MILTON, Del. - In a follow-up to a story first reported last month, people living in the Hunters Mill development are grappling with the loss of cherished trees, a result of actions taken by Delmarva Power to maintain power lines over neighbors properties.
As of Tuesday morning, Terri Morrison's beloved peach trees were removed.
"I'm feeling the pain right now because I don't know how to explain to the animals and to the trees that what's going to happen to them."Â
Delmarva Power, in response to the cutting down of Morrison's trees, has committed to replacing her peach trees, ensuring they are planted away from the power lines. However, neighbor Randy Lockowitz remains concerned about the future safety of his extensive landscaping investments, in light of recent additions to the power lines.
"My fear is what's going to come next," said Lockowitz. "They're taking out all the trees, regardless of size. What are they going to do in the next four years when they come through again for evaluations? I don't know if they'll put a road through here or not."
In a statement to CoastTV, Delmarva Power said that guidelines are set by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission for high-voltage transmission lines. The company goes on to say that, "It is extremely important to us that any impact to our customers is as minimal as possible."
More information on Delmarva Power's maintenance improvement procedures can be found here. Several other homeowners in the community await to have trees removed from their property as well.