Facts:

Safe, reliable electric power matters to all of us.

Electric Utilities, like all businesses, like to keep costs down.

Property Owners have rights guaranteed by the Constitution. Trees on private property, or in easements, remain the property of the Landowner. Trees in Cities - like Indianapolis - Right-of-Way (ROW) fall under the control of the Parks Department, which can authorize their trimming or removal.

Problems:

Placement of power poles next to ROW lines commonly requires trimming or removing trees standing on private property, not in a ROW, causing loss and damage to the property not in ROW and possibly the to the property value.

IPL (an AES company) —at least—has declared the “right to enter upon, and trim or remove trees from private property, at their discretion, to protect their equipment”, without obtaining permission from or being obligated to compensate property owners.

Property owners are commonly unaware of where Easement, or ROW boundaries exist on their property, and what their rights are in those areas.

Utilities are powerful. Accountability is minimal or very expensive (in court).

Solutions:

Utility "tariff" language overriding property rights must be rescinded.

Property owners should study their surveys carefully, and know where they have rights.

Proper, legal easement rights must be obtained for all areas where trimming needs to be   done. Compensation for lost vegetation, or loss of use of property must be paid at appraised values. Free replacement with acceptable plantings must be an option offered to property owners at utilities’ expense.

The viability of burying all power lines should be studied and pursued.