TOWNSHIP OF MONTVILLE

RESOLUTION OF THE COMMITTEE OF THE TOWNSHIP OF MONTVILLE URGING THE NEW JERSEY BOARD OF PUBLIC UTILITIES TO READOPT VEGETATIVE MANAGEMENT REGULATIONS

WHEREAS, the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (BPU) has adopted new, stringent rules mandating the removal of trees in the conductor zones and boarder zones of electric utility Rights-Of-Way (ROW) in New Jersey, which essentially results in the clear-cutting of ROW conductor and border zones, and
WHEREAS, the BPU is currently in the process of re-reviewing these regulations, in response to the overwhelming negative reaction to the unnecessary, radical increase in vegetative removal along utility ROWs, and
WHEREAS, the Township of Montville clearly recognizes and supports the intent of the legislation and regulations to protect our nation's utility infrastructure, and
WHEREAS, the Township of Montville takes the position that the current New Jersey BPU regulations far exceed what is necessary to accomplish the legislative and regulatory goal of the protecting our electric utilities' infrastructure, and
WHEREAS, the Township Committee recommends that the vegetative management regulations be re-written to continue to meet the goal of the rules, however, with a common-sense approach to vegetative removal, that protects the infrastructure, while also eliminating the requirement to remove vegetation that is clearly not a present threat to utility infrastructure,
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Township Committee of the Township of Montville, in the County of Morris and State of New Jersey, that the Township Committee urges the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities to revise the vegetative management regulations 1) in conjunction with the less stringent Federal guidelines, 2) with a common-sense approach to vegetative removal, and 3) the revised rules encompass a waiver process that provides for the ability to make application for an appeal to vegetative removal in instances where residents within a ROW consider vegetative removal unreasonable and/or unnecessary.

Gertrude Atkinson, Township Clerk Deborah Nielson, Mayor

I, Gertrude H. Atkinson, Township Clerk of the Township of Montville, County of Morris, State of New Jersey, do hereby certify that this is a true and exact copy of a Resolution adopted by the Township Committee of the Township of Montville at a meeting held on July 15, 2008.

Gertrude H. Atkinson, Township Clerk /table>