.3d 382 (Ala. 2009). It would be preferable to obtain this agreement in writing. We cut trees and manage our rights of way to protect the safety of our customers and employees and make your electrical service one of the most reliable in the industry. We also work with our customers to ensure permitted use under our rights of way that does not interfere with the operation, maintenance and construction of power lines. With over 80,000 miles in line to wait 44,500 square miles, it`s an ongoing responsibility. Learn more about rights of way and how we maintain or clean areas around poles, wires and structures. Under certain conditions, trees and branches can conduct electricity when they come into contact with power lines. If you see a tree that has fallen into contact with a power line, contact Alabama Power immediately.
No one should climb trees near power lines. Serious injuries or fatalities can result from climbing a tree and making direct contact with or too close to a live line. Typically, before work begins in a neighborhood, an Alabama Power representative knocks on doors and leaves notices in homes where trees need to be trimmed. A representative is also available to discuss tree pruning policies with clients. Much of our size and cutting is done during scheduled maintenance. In well-maintained or landscaped environments, our practice is to remove small limbs and brushes. The largest pieces of wood are cut, but not necessarily in lengths of firewood. In undeveloped areas, pruned vegetation and wood are left in place for biodegradation. We only prune or cut down trees when we have the legal right to do so and only when we deem it necessary. Our employees who manage our tree service contractors, as well as the supervisors of our contractors, are certified by the International Arboriculture Society. In other words, they are trained to know the right tree pruning techniques.
One of the most common categories of questions we`ve received on Law Call over the years is disputes between neighbors over trees. That is where we break the law with respect to these disputes. To ensure reliable service, we need to prune or remove trees along power lines. These practices are approved by internationally recognized tree care associations and are called integrated vegetation management (IVM). Trees can disrupt the power supply in several ways. For example, trees can grow in electrical equipment or fall on power lines, leading to failures. No, you have no remedy to force the neighbor to remove the tree. All you can do is inform them of the situation and get evidence of negligence in case you suffer damage. If you`re worried that a neighbor`s dying tree will damage your property, try discussing it with them. Occasionally, an owner makes the decision to make cuts or moves himself or hire a third party. Pruning trees around power lines should only be tried by qualified professionals.
Serious injuries and even deaths have occurred when unskilled people perform this type of work without the help of qualified professionals. As specified in the Occupational Safety and Health Authority (OSHA) and ANSI Z133 standards, an unqualified person is not permitted to operate within 10 feet of overhead lines with voltages below 50,000 volts. The distance increases with voltage for all voltages equal to or greater than 50,000 volts. Alabama Power cuts trees to provide reliable service to our customers. Planned maintenance is prioritized by evaluating reliability data, field conditions, and other specific information. There are cases when a tree needs to be pruned or removed outside of scheduled maintenance. When trees or branches fall and power lines fall, power lines that have fallen into the air or to the ground can still be energized. If you see a descending line, always assume that it is energized and stay away. Never touch or try to drive on a closed power line. If you see a fallen line, contact Alabama Power immediately. A VIM program assesses vegetation and determines the best methods of tree maintenance and removal to ensure reliable service.
The goal of our program is to minimize tree-related power outages in a manner consistent with good tree care practices. (b) Where one person is the owner of the land and another person is the owner of the trees on the land, the owner of the trees is the owner of the land within the meaning of subparagraph (a) of this section. Absolute. Before planting a tree or shrub, make sure the location is not capable and read our brochure “How do I know what to plant?”.