Dominion Energy defends tree removal in Fairfax County as safety and compliance questioned

FAIRFAX COUNTY, Va. (7News) — Dominion is back, cutting down trees in Fairfax County. Earlier, it was clear-cutting trees over its entire easement along a 4-mile stretch on the historic Washington and Old Dominion trail in Vienna and Falls Church.

Now, it's cutting down trees in Lorton, Virginia.

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"What their easement is, is 295 feet from the middle of the power pole over there, which comes to the pink markers they put down here," said Nick Firth, President of the Occoquan Overlook HOA.

"So they are going to come out on people's property and take down their trees?" asked 7News I-Team Investigator Scott Taylor.

"Correct," added Firth.

Dominion has the legal right to do it and says it has had several conversations with property owners and the HOA and has addressed their questions and concerns.

"There's no room for wiggle room. Negotiations. Explanation. Nothing," said Firth.

Dominion emailed:

We’ve never stated that NERC guidelines require clear-cutting of trees across an entire right of way. However, as a general rule, we cannot allow trees within our easements that are capable of growing too close to our transmission lines. Trees that could fall into or come into contact with those lines pose a serious risk — potentially leading to widespread outages and significant penalties.

Our trained forestry professionals evaluate trees, taking into account multiple, site-specific factors — including tree height, species, the potential for a tree to grow and pose a risk to infrastructure, and transmission line design for a particular area. This allows them to determine which trees are compatible and which present a safety risk.

As shown in the photos provided, there are still many mature trees standing within the 4-mile section of the W&OD Trail which we’ve been discussing. Those that were removed were evaluated and deemed a risk based on the criteria above.

Similarly, at Occoquan Overlook, trees removed were those that posed a long-term risk to our transmission infrastructure. While they may not interfere today, we must consider how they’ll grow in the years ahead. Allowing non-compatible species to remain in the right of way would create recurring safety and operational issues.

NERC does not prohibit replanting outright, and, in fact, per our previous discussions, we are evaluating re-planting opportunities with low-growing, native species along the W&OD Trail and working with property owners to do the same in Occoquan Overlook. NERC does require utilities to follow a robust vegetation management plan. It’s our responsibility to comply with those guidelines and manage vegetation based on the specific conditions of each transmission corridor, including conductor movement and long-term grid reliability.

I don’t have a vegetation plan to share with you.

Thank you,

Aisha

Aisha Khan

Media/Community Relations Manager

Powering Your Every Day. ℠

Dominion informed 7News multiple times that it must follow guidelines set up by the North American Electric Reliability Corporation, or NERC, when it comes to vegetation management to protect its electric towers. If it doesn't, it can face fines up to one million dollars.

The 7News I-Team obtained a copy of NERC’s guidelines, and we exchanged emails with NERC officials.

READ MORE: NERC guidelines

NERC does mandate that a company’s vegetation management plan needs to maintain the reliability of the electrical grid, but nowhere in its directives does it state a company must clear-cut trees over its entire easement.

It does mention that companies must prevent the blowing of vegetation into towers.

MORE | Va. leaders not happy with Dominion Energy's plan to cut trees on historic 45 mile trail

The guidelines do not restrict any heights of trees and don't ban the replanting of trees.

Dominion said it won't replant trees. Instead, it will use pollinator plants to create meadows.

7News has also learned Dominion creates its own vegetation management plan, not NERC, and Dominion's plan has never been made public.

Dominion has declined to give 7News a list of trees it's cut down, or what type of tree. It also will not send us a copy of its vegetation management plan.