Message from Mayor Josh Losardo – August 28, 2026

This summer's storms have tested our township in serious ways – downed trees, extended utility outages, and, tragically, loss of life. My thoughts are with every family affected, and I want to be direct with you about what we are doing, what we can’t and why.

Many rightfully ask why the Township doesn't simply prune trees growing into power lines more aggressively. I understand the concern, and the answer surprises most people. Our Department of Public Works (DPW) is not legally permitted to prune trees around energized power lines; the work belongs solely to PSE&G.

Under state regulation (N.J.A.C. 14:5-9), PSE&G is required to manage vegetation around its energized distribution and transmission lines. That work is performed by, or under the direction of, a certified utility arborist, who determines what pruning is necessary and permissible within the utility's right-of-way. 

Our DPW's authority covers trees on municipal property and within our rights-of-way that fall outside that utility easement, where we conduct routine pruning, removal of dead or hazardous trees, and responding to resident reports. When a municipal tree threatens utility infrastructure, our DPW and PSE&G are required to coordinate directly.

To ensure I am giving you accurate information, I reached out to the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU). This state agency sets vegetation-management standards for utilities, oversees PSE&G's program, and reviews disputes when residents or municipalities disagree with a utility's pruning decisions. A few key points from that conversation:

• PSE&G works on a fixed, cyclical pruning schedule by neighborhood and cannot prune on demand unless a tree is classified as dangerous or poses an outage risk.

• Residents and municipalities can request PSE&G's vegetation-management and pruning schedule for a specific neighborhood, and the Township does so regularly.

• If you believe pruning near your property has been insufficient, the NJBPU has the authority to review PSE&G's actions and can direct additional work.

On our end, we ensure our DPW is well-staffed.  We have increased DPW personnel, and my colleagues and I remain committed to continuing to grow that department. I want to be upfront that we are doing this incrementally, not all at once, because of the cost to taxpayers. But our direction is toward more manpower, not less, and that will remain a priority of mine.

Pruning near energized lines remains PSE&G's legal responsibility, and that is not something a local ordinance can change. But we will hold the utility accountable, while continuing to responsibly expand our own DPW.

If you have a concern about a tree on municipal property, please contact our DPW at 908-233-6707. For concerns about trees near power lines, you can reach PSE&G here.

Thank you for your patience this summer as we navigate these challenging storms.