Altadena Residents Share Concerns About Tree Health During Underground Projects
SCE’s Gorge Circuit Project Aims to Safeguard Electrical Systems Amid Community Concerns
Southern California Edison (SCE) is advancing its wildfire mitigation efforts by installing underground utilities in high-risk areas, but homeowners in Altadena fear this initiative may endanger local trees.
The project involves relocating overhead power lines underground, which has raised concerns among residents about potential damage to tree roots. Many of these trees, including those that survived last year’s Eaton Fire, are seen as vital components of the local environment.
The Gorge Circuit project is designed to protect electrical systems from extreme weather, particularly high winds that could lead to outages or wildfires. However, residents like Rob Steller are urging the utility company to reconsider its digging plans. Steller argues that the proposed trenches threaten hundreds of trees, including oaks, which are protected in Los Angeles County.
“What we’re trying to do is get some of the existing placements moved to more reasonable locations and to force Edison to change their design cycle so this doesn’t happen on all the future undergrounding,” Steller explained.
His neighbor, Nancy Robb, echoes these concerns. Following the devastation of the Eaton Fire, the surviving trees have come to symbolize resilience, and Robb worries that the safety-oriented project could inadvertently harm them.
“We just want to save our trees. We’ve lost so many of them,” Robb remarked. “Let us keep the few that we have.”
In light of the community’s worries, SCE has committed to restoring any areas disturbed by the work. The company stated, “Crews may need to dig, trim or remove vegetation and trees to safely access electrical equipment. Once the project is complete, crews work to restore the area to its original condition.”
Additionally, NBC4 reached out to the LA County Public Works department, which confirmed its collaboration with SCE to safeguard parkway trees and the urban forest in Altadena.
