 |
Land Management
Vectren strives to protect and preserve the beautiful lands that host our facilities
and carry our pipelines and power lines. We balance environmental responsibility and
our customers' needs for affordable, reliable energy by effectively managing the
environmental impact of our gas and electric operations.
Gibson County Conservation Easement
Manufactured Gas Plants (MGP)
Tree Trimming
Gibson County Conservation Easement
In 1999, Vectren, through one of its predecessor companies, purchased 1,100 acres of river
bottomland along the Wabash River in Gibson County. The property had been cultivated
historically for agricultural purposes, but crops were frequently flooded due to its
immediate proximity to the river. Vectren purchased the property and placed a permanent
conservation easement on the property and enrolled it in the U.S. Natural Resource
Conservation Service's Wetlands Reserve Program. This conservation easement permanently
restricts any development on the property.
To date, Vectren has planted 120,000 trees and 14,000 native shrubs on the Gibson County property.
We have also constructed hawk perches throughout the property to facilitate wildlife conservation
efforts in the rivershed area. Once the trees reach maturity, these types of reforestation
projects serve valuable carbon sequestration functions and act as localized carbon "sinks"
to help absorb greenhouse gases.
Manufactured Gas Plants
In 1999, one of Vectren's predessor company's, Indiana Gas, was the first utility in Indiana
to enroll its former manufactured gas plant (MGP) sites in the state's voluntary remediation program.
|
What's an MGP?
An MGP is an industrial facility at which gas was produced from coal, oil and other feedstocks.
The gas was stored, and then piped to the surrounding area, where it was used for lighting,
cooking, and heating homes and businesses. The first MGPs in Indiana were constructed in the
late 1800s. Most were closed during the early-to-middle 1900s.
|
|
|
|
Phase 1: Terre Haute MGP site in the mid-1900s.
|
|
|
Why are former MGP sites a concern?
|
|
Most of these plants have been closed for at least 50 years, and in some cases over 100 years.
In many cases, subsequent redevelopment of the MGP sites has removed or covered wastes that
were exposed at the surface. However, these sites often contain abandoned underground
structures and pipes containing coal tar or other MGP residuals. Some of these waste materials
(especially coal tars) may have migrated from existing/former structures and may be present
in the subsurface. Impacts to surface water bodies and their sediments are also common since
MGPs were typically located near a source of water.
|
|
|
|
Phase 2: Terre Haute MGP destruction and disposal efforts in the late 1990s.
|
|
|
Our Progress
To date, eight of the original 26 sites have completed remedial activities. Vectren recently
completed a $2 million clean-up of the former manufactured gas plant site located near Terre
Haute, Indiana's riverfront and Vectren's service center. In 2004, an additional five former
manufactured gas plant sites located in southwestern Indiana were added to the Voluntary
Remediation Agreement. Supplemental investigations and clean-up plans at those sites
are currently underway.
|
|
|
|
Phase 3: Former site of the Terre Haute MGP and the current site of the Vectren Energy
Delivery Terre Haute operations center.
|
|
Tree Trimming
The hundreds of species of trees that thrive throughout Vectren's electric service area in
southwestern Indiana are a source of tremendous pride and natural beautification. But as the
electric utility serving more than 140,000 customers in Vanderburgh, Dubois, Posey, Warrick,
Gibson, Pike and Spencer counties,
we have the responsibility to deliver power safely and reliably.
To protect our power lines, prevent outages and ultimately keep you safe, we must trim and
maintain the foliage in and around these lines.
|
Quality Tree Care
We have two nationally certified arborists on staff who ensure pruning practices are similar
to methods described in "Pruning Trees Near Electric Utility Lines: A Field Pocket Guide For
Qualified Line-Clearance Tree Workers" by Dr. Alex L. Shigo, and in compliance with ANSI A300.
These practices avoid topping, tipping, removing branch collars and leaving long stubs. Our
methods are monitored for safety, environmental impact and costs.
Our goal is to increase reliability of service by properly pruning and maintaining trees with
healthy root systems which ultimately leads to less decay and structural weakness and fewer
downed lines during storms.
|
|
|
|
Vectren employs tree trimming and pruning practices in compliance with the
National Arbor Day Foundation.
|
|
Right-of-Way
Vectren has the right and responsibility to access and maintain its power lines according to
right-of-way law. A strip of land, usually about 30 to 150 feet wide, containing the electric
transmission equipment is known as a right-of-way (ROW). A permanent ROW was acquired from
each property owner for the power line prior to its construction. The ROW, also called an
easement, stays with the title of the real estate as it is transferred from owner to owner.
The easement is held by Vectren or a Vectren subsidiary and enables Vectren to operate,
inspect, repair, maintain, or replace its electric equipment on property owned by others.
|
|
