Removal of dead and diseased trees in 2024
has already surpassed 2023
HOLMDEL,
N.J., Oct. 7, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Jersey
Central Power & Light (JCP&L), a subsidiary of FirstEnergy
Corp. (NYSE: FE), has removed an increasing number of dead and
diseased ash trees in portions of its New
Jersey service territory this year as part of an effort to
reduce power outages caused by at-risk trees near power lines.
So far in 2024, JCP&L arborists have identified and removed
more than 7,000 vulnerable ash trees, almost exclusively in
northern New Jersey. Throughout
all of Sussex County and portions
of northern Warren County, 3,275
ash trees have been cut down.
Doug Mokoid, FirstEnergy's
President, New Jersey: "The
devastating effects of the Emerald Ash Borer are scarring
New Jersey's environment and
increasing the risk these dead and dying trees pose to our power
lines and equipment. Proactive removal efforts are a vital part of
ensuring that our customers continue to receive the safe and
reliable electric service that they expect from us."
The Emerald Ash Borer is an invasive insect that infests and can
kill every species of ash tree in North
America. It was first detected in New Jersey in 2014, and the New Jersey
Department of Agriculture estimates that approximately 9% of the
state's total forested area, or 24.7 million ash trees, are
susceptible to the insect. While commonly planted along streets in
cities and towns across the state, most ash trees are concentrated
in the northwestern portion of New
Jersey.
Since mitigation efforts began in 2017, JCP&L's certified
arborists have identified and removed more than 64,000 dead and
diseased ash trees. Sussex,
Warren and Hunterdon counties have seen the most
activity, with nearly 15,000 trees taken down in Sussex and Warren and more than 17,000 removed in
Hunterdon and portions of western
Somerset County.
To learn more about JCP&L's vegetation management
efforts, visit firstenergycorp.com/trees.
The efforts are an extension of JCP&L's efforts to address
tree-related outages through vegetation management. Each year, the
company spends at least $32.4 million
to trim trees and manage vegetation in its rights-of-way along
thousands of miles of power lines. However, 86% of tree-related
outages in JCP&L's service territory in 2023 were caused by
trees outside of these rights-of-way. If you believe a tree
poses a risk to power lines, you can report it on JCP&L's
website, and company foresters can assess the situation.
As part of the company's commitment to environmental
stewardship, JCP&L Green Team volunteers have planted and
donated more than 2,500 trees in the state this year, and more than
7,000 trees over the past three years. These teams plant hardy
species that are more resistant to pests and disease in areas that
won't impact the electric system. The work compliments efforts by
company volunteers across FirstEnergy's footprint, who have planted
and donated more than 91,000 trees since 2020.
JCP&L serves 1.1 million customers in the counties of
Burlington, Essex, Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, Morris, Ocean, Passaic, Somerset, Sussex, Union
and Warren. Follow JCP&L on X
@JCP_L, on Facebook at facebook.com/JCPandL or online at
jcp-l.com.
FirstEnergy is dedicated to integrity, safety, reliability and
operational excellence. Its electric distribution companies form
one of the nation's largest investor-owned electric systems,
serving customers in Ohio,
Pennsylvania, New Jersey, West
Virginia, Maryland and
New York. The company's
transmission subsidiaries operate approximately 24,000 miles of
transmission lines that connect the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic
regions. Follow FirstEnergy on X @FirstEnergyCorp or
online at firstenergycorp.com.
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SOURCE FirstEnergy Corp.