ATC awards $56,000 to 27 communities for planting projects
Community Planting Program recognizes communities for vegetation projects that help keep transmission lines safe and reliable
PEWAUKEE, Wis. – American Transmission Co. has awarded $56,000 collectively to 27 communities across its service area for the purpose of planting trees and other vegetation through its Community Planting Program. Vegetation funded through this program requires that communities plant trees outside of high-voltage transmission line rights-of-way, helping to keep the electric transmission lines safe and reliable.
“Now in its fifth year, the Community Planting Program has awarded nearly $300,000 to more than 175 communities for planting projects,” said Mark Davis, executive vice president and chief operating officer. “This is an initiative that we continue to be proud of because ATC is committed to helping sustain the environment that we all share. These communities also demonstrate their commitment to helping us keep the lights on by planting tall-growing vegetation a safe distance from transmission lines.”
In addition, recipients of the Community Planting Program commit to comply with ATC’s maintenance standards for all current and future planting plans and urban forestry activities near high-voltage electric transmission lines. The following Wisconsin communities received amounts ranging from $500 to $5,000 for planting projects on public property. Villages of Friendship and Somers received funding to support pollinator planting projects, as part of ATC’s pollinator initiative:
| Belgium | Dunn | Greenville | Marinette | Somers |
| Bellevue | Fond du Lac | Manitowoc | Outagamie County | Stevens Point |
| Beloit | Friendship | Menasha | Ozaukee County | West Allis |
| Biron | Gays Mills | Ho-Chunk Nation | Peshtigo | |
| Boscobel | Gillett | Kimberly | Rib Mountain | |
| Brooklyn | Grafton | Little Chute | Sheboygan Falls |
The Community Planting Program is part of ATC’s Grow Smart program, which advocates for and provides suggestions of low-growing, compatible vegetation that can be planted in transmission line rights-of-way. ATC will accept applications again for the Community Planting Program from June 1 through Sept. 30, 2018.
