Presentation Deck from DC PLUG webinar hosted by Casey Trees

1. Presenters: Maisie Hughes, Director of Advocacy Suraj K. Sazawal, Advocacy Associate
Emily Oaksford, Planning Associate
Guests:
John P. Thomas, DDOT, Associate Director of UFANathan McElroy, Pepco Staff Forester
Scott Placide, Pepco Engineer
DC PLUG: Burying Lines, Raising Questions
November 12, 2014

2. Welcome: Today’s Agenda
Welcome
Introductions
Background
What we know
What we don’t know
Q & A with DDOT & Pepco
Maisie Hughes ASLA, ISA Certified Arborist
Director, Advocacy
DC PLUG: Burying Lines, Raising Questions

3. Welcome: What You Will Learn Today
Maisie Hughes ASLA, ISA Certified Arborist
Director, Advocacy
The purpose of this webinar is to:
•Provide an overview of the District and Pepco’s Triennial Underground Infrastructure Improvement Projects Plan (DC PLUG)
•Identify what is known and unknown about the project
•Inform District residents how their community will be impacted

4. Introductions
Casey Trees’ mission is “to restore, enhance and protect the tree canopy of the nation’s capital.”
Maisie Hughes ASLA, ISA Certified Arborist
Director, Advocacy

5. Introductions
The mission of the Urban Forestry Administration (UFA) is to manage and increase the District's street trees to maintain healthy trees that provide:
improved air quality;
increased ground water retention that minimizes runoff and flooding;
temperature moderation;
aesthetics; and
other benefits to our community.

6. Introductions
Nathan McElroy, Pepco
Staff Forester
Delivering Safe and Reliable Electric Service

7. Background: D.C. Power Lines Undergrounding
This 7 –10 year undergrounding project is a public-private partnership to bury overhead
primary power linesto improve electric service reliability during all weather conditions
Suraj K. Sazawal
Advocacy Associate

8. Background: D.C. Power Lines Undergrounding
This 7 –10 year undergrounding project is a public-private partnership to bury overhead
primary power linesto improve electric service reliability during all weather conditions
Suraj K. Sazawal
Advocacy Associate

9. Background: Key Definitions

10. Background: Key Definitions

11. Background: Key Definitions

12. Background: Key Definitions
Suraj K. Sazawal
Advocacy Associate

13. Background: Before Undergrounding
Suraj K. Sazawal
Advocacy Associate

14. Suraj K. Sazawal
Advocacy Associate
Background: After Undergrounding

15. Background: Before Undergrounding
Suraj K. Sazawal
Advocacy Associate

16. Suraj K. Sazawal
Advocacy Associate
Background: After Undergrounding

17. Background: Why Underground Power Lines?
Suraj K. Sazawal
Advocacy Associate
Source: D.C.’s Office of the People's Counsel

18. Background: Timeline
Suraj K. Sazawal
Advocacy Associate
July 2012 August 2012 May 2014June 2014
Pepco and DDOT file their Triennial Plan with the District; the plan proposes burying 21 feeders in Wards 3, 4, 5, 7 and 8 during the first three years of construction
The Electric Company Infrastructure Improvement Financing Act of 2013 is enacted; authorizing the undergrounding of up to 60 of the District’s worst performing feeders.
The Mayor's Power Line Undergrounding Task Force is created to evaluate costs and benefits from undergrounding overhead power lines
Upset by the widespread outages caused by the derecho, D.C Council members, District residents, and Pepco begin discussions about burying power lines at a Council hearing.

19. What We Know: Triennial Plan
Suraj K. Sazawal
Advocacy Associate
Source: The Washington Post
•3 year proposal (2015-2017)
•Identifies 21 feeders in Wards 3, 4, 5, 7 and 8 to be buried
•http://oca.dc.gov/page/dcplug

20. •Reliability
–Reduced outages day to day and during severe storms
•Other Benefits
–Economic
–Forest Canopy
PEPCO: The Benefits of DC PLUG
Nathan McElroy, Pepco
Staff Forester

