Section 170IAC4-9-7. Vegetation management standards

   (a) Utilities, their agents, and contractors shall apply and adhere to the guidelines of:

(1) American National Standards Institute ANSI A300;

(2) the National Electric Safety Code;

(3) the Shigo Guide; and

(4) the International Society of Arboriculture Best Management Practices.

  (b) There is not a uniform clearance requirement, but line clearances should take into consideration the:

(1) characteristics of the locality;

(2) electrical facility; and

(3) health of the tree.

  (c) Except in situations of emergency or public safety, if a tree would have more than twenty-five percent (25%) of its canopy removed, the utility or its agent or contractor shall do one (1) of the following actions:

(1) Obtain consent from the property owner.

(2) If the property owner and utility or its agent or contractor cannot mutually agree on how the tree can be trimmed to provide sufficient clearance in order to maintain reliable electric service, the utility or its agent or contractor shall take one (1) of the following actions:

(A) Remove the tree, at the utility's expense, as long as the utility has secured the requisite easements to allow its personnel onto the owner's property.

(B) Inform the customer that it will need to make non-ANSI standards cuts in order to provide clearance.

  (d) Brush that is under or near a utility's electrical facilities may be removed by the utility without the consent of the customer only when its removal is necessary for safe and reliable service.

  (e) Debris associated with routine maintenance, in a maintained area, absent intervening inclement weather that may pull crews from maintenance activities, shall be removed within three (3) calendar days or left on the property as agreed to in writing by the owner.

  (f) Utilities and their agents and contractors are not required to clear debris caused by storms and other natural occurrences like tree failures.

  (g) A utility shall file a separate report regarding tree-related outages by March 31 annually and whenever the utility makes a change to its vegetation management plan. The report shall include the following information:

(1) The utility's vegetation management budget.

(2) Actual expenditures for the prior calendar year.

(3) The number of customer complaints related to tree trimming.

(4) The manner in which complaints were addressed or resolved.

(5) Tree-related outages as a percentage of total outages.

(Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission; 170 IAC 4-9-7; filed Sep 27, 2012, 2:09 p.m.: 20121024-IR-170120042FRA; readopted filed Aug 2, 2013, 2:16 p.m.: 20130828-IR-170130227RFA)