PG&E Pipeline Project Could Uproot Hundreds Of Trees, Bushes In Citrus Heights
CITRUS HEIGHTS (CBS13) — A new pipeline protection project is causing some concern in Citrus Heights and in other cities as PG&E says hundreds of trees will have to be cut down.
"We grew this palm right here from a baby, it was like this tall when we planted it," said Matthew Devine.
But now he and his family are afraid their front yard palm may have to come down in an effort to make pipelines safe.
"To come in here and cut my trees down and replace them with baby trees, no it couldn't be the same, it won't replace it," Monica Devine said.
The utility says a large underground gas transmission pipeline runs near their property, and in Citrus Heights, about 250 trees and bushes may have to be removed.
The new safety initiative calls for removing trees within five feet of PG&E underground pipelines, even if the trees are on private property. They say the clearance is needed so emergency crews can make repairs quickly if a pipeline breaks to help prevent disasters like the 2010 San Bruno explosion.
Citrus Heights General Services Director David Wheaton says many of the trees needed to be removed were just planted along Antelope Road during a neighborhood improvement project the utility approved.
"Now to come back and say we need to remove these because we think there's a pipeline that might be impacted by the tree's growth is just incompatible," he said.
Many are concerned some of the trees slated for removal are irreplaceable.
"Certainly a 200-year-old oak would not be replaceable in our lifetimes," he said.
"If they want to cut this tree down they're going to have to fight with me over it," Matthew Devine said.
PG&E says they will pay the cost of any relandscaping and they will not move forward with removals until their customers are happy.
