Mon, Dec 01 2008
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Published August 08, 2008 09:31 am - In an era where many municipalities focus on going “green” to help the environment, Tahlequah Public Works Authority has drawn some fire for cutting trees down for a sewage expansion project. City's growing pains raise concerns By TEDDYE SNELL TAHLEQUAH DAILY PRESS — In an era where many municipalities focus on going “green” to help the environment, Tahlequah Public Works Authority has drawn some fire for cutting trees down for a sewage expansion project.
The Daily Press received calls from a couple of residents near the Vinita Street sewage expansion project. The citizens complained TPWA wouldn’t work with them to save trees on their property easements. Jim Lindsey, engineer for TPWA, explained that no one property owner in the construction zone was being given preferential treatment with regard to saving trees. “Unfortunately, we can’t save all the trees,” said Lindsey. “I believe I know who it is who is voicing concerns, and the trees they’re talking about are very small, volunteer trees – not part of a landscaping pattern, nor are they very old. Those trees are also growing in the direct path of the new sewer lines.” One caller indicated some property owners’ trees had been saved when the contractor bored under them to lay the line, and wondered why that couldn’t be done for all residents in the area. “To save those trees is very expensive to try to bore under them,” said Lindsey. “We’re doing this in the most cost-effective manner. If we could, we would bore under the trees for the whole project, but it would cost more than the city budget. According to Lindsey, the Vinita Street sewage project is north of town in a high-density area, which was annexed into the city about 10 years ago. Afterward, concerns were raised about failing septic tanks in the area. “When we did a survey of the area, most property owners favored having a sanitary city sewer system,” said Lindsey. “This is last phase of this particular project. Our concern is for the public safety, health and welfare of the area, and by being annexed, our promise to the community is to provide them with city utilities.” Lindsey said this phase of the project costs about $500,000, half of which was provided by a grant from the Eastern Oklahoma Development District. “There are lots of positive benefits to being a recipient of that grant, and we’ve been as receptive to the property owners as we could,” said Lindsey. “A number of property owners have been very understanding, knowing that trees will be lost, and understand that in that area, there are plenty of trees to go around.” Lindsey said Tonto Construction out of Muskogee is the contractor, and that the disturbed property will be restored. “The right-of-way issues are critical to us,” he said. “We want to make sure the property is restored properly, including new seeding, laying turf, hauling off the brush, repairing fences and providing erosion control.” Lindsey was impressed that, when it come to the terrain, more trees hadn’t been lost. “There are just so many trees out there,” he said. “We’re not being selective; we’re just trying to save as many trees as we can. But the trench is very rocky, and it takes big machinery to excavate. And the path for those big machines is going to take out some of the trees we don’t really want to take out, but have to, to make progress.” 
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