Pennsylvania HB 2161: An Act amending Title 66 (Public Utilities) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in service and facilities, providing for tree removal agreements.

Bill Text

PRINTER'S NO. 2804
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No. 2161
Session of
2026
INTRODUCED BY SALISBURY, WAXMAN, FREEMAN, PROBST, OTTEN, HILL-
EVANS, HOHENSTEIN, RABB AND CEPEDA-FREYTIZ, JANUARY 28, 2026
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENTAL AND NATURAL RESOURCE
PROTECTION, JANUARY 28, 2026
AN ACT
Amending Title 66 (Public Utilities) of the Pennsylvania
Consolidated Statutes, in service and facilities, providing
for tree removal agreements.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Title 66 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated
Statutes is amended by adding a section to read:
§ 1513. Tree removal agreements.
(a) Agreements.--On or after the effective date of this
sub section, if a public utility determines that the removal of a
tree is necessary for the public utility to provide adequate and
reliable service to the public and that the tree is the property
of a city, municipality or municipal authority, the public
utility shall offer to enter into an agreement with the city,
municipality or municipal authority that owns the tree requiring
the public utility to plant a tree in replacement of the tree
removed. As a condition of the agreement, the public utility
shall plant the replacement tree within two years of the removal
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of a tree by the public utility. A city, municipality or
municipal authority shall not be obligated to accept the public
utility's offered agreement upon the removal of a tree.
(b) Replacement tree size.--If a city, municipality or
municipal authority accepts the public utility's offered
agreement, the public utility shall replace any tree over a
five-inch caliper utilizing the caliper inch replacement method
as follows:
(1) Each tree marked for removal is measured at the
standardized height and assigned a diameter at breast height
value.
(2) The assigned diameter at breast height value is then
halved.
(3) The halved value shall be the number of two-inch
replacement balled and burlapped trees necessary to replant.
(4) Appropriate replacement species and planting
locations shall be determined by the city, municipality or
municipal authority.
(c) Replacement fee.--A city, municipality or municipal
authority may request a replacement fee, equal to the assessed
value of the tree by a certified arborist, from the public
utility for the purpose of planting a tree, in lieu of planting
a tree.
Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
20260HB2161PN2804 - 2 -
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