Tree canopy goal, trees and overhead lines dominate City Manager's report to Council; Bowie, MD

City of Bowie - Weekly Status Report:
The Environmental Advisory Committee (EAC) discussed a possible Urban Tree Canopy goal for the City at their November 4th Regular Meeting. After much discussion concerning the amount of tree cover removed by BGE as part of the Electric Reliability Action Plan and the high number of unclaimed resident vouchers from the BGE program, the EAC passed a motion to adopt a statement to take to City Council. The statement endorses the concept of asking BGE to provide the City all, or a portion of, unredeemed vouchers. The EAC believes the resulting pool of funds could be used to support an incentive program for residents to plant trees on their lots. The Urban Tree Canopy study completed for the City this year indicated that the tree canopy goal cannot be met on public land alone and the most potential for implementing the goal is on private land.