Concerns sprout over chemical used to stunt trees by South Carolina utility

The Post and Courier, Charleston, S.C. --Dec. 22

A chemical that stunts tree growth is being injected into the ground around trunks under power lines on James Island, but there are concerns about the SCE&G pilot program.

Using the chemical paclobutrazol means crews don't have to trim tree limbs as often or as severely to keep them off power lines. It has been applied in research and commercially since the 1980s with few if any environmental impacts reported. It's also has been used experimentally to try to save dying trees.

But the city of Charleston won't permit its use until more results are reported.

Parts of James Island are in the city of Charleston and other parts are outside the city.

Santee Cooper has gradually reduced its use of the chemical. And at least one James Island resident is concerned about the possible effects on groundwater. The chemical slows tree growth at the cellular level. Side effects include smaller, darker green leaves that grow closer to the twig and more fine root growth. It's in a family of plant-growth retardants that have been used in the region along roads, at airports and in golf course roughs, as well as along utility line rights of way.

Crews have been applying the chemical since late fall in a loop around Fort Johnson, Harborview and Folly roads, said Robin Montgomery, a spokesman for South Carolina Electric & Gas Co. James Island has the densest concentration of trees in the SCE&G service area, with 125 trees per mile, Montgomery said. Charleston areas around it average 60-70 trees per mile.

"It's one of the more troublesome areas," he said. The stunting "helps us from the standpoint of our reliability as a company. Last year, we had a little bit of everything in our area -- hurricanes, tornadoes even an ice storm" -- that knocked trees on lines.

The area also is large enough to evaluate the effectiveness of the chemical after two or three years, Montgomery said. Thicker, greener trees and not having to trim them are benefits to property owners.

Sharon Trauernicht of James Island confronted a crew in a Fort Johnson Road neighborhood as workers injected the chemical into the ground near her parents' house.

"My main concern is putting chemicals into an area where a lot of people are on well water. Naturally, everybody is concerned about chemicals being injected into the ground seeping into the groundwater," she said. Residents weren't notified, she said.

"You should be made aware of it and given a choice -- it is your property. It didn't seem very upfront, not forthright."

Montgomery said, "We didn't feel prior notification was necessary. The product is EPA-approved and has been used successfully for years by other utilities. The bottom line is we have a legal right to maintain our right of way because we have a legal responsibility to provide electric service for our customers."

He said the company now notifies property owners before trees are trimmed and would evaluate doing that if the chemical is used more widely.

Gary Watson, a scientist with the Morton Arboretum research institute outside Chicago, has been using paclobutrazol since 1989.

"I've never known there to be an environmental concern for it getting down into the soil and the groundwater. I was told it moves very slowly if at all in the soil," he said. "It doesn't take very much of the product (to slow down growth). It's a fairly diluted solution."

He pointed out, however, that much of the research on the chemical was funded by the original patent holders.

Danny Burbage, Charleston urban forester, shares that concern. He's interested in the benefits for city trees such as richer color, thicker growth and more water-absorbing hair roots. But despite requests, he won't issue SCE&G a permit to use the chemical in the city until he sees long-term results of its use.

"All of the science I have read on it, 20 years of studies, indicates it is no problem for trees" and does not seep underground, he said. But, he said, "The studies were done by chemical companies."

Santee Cooper uses tree-growth retardants but has tapered off its use, said Laura Varn. "If they're used the right way they can be pretty successful. We've been more successful getting trees out of the right of way."

Joe Felder of the S.C. Forestry Commission said the chemicals are used "on a reasonably frequent basis" across the state but are too expensive for widespread use.

Trauernicht isn't assuaged. "They didn't think Agent Orange was damaging either. They don't find out about these things for years."

Montgomery said, "We're making sure what we're doing is something property owners would see as a benefit."

Anyone who wants more information can call the SCE&G call center at (800) 251-7234.

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