21. DDOT: Tree Preservation and Vegetation Management
•District of Columbia vegetation management is the responsibility of different parties depending on the location of the tree:
–DDOT’s Urban Forestry Administration (UFA)
–Owners of private property
–National Park Service
–Pepco
•Pepco’s foresters and UFA have a strong working relationship
–Industry standards are followed for pruning and undergrounding efforts
–Any trenching work carefully considers the health of the tree root structure and seeks to employ techniques to preserve them
•Pepco has been named a Tree Line USA Utility by the National Arbor Day Foundation
–Recognizes utilities that demonstrate a program of quality tree care, annual tree worker training, public education, tree planting, and energy conservation through tree planting

22. DDOT: Tree Preservation and Vegetation Management
•A UFA certified arborist will be involved through the DC PLUG initiative
–Each design will be reviewed by an ISA-certified arborist during conceptual design and at 65% design completion

23. Casey Trees Public Comments
Maisie Hughes ASLA, ISA Certified Arborist
Director, Advocacy
What we think about the plan:
•Burying all of the overhead lines is preferred, so that there will be no future conflicts with trees and overhead wires.
•Pruning for secondary overhead lines is less aggressive, so that is good news for street trees and their canopy. However, moving the secondary lines higher would decrease conflicts and allow greater canopy growth.

24. Casey Trees Public Comments
Maisie Hughes ASLA, ISA Certified Arborist
Director, Advocacy
What we’d like to see in the plan:
•Underground the lines in the roadwayto prevent the loss and/or damage to street trees.
•Determine the number of trees potentially impacted by this project AND develop a plan for rapid replacementof any trees lost during construction.

25. Suraj K. Sazawal
Advocacy Associate
Maisie Hughes ASLA, ISA Certified Arborist
Director, Advocacy
What we think about the plan
Pruning for secondary wires is less aggressive

26. Suraj K. Sazawal
Advocacy Associate
Pruning for secondary wires is less aggressive
Maisie Hughes ASLA, ISA Certified Arborist
Director, Advocacy
What we think about the plan

27. What we’d like to see in the plan
Plan does not specify where the lines will be buried
Right-of-Way
Roadway
Emily Oaksford, AICP, LEED APPlanning Associate

28. PEPCO: Tree Preservation and Vegetation Management
Scott Placide, PepcoEngineer
•Placing the transformer and switch manholes/vaults under the sidewalk:
–Allows ease of access during maintenance and emergency work
–Protects workers from vehicular traffic during access
–Avoids exposing the transformers to substances and chemicals, such as salt, used to treat roads during the winter seasons
•We must abide by minimum separation requirements from other utilities which are already located in the roadway

29. Undergrounding near mature trees could be devastating
What we’d like to see in the plan

30. Our Estimates:
•163 miles of feeder lines
•17,000+ trees along proposed routes
•8,700+ street trees could be affected during construction
The number of trees located along these proposed routes
Emily Oaksford, AICP, LEED APPlanning Associate
What we’d like to see in the plan

31. HILLCREST
Emily Oaksford, AICP, LEED AP Planning Associate
The number of trees located along these proposed routes
What we’d like to see in the plan
Our Estimates:
•430+ trees within the Hillcrest neighborhood
•1,530+ trees within Ward 7

32. A preference to bury the wires under the roadwayBury primary linesHERE!
Right-of-Way
Emily Oaksford, AICP, LEED APPlanning Associate
What we’d like to see in the plan

33. A plan for rapid replacement of any trees lost
Emily Oaksford, AICP, LEED APPlanning Associate
What we’d like to see in the plan

34. Casey Trees Public Comments
Maisie Hughes ASLA, ISA Certified Arborist
Director, Advocacy
What we’d like to see in the plan:
•Underground the lines in the roadway
•Determine the number of trees potentially impacted
•Develop a plan for rapid replacement

35. More Information about DC PLUG
Casey Trees’ Public Comments: http://caseytrees.org/programs/policyadvocacy/comments/
D.C.’s Public Service Commission: http://www.dcpsc.org/esr/Pepco_DDOT_ApplicationApproval_FC1116.asp
D.C.’s Office of People’s Counsel: http://www.opc-dc.gov/

36. Questions?
All questions should be submitted via the question box on the GoToWebinarpanel.