Power Company violated my tree.

[Trapkick]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Pennsylvania, USA

My neighbor just talked to me outside when I was practicing softball with my daughter... She pointed out that while I was gone this week at work; the power company came by and cut a tree in my yard.

This is a pine tree about 60 feet high and they cut all the limbs off the right side about 20 feet up so they could get a truck back to a telephone poll to replace it. They made sure to lay all the limbs they cut along side my fence where I have some brush I need to take care of. So now I have more apparently.

It seems very wrong that someone would just come onto your land, cut your trees and leave the waste for you to clean up.

Is this legal? I have tried to research but have never really ran into anything like this before so I have no idea. I'm a pretty easy going dude, but I guess I just feel violated that
1. They didn't warn me.
2. They didn't ask for my permission.
3. They didn't even bother to tell me once it was done.
4. They left the violation for me to clean up!

[cyjeff]

I, honestly, had a much different picture in mind given the name of this thread. This could have been an epic discussion.

The power company has great latitude, but they usually clean up their own mess.

Have you called them to find out when they are cleaning it up.

[154NH773]

Power companies may not "violate" your tree unless they have an easement allowing them to do so. An exception might be if a law allows them to trim trees that threaten power lines.
You can call the power company's legal department and ask them to produce the easement (or law) they relied upon when entering your property and cutting your tree.

You could also do a title search at the County Recorder of Deeds, as any easement should be recorded and referenced to your deed by book and page number.
I would bet that they have an easement, which was probably granted to them when your property first received electricity. But, you never know...

[cyjeff]

Power companies may not "violate" your tree unless they have an easement allowing them to do so. An exception might be if a law allows them to trim trees that threaten power lines.
You can call the power company's legal department and ask them to produce the easement (or law) they relied upon when entering your property and cutting your tree.

You could also do a title search at the County Recorder of Deeds, as any easement should be recorded and referenced to your deed by book and page number.
I would bet that they have an easement, which was probably granted to them when your property first received electricity. But, you never know...

You are correct, I suppose... they could have been driving their truck through his yard to get to the telephone pole in his yard.

I assumed they were on the street.

[Trapkick]

I would imagine there would be such an easement to allow them access to the pole. I believe the pole they replaced was in another neighbors yard.

I do however know my property line. I had a surveyor come a few years back and mark it due to some work they were doing with my curbs.

Thanks for the options, I will look into them. I did look at some old building plans about the house when they built it in the 70's and did not see anything about an easement on the property. I'm going to call the power plant tomorrow and also look into my documents from the home's purchase and see if I can find anything in there.