CenterPoint Energy Easement Clearing


Starting March 12th and continuing through March19th, CenterPoint Energy will be conducting site clearing operations from their transmission line easement on the UH Main Campus. The easement runs along Wheeler Street, from Calhoun Road to Law Residence Hall.

In the past, trees located with transmission line easements were pruned to keep limbs safely away from power lines. However, in 2003 a massive blackout in the Northeast was found to have been caused by the failure of an electrical provider to properly trim trees around their transmission lines. The blackout affected approximately 55 million customers in the Northeast and Midwest United States and Ontario, Canada. Due to this event, utility companies across the United States re-evaluated their policies for allowable plant material in transmission line easements.

Approximately 80 trees will be cleared during these operations. The trees recently planted from Hurricane Ike Landscape Improvements will not be impacted. Some of the newly planted trees that were part of the Cougar Village housing project will be relocated around campus. CenterPoint Energy will donate $10,000 to the University as a goodwill payment through their Transmission Operation�s Tree Replacement Program which promotes the company�s �Right Tree in the Right Place� program. The University will apply the donated funds to purchase new trees to be planted throughout campus.

For more information regarding this project, please contact Roger Warner, Landscape Project and Planning Manager, at 713-743-9671 or via email rwwarner@central.uh.edu.