Township Fears Silver Creek Road Trees Will Be Axed

The eastern end of Silver Creek Road in Lower Saucon Township is a narrow thoroughfare that winds through dense woods composed of towering trees. Interspersed with the trees are historic homes, some nearly hidden from view.

That unique character could change, however, if PPL succeeds in its effort to remove many of the large trees from along the sides of Silver Creek Road, not far from its terminus at Lower Saucon Road.

The issue of the trees' potential removal was brought before Lower Saucon Township Council Wednesday by Township Manager Jack Cahalan, who said it was recently discovered that many tree trunks along the road are tagged in preparation for cutting.

Several council members expressed concern about PPL's plan, which Cahalan said Lower Saucon zoning officer Chris Garges investigated by visiting the Silver Creek Road site and meeting with representatives from PPL's tree removal contractor—Asplundh—earlier this week.

Cahalan read from an email from Garges, in which he said "(Lower Saucon Public Works Director) Roger (Rasich) and I feel that the tree removal is quite excessive."

"PPL had obtained a right of way permit in 2011," Garges stated. "They seem to think that they represented it…as a new line in which all vegetation would be cleared."

However, that was not the township's understanding, Cahalan said.

As a result of the dispute, Asplundh was ordered to temporarily cease work in the area and an on-site meeting with PPL officials has been scheduled for the afternoon of Monday, April 22, Cahalan told council.

After two destructive storms in 2011 and 2012—both of which caused massive, extended power outages throughout the Lehigh Valley—PPL is currently ordering additional extensive clearing in the area of many power lines, to help prevent such widespread devastation from damaging its infrastructure in the future.

"They’re out in force in the Lehigh Valley now and they are doing some major butchering," said council vice president Tom Maxfield, who said the proposed cutting along Silver Creek Road is "tantamount to rape."

Maxfield added that he'd like to see the township adopt a more stringent policy regarding tree removal, similar to what the City of Bethlehem has.

In the meantime, before the meeting, township solicitor Linc Treadwell will investigate "the authority that PPL has," Cahalan said.

Council president Glenn Kern agreed with Maxfield's assessment of the situation.

“Can you imagine if they do to Silver Creek Road what they did to (Route) 378?" he asked, referring to extensive cutting of branches that occurred along that road two years ago. "The scenic byway will be no longer," he lamented.