9 19 24 West Orange BOA ZB 24 06 PSEG Full size

Page 21 1 importance. So having trees mature or otherwise 2 directly next to power utilities can be problematic in 3 time. So they have those standards that they rely on 4 as they are beholden to additional regulation. 5 BOARD MEMBER SCOTT: Of course. Thank you. 6 And we're discussing critical infrastructure and we all 7 need that infrastructure, so I understand -- 8 CHAIRMAN NEUER: Mr. Scott -- 9 BOARD MEMBER SCOTT: Yes? 10 CHAIRMAN NEUER: A little louder. 11 BOARD MEMBER SCOTT: Oh, thank you. 12 Unfortunately I don't have a standing mic in front of 13 me, but can you hear me now? 14 CHAIRMAN NEUER: Better. 15 BOARD MEMBER SCOTT: Okay. What I was 16 saying was, yes, this is critical infrastructure, Mr. 17 Futey, and we understand that it has to be kept safe. 18 To your knowledge has there been any 19 reports that the trees that exist on that site 20 presently on the substation have caused problems that 21 are dangerous? 22 THE WITNESS: I'm not aware of any. 23 BOARD MEMBER SCOTT: Thank you. So the 24 fact that they're there has not caused a problem to 25 date. I believe the last time it was testified that

Page 22 1 that station has been there for 90 years or more? 2 THE WITNESS: Well, I can't really speak to 3 the whole history of the station. I have been 4 contracted really only for this application. So I can 5 really only speak to my involvement of it. And to my 6 knowledge and what the project team has informed me of 7 I don't know of any issues. 8 BOARD MEMBER SCOTT: Thank you. And when 9 it comes to cooling and shade -- and maybe this is not 10 a question for you. It may be for someone else but you 11 can answer it. Does -- this is a power station and we 12 have been getting warmer, as we all know due to climate 13 change. We've had a couple of hundred-degree days this 14 year. Does the shade protect in covering these 15 substations? Does that provide any type of assistance, 16 help to the substation itself? Is it beneficial? 17 THE WITNESS: For the substation I can't 18 really speak to the electrical equipment and the impact 19 it might have. I can tell you just based on the 20 placement of the trees in relation to the electrical 21 equipment we're talking -- the trees are primarily on 22 the south, pretty far away from the equipment, and the 23 east on Prospect Avenue. So they're not really 24 providing any shade of the electrical equipment today. 25 That would -- because the sun really when it's at its

Page 23 1 warmest is going to be at the south and the southwest 2 is when you get your afternoon sun. That's really when 3 it's coming across Mount Pleasant Avenue and you're 4 really not getting any shade onto the equipment. 5 BOARD MEMBER SCOTT: Thank you. You said 6 that you have personally not worked on any projects 7 with PSE&G that cut down trees that were larger than 40 8 diameter; is that right? 9 THE WITNESS: Trees have been removed on 10 the projects that I've been on. In terms of 40 inches 11 or not I think we've been probably pretty close but I 12 can't speak to that exact number. 13 BOARD MEMBER SCOTT: Would you say it's 14 common practice for PSE&G to cut down trees that are 40 15 inches in diameter? 16 THE WITNESS: Only if it conflicts with the 17 proposed work. 18 BOARD MEMBER SCOTT: As Mr. Neuer and 19 myself said, we both visited the site. Can I ask how 20 many times you've visited the site, Mr. Futey? 21 THE WITNESS: I have not. Members of my 22 team have. 23 BOARD MEMBER SCOTT: Do you know how many 24 times they visited the site? 25 THE WITNESS: It was a number of times. I

Page 24 1 don't have the exact number. 2 BOARD MEMBER SCOTT: Do you know what time 3 of year it was that they visited the site? 4 THE WITNESS: The first time -- I believe 5 it was fall that I know of. There were a couple of 6 visits I know but I don't have the exact dates. 7 BOARD MEMBER SCOTT: So if it was in the 8 fall it's possible that the trees were already bare? 9 THE WITNESS: I don't believe so. No. 10 They evaluated it based on what they saw. And you can 11 also tell the health of a tree without all the leaves 12 on the branches. You can tell by the amount of dead 13 wood on it. You can tell if they're suffering or not. 14 BOARD MEMBER SCOTT: And did you perform a 15 health check on all of the trees or your team? 16 THE WITNESS: I worked with my team in 17 terms of evaluating the plant. 18 BOARD MEMBER SCOTT: And your results were? 19 THE WITNESS: They're reflected in the tree 20 removal plan. 21 BOARD MEMBER SCOTT: Were you instructed, 22 and if so by whom, to create the 8-foot tall perimeter 23 fence? 24 THE WITNESS: No. That's not in my scope 25 of this project.

Page 25 1 BOARD MEMBER SCOTT: I see. That was not 2 you. That was someone else? 3 THE WITNESS: Correct. 4 BOARD MEMBER SCOTT: Would that be the 5 engineer? 6 THE WITNESS: Yes. It's an engineering 7 item. 8 BOARD MEMBER SCOTT: Thank you. And did 9 you inform anyone that the construction of the new 10 perimeter fence would necessitate the cutting down of 11 the trees on the perimeter itself? 12 THE WITNESS: There was a conversation. We 13 do have the demo, the demolition of the existing 14 pillars and the installation of the new fence. So 15 there's construction activity all the way around the 16 site along those two frontages. So obviously we were 17 concerned about proximity to existing trees. As I 18 mentioned, the majority of those have already been 19 removed because they were problematic as the previous 20 Forster had identified. 21 As with the remaining trees we actually -- 22 we've kept a number of them along those frontages where 23 the fence line is. 24 BOARD MEMBER SCOTT: Now, the fence that 25 we're discussing that's the outer fence. There is a

