pepcoholdings.com

FACT SHEET

ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP & SUSTAINABILITY:

VEGETATION MANAGEMENT ONRIGHTS-OF-WAY

A reliable supply of electricity is essential to the safety,security, economy and welfare of our nation and thecommunities where we live and work. To ensure the safeand reliable delivery of electricity to our customers, PHImust manage vegetation near its transmission anddistribution lines and other facilities to preventinterruptions, blackouts and wildfires. PHI’s regulatedpower delivery operations are required to maintaintransmission and distribution rights-of-way so that trees,shrubs and other vegetation do not pose preventablehazards to power lines, poles or other facilities. PHI uses“best practices” to manage vegetation around electricityinfrastructure, selecting among mechanical, chemical(herbicides), cultural, and biological control methods forthe most suitable approach to meeting safety andreliability needs while maintaining or improving habitatsfor the region’s indigenous flora and fauna. PHI employsprofessional, certified foresters and arborists to administertheir vegetation management program.

VEGETATION MANAGEMENT:THE BASICS

� Utilities maintain right-of-way lands on a regular basisin order to provide for the safe transmission anddistribution of electricity.

� Utilities must identify and utilize the most direct, leastintrusive route possible when constructing power lines,in order to minimize both the amount of land used andany environmental impact.

� Trees and other vegetation beneath power lines mustbe properly maintained to avoid causing interruptionsof electric service by growing into, falling through orknocking down power lines.

� In cooperation with federal, state, and local authorities,PHI, like most utilities, implements integratedvegetation management strategies to minimize overallrisk to people and the environment while providingsafe and reliable electric service.

HOW DOES PHI MANAGE VEGETATIONNEAR ITS POWER LINES?

� PHI carefully selects vegetation management practicesthat balance environmental concerns, public needs,safety and cost-effectiveness.

� PHI partners with state, regional and local groups tocreate and maintain numerous natural habitats on itsrights-of-way.

� PHI minimizes the use of EPA-approved herbicidesthrough the selection and use of proper applicationmethods, equipment and technology.

pepcoholdings.com

� PHI promotes native flora and fauna throughintergrated vegetation management of ourrights-of-way;

� PHI enhances vegetation management projectsthrough cultivation or planting of compatible nativevegetation;

� PHI protects native rare species populations that couldotherwise be impacted by rights-of-way establishment,construction or maintenance;

� PHI manages rights-of-way areas to maintain wildlifehabitat and protect threatened and endangeredspecies habitat; and

� PHI reduces the introduction and control the spread ofnonnative invasive species or noxious weeds in rights-of-way and adjacent lands.

Recognized Excellence

� All PHI utilities (Atlantic City Electric, Delmarva Powerand Pepco) are active in community outreach andeducational efforts to promote its Right Tree, RightPlace initiative. Right Tree, Right Place advocatesplanting each tree species where it will thrive andnot planting large species where they will interferewith power lines once they reach mature height.

� All PHI utilities have been namedTree Line USA Utilities by theArbor Day Foundation. The TreeLine program is sponsored by thefoundation in cooperation with the NationalAssociation of State Foresters. It recognizes utilitiesthat demonstrate a program of quality tree care,annual tree worker training, public education, treeplanting, and energy conservation through treeplanting.

� PHI has longstanding commitments to vegetationmanagement and green infrastructure efforts to helppromote the sequestration of carbon dioxide by treesand other vegetation to stabilize and gradually reducegreenhouse gas emissions.