O&R Suspends Transmission Vegetation Management Project in Blauvelt, Bardonia; Work to Resume April 21

PEARL RIVER, NY April 8, 2008 — In response to concerns in two Rockland communities about its state-mandated electric transmission line right-of-way vegetation management, O&R today has called a temporary halt to those activities in portions of Bardonia and Blauvelt.

O&R plans to resume work in those areas on April 21.

That work suspension will provide residents and local state, county and town officials an opportunity to further study the issues surrounding the work and the New York State Public Commission (NYSPSC) rules governing the process.

O&R developed and implemented this project to comply with an NYSPSC Order that requires electric utilities throughout New York State to remove all non-compatible trees growing within the easement area. O&R acquired the legal right to conduct maintenance work in these areas through easements that were negotiated with property owners when the lines were first built.

The NYSPSC promulgated the relatively new regulation in response to the Northeast Blackout of 2003 which was caused in part by a tree making contact with an electrical transmission line in Ohio.

As part of this work, O&R is removing tall-growing trees within the transmission right-of-way that present a potential risk to the lines.

The trees at the edge of the transmission right-of-way will be trimmed, or otherwise altered, as necessary to provide safety, line security and electric reliability for O&R customers. Those trees will eventually be removed but not until the next three-year maintenance cycle. Those edge trees are of the greatest interest to residents who are concerned that the work will affect the visual buffer from the transmission lines.