POWNAL — Green Mountain Power expects it will soon have trees cleaned up that were felled and left on hillsides along Route 7 during recent utility pole work, a spokeswoman said Thursday.
“Tree crews will be cleaning up the remaining work in the next two weeks,” said Kristin Carlson, GMP vice president for strategic and external affairs. “We are also pursuing donating the wood.”
Downed logs and large branches were left on steep banks along a stretch of Route 7 north and south of the Bennington-Pownal line, the result of extensive tree cutting to clear more room around poles and powerlines.
After hearing from several residents that the situation is a potential safety hazard, the Pownal Selectboard voted Nov. 9 to write GMP requesting information. Complaints focused in part on people attempting to cut up the logs for firewood, prompting concern that parked vehicles could block the highway.
Carlson said the utility plans to work with United Way of Bennington and other local organizations to distribute the wood as firewood.
The pole upgrade project involved placement of taller utility poles farther back from Route 7 along several miles of the highway. Numerous tall trees were taken down.
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