EnergyNewswatch

Integrated Right of Way (ROW) Vegetation Management

January 10-11, 2024 | Live Streaming Online

Click Here to register $1195

If you are unable to attend at the scheduled date and time, we make recordings available to all registrants for three business days after the event

Electric grid and utility systems reliability play a pivotal role in ensuring community safety and well-being. However, threats posed by wildfires, storms, and unchecked vegetation can undermine system resilience. The EUCI Integrated Right of Way Vegetation Management course offers a systematic exploration of transmission Integrated Vegetation Management (IVM), with a focus on meeting regulatory deadlines and standards stipulated by State, Federal, and local authorities. Key takeaways from the course encompass:

• Utilities’ role in championing environmental stewardship along right of ways (ROWs)
• Project planning and forecasting techniques tailored to the realm of vegetation management
• Spectrum of tools within the IVM toolkit to maximize efficiency and effectiveness

This course equips participants with tangible insights that bridge the gap between theoretical discourse and actionable strategies, elevating the understanding of IVM’s pivotal role in ensuring grid resilience and regulatory compliance.

Learning Objectives

• Review the history of Vegetation Management and how we got to where we are
• Identify and explain FERC Standards in Integrated Vegetation Management
• Demonstrate how IVM and sustainability go hand in hand
• Describe techniques to manage right of ways in eco-sensitive areas
• Communicate pollinator health and identify the challenges
• Explain the benefits associated with an ecosystem – based approach to IVM
• Justify the value and necessity of environmental stewardship in the ROW
• Examine the positive and negative effects of herbicides in ROW
• Discuss how technology and data analytics are changing Integrated Vegetation Management (IVM) and Utility Vegetation Management (UVM) standards

 

Agenda

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 10, 2024

9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Central Time

Introduction to Utility Vegetation Management (UVM) and Integrated Vegetation Management (IVM)

• History and consequences
  • Northeast blackout
• Importance of vegetation management in the utility industry
  • Bramble and Byrnes multi-decade study
    • SGL 33
  • Rachel Carson/Silent Spring
  • Goodfellow
• Best practices in UVM and IVM
• Environmental and safety considerations

Regulatory Framework and Best Practices

• Understanding regulatory requirements for vegetation management
  • FERC
  • NERC
  • RM-43 (MD)
• Compliance and reporting obligations

Planning and Strategy Development

• Developing a vegetation management plan
  • Objectives
  • What’s out there?
    • Tree/Shrub
    • Compatible vs. incompatible
      • Is it a weed? Is it native or invasive?
        • Does it matter?
        • Seed bank
      • Indicator Status – what are the plants telling you?
      • Location, location, location
      • How to use what’s there to your advantage
  • Property owner buy in
  • IVM for habitat creation
    • Pollinators, turtles, endangered birds, bats, snakes, salamanders, rare plants
    • How ROWs can fulfill habitat requirements of each
    • Specific management examples
    • Assessing risk and prioritizing vegetation management activities
    • Budgeting and resource allocation
• Danger Tree or Hazard Tree
  • What is the difference?
  • How are they identified?
  • Species specific and general indicators
  • Invasive pests

Vegetation Identification and Assessment

• Identifying common vegetation species and their impact on utility infrastructure
• Conducting field assessments and mapping vegetation zones
• Identifying potential risks and hazards

THURSDAY, JANUARY 11, 2024

9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Central Time

Vegetation Control Methods and Techniques

• Chemical control methods (herbicides) and their application
• Mechanical control methods (pruning, trimming, mowing) and their effectiveness
• Integrated approaches to vegetation control
• Equipment and Technology for UVM
  • Selecting the right equipment for specific vegetation management tasks
  • Emerging technologies in UVM and their benefits
• Developing monitoring protocols for vegetation management effectiveness
• Tracking and measuring key performance indicators
• Continuous improvement strategies

Contractor Management and Collaboration

• Managing and working with vegetation management contractors
• Collaborating with stakeholders and local communities

Safety and Risk Management

• Identifying and mitigating safety risks associated with UVM activities
• Personal protective equipment (PPE) requirements
• Incident reporting and investigation

Emerging Trends in Integrated Vegetation Management LiDAR, GIS, and other technologies

• Project management tools
• Wildfire mitigation

Instructor

Ron Muir Jr, Transmission Vegetation Management Operations Supervisor

Ron Muir has over 30 years of vegetation management experience. He has worked for a large investor-owned utility since 2012, serving in various roles in transmission vegetation management. Ron currently acts as a Supervisor for Transmission Vegetation Management for rights of ways in a 4-state area in the mid-Atlantic region. He oversees vegetation management activities on over 1,400 miles of right of way, collaborating with in-house forestry specialists and various contractors. Prior to his current position, Ron worked for various utility tree contractors in the Washington D.C. and Baltimore Metro areas. During that time, he refined his utility knowledge while assisting private contractors and municipalities as needed with tree work near the utility lines. Additionally, Ron holds various certifications and licenses relevant to our industry.