Pacific Gas and Electric Company is preparing to resume its controversial pipeline work near Chico in coming months. It’s vowing to take a softer approach after raising public ire in the region earlier this year.
The effort generated consternation, condemnation and eventually a weeks-long standoff in Oroville as locals unsuccessfully tried protecting a stand of sycamores from the saw.
Dozens of angered locals faced off with company reps at two meetings about the roll out of safety plans near Chico that involved chopping down scores of trees.
“Quite honestly, we recognize that we did a lot of things not as well as we could have or should have,” says Jeff Smith, a PG&E spokesman. “We didn’t explain the program adequately to folks, we’ve made some changes to the program around the margins, just in terms of how we communicate it.”
The company says it is only trying to reduce the potential hazards to its natural gas transmission lines posed by tree roots. But critics say no pipeline failure has ever been linked to roots. When pressed, Smith didn’t contradict this.
The company has been focusing efforts in Colusa, Sutter, Tehama and Yuba Counties over recent months. Smith stated that the company has proceeded without opposition.
Smith said PG&E has eased its guidelines. Rather than remove, Smith says the company will now study and monitor trees between five and 10 feet from a pipe. The company will still seek removal of trees within five feet of a pipeline.
The company has winnowed its list of problem trees on privately owned land in Chico from 86 down to 33. Smith said letters will go out to property owners this fall, but he insisted, PG&E won’t remove any tree without an owners’ blessing.
The issue goes before the Bidwell Park and Playground commission on the Aug. 31.