SAN DIEGO, April 24, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- With
Arbor Day upon us, San Diego Gas
& Electric's (SDG&E) award-winning Vegetation Management
team is reminding customers and landscapers to plant the "Right
Tree in the Right Place" this Arbor
Day. When selecting trees customers and landscapers are
encouraged to keep in mind the future growth of the tree, and note
that as trees grow to mature heights they can interfere with
overhead power lines and, in some cases, underground utility
lines.
Before planting a new tree, and to ensure public safety,
SDG&E recommends the following actions:
- Take the time to properly select a tree that is not only
aesthetically pleasing but is safe to plant in your area.
- Keep water conservation in mind, and consider planting
drought-tolerant trees and vegetation on your property.
- Take the time to choose the planting site as carefully as you
chose the tree. Remember to always plant the "Right Tree in the
Right Place" for the best chance of success.
- Call Underground Service Alert at 8-1-1 to mark out underground
utility lines two days before digging. With just one call, you can
have your underground cable, water and energy lines marked out for
free. Failing to do this could result in serious injury or
death.
- Don't plant shrubs directly in front of utility boxes,
pad-mounted (box) transformers. Allow room for doors to swing open
when shrubs are fully grown. The law requires that 8 feet in front
of and 2 feet on the other three sides of the transformer must be
clear.
- Contact your city arborist, parks department, or public works
department to find out whether your city has guidelines for
planting trees, and whether a permit is required for planting trees
in parkways or public areas.
As part of SDG&E's commitment to proper tree care and public
safety and education, SDG&E is participating in several
Arbor Day events around the county,
including:
- Coronado Arbor Day (Flower and
Garden Show): Saturday, April 25
- Santee Arbor Day at Walker
Preserve: Friday, May 8
- Encinitas Arbor Day: Saturday, May 16
Additionally, as part of SDG&E's "Right Tree, Right Place"
program, customers may be eligible for a free tree removal and
replacement for incompatible trees that are currently being pruned
under the electrical high voltage lines. Customers can call
800-411-SDGE or visit sdge.com/safety to learn more about the
"Right Tree, Right Place" program.
For 13 consecutive years, SDG&E has been recognized as a
Tree Line USA® Utility. This program recognizes public and private
utilities throughout the nation that demonstrate practices that
protect and enhance America's urban forests. Qualification for the
certification includes industry standard quality tree care, annual
worker training, and tree planting and public education.
SDG&E is a regulated public utility that provides safe and
reliable energy service to 3.4 million consumers through 1.4
million electric meters and 868,000 natural gas meters in
San Diego and southern
Orange counties. The utility's
area spans 4,100 square miles. SDG&E is committed to
creating ways to help customers save energy and money every
day. SDG&E is a subsidiary of Sempra Energy (NYSE: SRE), a
Fortune 500 energy services holding company based in San
Diego. Connect with SDG&E's Customer Contact Center at
800-411-7343, on Twitter (@SDGE) and Facebook.
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SOURCE San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E)