Three months after a devastating ice storm, New Hampshire lawmakers are considering a bill that would make it easier for utilities to trim or remove trees on private property to protect their power lines.
Under current law, utilities need consent from property owners before they can cut. The bill would waive that requirement if owners do not respond to a written notice within 45 days.
Democratic Senator Margaret Hassan is the bill’s prime sponsor. Hassan says she wants to strike a balance between public safety and private property rights. Robert Johnson of the state Farm Bureau says the bill erodes those rights.
More than 400,000 state residents lost power during the December storm- some for more than a week – after falling branches damaged lines.