Meridian Kessler Residents and other Interested Parties:

On November 30, 2010, the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission (IURC) issued the Order in Cause No. 43663 regarding tree trimming (attached).  That Order initiated administrative rulemaking, starting with a technical conference scheduled for December 15, 2010 in the Commission’s Judicial Conference Room 222, 101 W. Washington Street (same complex as Hyatt Regency Hotel, east end, 2nd floor) This will be the first in a series of technical conferences to shape the rule.  At this first conference, the Commission will provide an overview of the rulemaking process.  We will then open the meeting for discussion on what issues should be included in the rule.

We request your assistance in crafting an issues list.  The rulemaking shall be applicable to electric investor-owned utilities, which provide electric service to a majority of Indiana customers.  As noted in the Order, customer education, notification, tree replacement, and dispute resolution are all issues that would benefit from a Commission rulemaking.  Based on the ordering language, the following issues will be included in the rulemaking:

A tree replacement program when trees must be removed by the utility.

Notice requirements prior to tree trimming.

Notice requirements for upgrading of distribution or transmission lines.

Dispute resolution between the utility and customer.

Customer Education regarding tree trimming and proper tree placement.

The following matters were resolved in the Order, and similar language will likely be included in the rule:

Debris removal.

Burying electrical lines.

Trimming by customers.

                  Securing Easements.

Safety clearances for all lines up to 200 kV.

Annual reporting requirements and the filing of vegetation management plans with the Commission.

Municipal electric and rural electric membership companies’ utility tree trimming practices.

For the first technical conference, please bring an issues list for the rule for those matters that are outside what is already listed above.  If you cannot attend the technical conference, you can email your list to me atdpoon@urc.in.gov anytime before the conference.

Please note, the meeting will last from 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.  Please do not bring audio visual materials or presentations.   This will not be a series of presentations but rather an informal discussion of possible rule sections.

Please feel free to contact DeAnna Poon if you have any questions or need any accommodations for the meeting room.

DeAnna L. Poon

Assistant General Counsel

Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission

(317) 232-6735

dpoon@urc.in.gov