Eversource to work on trees along multiple roads in Easthampton

EASTHAMPTON, Mass. (WWLP) – Eversource will be performing tree work in Easthampton as part of its ongoing efforts to reduce tree-related power outages across the state.

Crews will be working on trees on Plain, Hendrick, Brook, Holyoke, East, Clark, Parsons, Ferry, Everett, and side streets off of these main roads. By the end of the year, Eversource says they will have trimmed or removed trees along 25 miles of town roads.

Property owners do have the option to keep the cut wood. Tree maintenance is also the responsibility of the homeowners, according to Eversource. A professional tree service should be contacted to perform any work to keep branches away from the lower-voltage service wires connecting their homes and businesses to the main utility lines on the street.

“Trees continue to be the primary cause of power outages, especially during a storm, so identifying weak, diseased and hazardous trees along town roads and trimming or removing them before they cause a problem is critical,” said Eversource Vegetation Management Manager Christopher Gonzalez. “While we all love our trees, we have seen firsthand the damage they can cause to the electric system. Our comprehensive and consistent tree trimming program helps to improve day-to-day reliability during all types of weather and we continue to see fewer power outages where this work has been done – that’s why this work is so vital.”

“Our city’s budget for tree work is quite limited,” said Easthampton DPW Director Greg Nuttelman. “Eversource has been very helpful. It’s an important partnership managing declining trees around the city and helping keep our critical infrastructure, like the city’s drinking water wells that run on electricity, up and running by removing dead and dying trees that can, and have, knocked out power.”