CONNECTICUT DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION NEWS RELEASE 2800 BERLIN TURNPIKE P.O. BOX 317546 NEWINGTON CONNECTICUT, 06131-7456

FOR RELEASE: January 29, 2013

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: OFFICE OF COMMUNICATIONS TELEPHONE: (860) 594-3062 FAX: (860) 594-3065 WEB SITE: www.ct.gov/dot

Tree Removal Planned Along New Haven Rail Line in Greenwich & Stamford

To Minimize Future Rail, Residential and Commercial Power Disruptions

          The Connecticut Department of Transportation (DOT), Metro-North Railroad and Connecticut Light and Power Company (CL&P) today announced a tree-removal program along the New Haven commuter rail line in Greenwich and Stamford in an effort to minimize future train service disruptions and neighborhood power outages like the ones that resulted from three major storms in the past year.

          Crews will be out shortly to identify trees and limbs for removal, many of which are on state-owned right of way along the tracks and others are on private property. The actual tree cutting and limb removal will begin in early February. The lines along the railroad supply power to the trains as well as neighboring homes and businesses.

          “Power and service disruptions are a major source of aggravation for commuters, not to mention businesses and homeowners, and a major expense for all of us when they occur,” said DOT Commissioner James P. Redeker. “Anything we can do to minimize these events should be done.”

           “Trees are the number one cause of power outages, so this initiative is crucial for the reliability of the electric system,” said Ken Bowes, CL&P Vice President of Energy Delivery Service.  “We look forward to this collaborative effort with CDOT, Metro-North and the towns on this project to improve power reliability for our customers in Greenwich and Stamford.”

         As part of the program, CL&P will organize public outreach involving discussion with local municipal leaders and those property owners along the railroad right of way. Notifications and review of the required work with the property owners and those whose property abuts the area will commence during the week of February 4, 2013. The work itself is scheduled to begin Thursday, February 7. Greenwich First Selectman Peter Tesei has signaled his support for the operation.

         "Following the August 2012 storm that caused a tree to disrupt the power supply to the Town of Greenwich, the Greenwich Board of Selectmen asked CL&P to address the circumstances and to determine what steps could be taken to ameliorate the problem going forward,” the First Selectman said. “CL&P, working with the various stakeholders including our Tree Warden Bruce Spaman, has produced a sensible, collaborative plan that will help ensure a stable power supply to our citizens, businesses and rail commuters.”

         The tree work will be scheduled between Thursday and Tuesday, weekends included, for several weeks. After the Stamford and Greenwich work, plans will be developed for similar tree operations along the line all the way to New Haven through the spring.