Page 26 1 second fence, a chain-link fence that actually 2 surrounds the substation; is that correct? 3 THE WITNESS: I believe so, but that's in 4 the rear and likely the west side of the station and 5 that's far away from where the work area is. 6 BOARD MEMBER SCOTT: Okay. What is the 7 necessity for the two fences, more importantly what is 8 the necessity for the chain-link fence? 9 THE WITNESS: That's more of a PSE&G 10 question than for me. 11 BOARD MEMBER SCOTT: Okay. With regard to 12 construction of the new fence what steps did PSE&G take 13 to preserve the trees to the greatest extent possible 14 according to the town's Ordinance? Can you go a little 15 bit into detail on that? 16 THE WITNESS: I mean, that's a little bit 17 of an ongoing conversation. It really has to do with 18 the placement of the new -- the demolition like I 19 mentioned of the existing pillars and where the new 20 pillars will be placed. 21 BOARD MEMBER SCOTT: Could you explain the 22 simulation illustration that was presented to us 23 regarding the perimeter of the fence? How old are the 24 trees meant to be in the simulation illustration? 25 THE WITNESS: The new trees in those

Page 27 1 simulations were approximately ten years old maybe. 2 Again, it's a photo simulation. It gives you an idea. 3 BOARD MEMBER SCOTT: And how tall are they? 4 THE WITNESS: I don't know which one you're 5 talking about. I mean, in terms of those evergreens 6 they're probably spiking into the 15- 20-foot range. 7 BOARD MEMBER SCOTT: So they're pretty 8 small compared to what's under this proposal? 9 THE WITNESS: Well, they're commensurate 10 with what you would expect at that age. Again, due to 11 the species being evergreen you get the benefit of the 12 foliage all year-round. 13 BOARD MEMBER SCOTT: And that's important? 14 THE WITNESS: I believe so in terms of the 15 intentional with the new planting and being able to 16 screen the substation from the public rights-of-way. 17 BOARD MEMBER SCOTT: Basically, the 18 evergreens are by design -- I want to make sure you 19 guys can hear me -- by design meant to screen the 20 facility, the substation completely from public view? 21 THE WITNESS: As much as possible. I don't 22 know about completely. There will be I'm sure angles 23 where you will be able to see in, but as much as 24 possible the idea is to provide a screening, a visual 25 screening of the infrastructure.

Page 28 1 BOARD MEMBER SCOTT: Is it fair to say that 2 the corner of Mount Pleasant Avenue and Prospect Avenue 3 will not be nearly as green as depicted in the 4 rendering for many years? 5 THE WITNESS: I think it will be similar. 6 We are coming back with additional new plantings in 7 that area. Again, it will take time for them to grow 8 in, absolutely, but there is foliage that will be in 9 that area. 10 BOARD MEMBER SCOTT: Okay. It will take 11 time, but the illustration basically showed it grown at 12 fruition, which is at full height, which can be a 13 little deceptive. Would you agree with that? 14 THE WITNESS: Well, no. I wouldn't say 15 it's full height. I will say it's in progress of 16 growing. It's in the midst of it. If you're in that 17 ten-year range and you've still got 30, 40 years to go 18 to get full height -- 19 BOARD MEMBER SCOTT: Can you identify the 20 trees that are on the site? 21 THE WITNESS: I'm sorry. I missed the 22 first part. 23 BOARD MEMBER SCOTT: Can you identify the 24 London Plane Trees that are on the site? 25 THE WITNESS: If you'd like I can pull up

Page 29 1 the plan. 2 BOARD MEMBER SCOTT: Yes, sure. 3 THE WITNESS: Let me share my screen. 4 BOARD MEMBER SCOTT: Your sharing screen is 5 gone. 6 MS. PARLAVECCHIO: Mr. Futey, just for the 7 record, can you identify this drawing? Is this what 8 was previously submitted to the Board? 9 THE WITNESS: Yes. This is part of the 10 application. This is drawing TR-01. It has a date of 11 8/11/2024. In terms of London Planes, I am aware of 12 4135 that is a London Plane. There are a number of 13 them around. I don't have them broken out. Obviously 14 there is a tree schedule that has them. 15 BOARD MEMBER SCOTT: Do you know the 16 diameter of those trees, the London Planes? 17 THE WITNESS: Offhand I do not. They're 18 listed on the schedule. 19 BOARD MEMBER SCOTT: Do you have an 20 estimate of the ages of those trees? 21 THE WITNESS: Again, that would probably be 22 in the 40 year, 50 year area. 23 BOARD MEMBER SCOTT: Staying with the 24 illustration that you have can you tell us why 25 specifically the London trees are slated to be cut

Page 30 1 down? 2 THE WITNESS: Well, depends on where they 3 are. Again, it's the nature of the -- 4 BOARD MEMBER SCOTT: For instance, the one 5 that you were able to identify. Why -- 6 CHAIRMAN NEUER: Mr. Scott, let him finish 7 his answer, please. 8 BOARD MEMBER SCOTT: Thank you. 9 THE WITNESS: This one in particular has to 10 do with underground utilities. There's going to be 11 some trenching going along here. I believe it's an 12 underground load bank, and there's going to be a 13 manhole to access that. That's going to be very, very 14 close to that tree. 15 BOARD MEMBER SCOTT: Okay. And on this 16 plan can you identify the Little Leaf Linden Trees on 17 the site? 18 THE WITNESS: Again, I'd have to reference 19 the numbers on here. They're in the schedule that was 20 provided with this package. 21 BOARD MEMBER SCOTT: My questioning would 22 be along the same lines. How old are those trees and 23 why are they being cut down? 24 THE WITNESS: I'm going to say on the 25 whole, on average most of the trees -- and especially I