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P.O. Box 555 • Tustin • CA • 92781 Web: OCICE.org Email: rev.srederus@yahoo.eom 40 � 3 Ift k5b 4K Mayor Vicente Sarmiento, Council Members: Thai Viet Phan, David Penaloza, Jessie Lopez. Phil Bacerra, Johnathan Ryan Hernandez, Nelida Mendoza cc: Kristine Ridge, Nabil Saba, William Galvez Dear Mayor Sarmiento and Council Members, This letter is in regard to the destruction of trees taking place daily by Southern California Edison in Southern California. We at the Orange County Interfaith Coalition for the Environment, OCICE, a 501c3 non- profit, write to you in appreciation of Santa Ana's planting and care for our growing urban forest, and to express a deep concern about the unnecessary cutting down of mature trees in Orange County by Southern California Edison. They are daily destroying hundreds of oxygen -rich groves in our local areas. Though we recognize the importance of safety and protection from fires, there must be a balance between safety and the destruction of needed tree canopy. Trees promote multiple health and environmental benefits and reach maturity at significant cost to the city budget over many years. For some time now, SCE has been encouraging homeowners to have their mature trees cut down, and they offer to do the job at no expense. This way, SCE isn't on the hook to regularly trim back residential tree limbs that grow toward electric lines. This is a benefit to SCE at the expense of the trees and the wellbeing of the environment. A gross violation of tree life became apparent to OCICE recently when SCE cut down as many as 15 or more large mature trees on Santa Clara St. along the side of Santa Ana Cemetery, leaving all the tree stumps without planting other smaller trees in their place. For every tree SCE destroys, they should be required to put up another more appropriate one in its place. They should also be required to pay a fine for the removal of a mature and healthy tree when it is not absolutely necessary. Many of the trees they destroyed were Canary Island Pines - all trees healthy and productive contributors of shade and oxygen, where now the sun beats down on drying stumps. Rev. Susan Chamberlain, OCICE President, called Mr. William Galvez of the Public Works Agency (PWA) on May 11 to inform him of SCE's actions. He indicated that he would look into the matter. To date, we have not had any response in spite of repeated phone calls to the agency.