LCO 3568 \\PRDFS1\HCOUSERS\BARRYJN\WS\2019HB-05308-R02-
HB.docx
1 of 2
General Assembly Committee Bill No. 5308
January Session, 2019
LCO No. 3568
Referred to Committee on ENVIRONMENT
Introduced by:
(ENV)
AN ACT CONCERNING VE GETATION MANAGEMENT ALONG STATE
HIGHWAYS BY THE DEPA RTMENT OF TRANSPORTA TION.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:
Section 1. (NEW) (Effective from passage) (a) The Department of 1
Transportation shall develop guidelines governing the management of 2
vegetation and tree removal along state highways. Such guidelines 3
shall include provisions for, but shall not be limited to: (1) Safety of the 4
traveling public, (2) general roadside vegetation management activities 5
performed by the department, including, but not limited to, mowing, 6
herbicide application, grassing, replanting, limb management, tree 7
removal and debris removal, (3) beautification and enhancements, (4) 8
visibility enhancement, (5) work zone traffic control, and (6) worker 9
safety. For vegetation management and tree removal, such guidelines 10
shall require the department to consider the environmental impact of 11
such work, including, but not limited to: (A) Preventing invasive tree, 12
brush or plant species growth and impact; (B) storm water run-off; (C) 13
erosion; (D) replanting of vegetation species to expand and improve 14
pollinator corridor habitat; (E) reduced mowing; and (F) the effect on 15
scenic highways or other similarly designated roadways. 16
(b) Such guidelines concerning vegetation management shall be 17 Committee Bill No. 5308
LCO 3568 {\\PRDFS1\HCOUSERS\BARRYJN\WS\2019HB-05308-
R02-HB.docx }
2 of 2
reviewed and approved by a licensed arborist if the services of such a 18
licensed arborist are available from a licensed arborist who is 19
employed at either the Department of Energy and Environmental 20
Protection or the Department of Transportation. 21
(c) The guidelines developed pursuant to this section shall be: (1) 22
Posted on the Department of Transportation's Internet web site, (2) 23
updated, as necessary, to comply with provisions of federal and state 24
law concerning vegetation management on state highways, and (3) 25
reviewed by all maintenance and contractor personnel prior to the 26
commencement of any vegetation management activity. 27
(d) The provisions of this section shall not apply to the removal of 28
any trees or vegetation that constitute an immediate public hazard or 29
any Department of Transportation construction project that constitutes 30
such an immediate public hazard. 31
(e) A copy of the guidelines developed in accordance with this 32
section shall be provided by the Department of Transportation to the 33
joint standing committees of the General Assembly having cognizance 34
of matters relating to the environment and transportation. 35
Sec. 2. (NEW) (Effective from passage) Not later than May first of each 36
year, the Department of Transportation shall report the amount of 37
funds the department allocated for vegetation management for the 38
remainder of the calendar year to the joint standing committees of the 39
General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to the 40
environment and finance. 41
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
sections:
Section 1 from passage New section
Sec. 2 from passage New section
ENV Joint Favorable