There has been a groundswell of citizens concerned about poor tree maintenance practices and questionable herbicide usage by Com Ed along trails in DuPage County. They recently won a meeting with local officials and Com Ed to discuss these concerns.

Here’s an update from Don Kirchenberg, Chairman of Friends of the Great Western Trails and candidate for DuPage County Forest Preserve Commissioner (District 4):

“The public forum was the success we hoped for simply because dozens of citizens were able to attend a meeting to air their grievances about Com Ed and the collective governments failure to control Com Ed’s tree maintenance practices.

Thanks again to Governor’ Quinn’s office and staff for your assistance in getting the 12/14/09 meeting with Com Ed and the ICC which got us this public forum. Note Beth’s attendance at the public forum added a needed air of credibility and attention by the citizens and elected officials in the crowded room.

Of course without DuPage County Board Member (serving District 1 & beyond) Rita Gonzalez’s immediate response to the concerns of many about Com Ed’s tree butchering months ago we could still be distributing flyers asking the old guard for a response. Rita’s prior community work and leadership skills are assets that this county and the County Board has needed and benefits from today! Dirk and Tony who have also been very helpful with their support and work understand Rita’s value and more of the county is everyday.

#1 Com Ed still plans to spray herbicides and clear-cut everything including wildlife habitats on over 4 miles of the trails in DuPage County. They want to start later this month on both the Great Western Trail (2.75+ miles) and IL Prairie Path (over 1 mile) both in West Chicago to start. We want the trail group’s voiced questions to be answered before this program is started.

#2 The IL Commerce Commission needs to be proactive working for the consumer and property owners negatively impacted by Com Ed’s continued butchering and killing (over 3,000 trees on DuPage County’s trails were killed by Com Ed in 2009) of trees. In addition, environmentalists including the Sierra Club have spoken out about Com Ed’s bad practices and are also asking for a sustainable tree trimming program.

As noted in a comment during the public forum by the Mayor of Burr Ridge, IL Gary Grasso, their village was able to get Com Ed to agree to a healthy tree trimming standard. If a village of only 7,000 people can do it, then certainly DuPage County with nearly 1 Million people can do it as well. And of course the ICC now has a template (Burr Ridge’s work) to begin establishing a healthy tree maintenance program.”