LIPA Wins 9th Consecutive Tree Line USA Award

LIPA Recognized for Support of School Spruce Up & Wire Friendly Trees Programs

Uniondale, NY - As Arbor Day approaches, the Long Island Power Authority (LIPA) is pleased to announce that for the ninth consecutive year it has received the distinguished Tree Line USA Award. The award recognizes public and private utilities across the nation utilizing tree-friendly practices that protect and enhance America’s urban forests. LIPA was the first utility in New York State to receive this award.

The 2007 Tree Line USA Award is sponsored by The National Arbor Day Foundation in cooperation with the National Association of State Foresters. The award was presented at the annual Tree Line U.S.A. and Tree City U.S.A. recognition ceremony and workshop, in Albany on March 27th.

On Arbor Day, April 27, 2007, particular attention is drawn to the important part trees play in our lives and the environment.

“Trees are very important to our environment, and LIPA has a duty to advocate for trees that beautify Long Island but do not interfere with overhead electric lines,” said LIPA CEO/President Richard M. Kessel. “Planting a tree is of no benefit to our suburban environment if we neglect to care for it or plant it a location that would cause it to interfere with power lines as it matures.

“I am very pleased that LIPA’s efforts to encourage smart tree planting practices and the use of wire friendly trees has been recognized nationally for nine consecutive years with yet another Tree Line USA Award,” said Mr. Kessel.

LIPA’s extensive line clearance program plays a major role in lowering the number of service interruptions experienced by customers during storms.

Every year, over 90% of all electric service interruptions result from tree or tree limb contact with overhead electric lines. LIPA spends over $14 million annually on its tree trim and Wire-Friendly Tree Program, which promotes the use of trees that will have a less adverse impact on Long Island’s electric wires, poles and other components.

Fallen trees can interfere with electric lines and cause serious problems or possibly power surges, fires, and injuries to people and damage to property. Serious injury or death can also result from children or adults climbing trees and contacting electric lines.

LIPA’s line clearance program trims tree branches away from electric lines, helps insure public safety, minimizes electrical interruptions and outages, and limits damage from severe storms. Most importantly it also provides a zone of safety in which line workers can do their jobs, especially during storm events when restoration work is done under hazardous conditions.

To learn more about LIPA’s Line Clearance Program visit LIPA’s Web site at www.lipower.org or receive a brochure on LIPA’s Forestry Program call 1-800-490-0075.

To learn more about the National Arbor Day Foundation, its Tree Line Award program, and how to properly plant and care for trees go to www.arborday.org.

United Way of Long Island, together with our community partners, is committed to changing the lives of Long Islanders by investing in improving access to health care, supporting children and youth, reducing hunger and assisting our neighbors in need. For more information, visit http://www.unitedwayli.org.

LIPA, a non-profit municipal electric provider, owns the retail electric Transmission and Distribution System on Long Island and provides electric service to more than 1.1 million customers in Nassau and Suffolk counties and the Rockaway Peninsula in Queens. LIPA is the 2nd largest municipal electric utility in the nation in terms of electric revenues, 3rd largest in terms of customers served and the 7th largest in terms of electricity delivered. In 2010, LIPA outperformed all other overhead electric utilities in New York State for frequency of service interruptions, and ranked second for duration of service interruptions. LIPA does not provide natural gas service or own any on-island generating assets. More information about LIPA can be found online at: http://www.lipower.org.

Media Contact Information
Mark Gross
Phone - (516) 719-9892
Media Pager - (516) 229-7248
media.relations@lipower.org

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