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To help ensure safe and efficient operations, The Energy Cooperative has an ongoing need to maintain areas covered by easement, right of way, lease, or other land rights documents. Low growing vegetation allows for effective patrol, quick access in the event of an emergency, and also creates a well-defined corridor, reducing the risk of potential damage from nearby excavation.
Repeated mechanical clearing / mowing is often not fully effective for long term control of invasive or undesirable vegetation. Herbicides used in conjunction with, or in place of mechanical clearing methods promote desirable plant growth. Herbicides help foster biodiversity by promoting the growth of native grasses and wildflowers. Rights-of-way maintained in an herbaceous state have a positive impact on wildlife habitat including migratory birds, butterflies, bees and mammals. Herbicides are biodegradable and can be used to target unwanted vegetation such as trees, multi-flora rose or autumn olive without harming desirable growth. Herbicide applications minimize disturbance to landowners as mechanical maintenance activities may be required less frequently. Application of Herbicides is also less intrusive to wildlife in comparison to mechanical means of maintaining rights-of-way.
The herbicides selected for use by The Energy Cooperative have been extensively tested by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) before being approved for use. Furthermore, state agencies regulate herbicide application through the use of public notification requirements, mandated record keeping, applicator training, and certification programs.
Applications will not take place within maintained land use sites such as lawns, areas of active agriculture, pasture lands, or hay fields. Depending on the location of the rights-of-way and the surrounding land use, tractor, truck or ATV applications are used. Optimal herbicide applications are applied to the full width of the rights-of-way within one or two growing seasons after mechanical clearing. For subsequent years, spot spraying can be utilized to control undesirable vegetation and keep rights-of-way in an open meadow like condition.