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91_SB1709
LRB9110727JSpcA
1 AN ACT to amend the Public Utilities Act by adding
2 Section 8-505.1.
3 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
4 represented in the General Assembly:
5 Section 5. The Public Utilities Act is amended by adding
6 Section 8-505.1 as follows:
7 (220 ILCS 5/8-505.1 new)
8 Sec. 8-505.1. Non-emergency vegetation management
9 activities.
10 (a) Until rules are issued pursuant to subsection (c),
11 in conducting its non-emergency vegetation management
12 activities in incorporated municipalities an electric public
13 utility shall:
14 (1) Follow guidelines set forth by the
15 International Society of Arboriculture in effect January
16 1, 2000 and any applicable Occupational Safety and Health
17 Administration or American National Standards Institute
18 standards in effect January 1, 2000.
19 (2) Provide no fewer than 21 days notice to the
20 municipality prior to vegetation management activity
21 beginning in the municipality. Maps or a description of
22 the affected area shall be provided to the municipality.
23 Notification shall continue until the municipality
24 requests termination. Requests by the municipality to
25 terminate notifications shall be in writing.
26 (3) Notify affected customers within the
27 municipality no fewer than 7 days before the activity is
28 scheduled to begin.
29 (4) Provide notified customers with a toll-free
30 telephone number to call regarding the vegetation
31 management activities.
-2- LRB9110727JSpcA
1 (b) A public utility shall not be required to comply
2 with the requirements of subsections (a)(2), (a)(3), or
3 (a)(4) when (i) it is taking actions to restore reliable
4 service after interruptions of service; (ii) there is a
5 franchise, contract, or written agreement in effect prior to
6 January 1, 2000 between a public utility and a municipality
7 mandating specific vegetation management practices; or (iii)
8 there is a mutual agreement between a municipality and a
9 public utility to waive the requirements of all or part of
10 subsection (a). The Commission shall have sole authority to
11 investigate and issue complaints against the utility under
12 this Section.
13 (c) By January 1, 2002, the Commerce Commission shall
14 establish by rule statewide standards for tree trimming
15 activities performed by electric public utilities. The
16 standards shall be based upon the guidelines set forth by the
17 International Society of Arboriculture and any applicable
18 standards established by the Occupational Safety and Health
19 Administration and the American National Standards Institute.
20 (d) Any municipal ordinance that imposes standards equal
21 to or more restrictive than the non-emergency utility
22 vegetation management activities established by this
23 amendatory Act of the 91st General Assembly are not
24 invalidated or affected by this amendatory Act of the 91st
25 General Assembly.