PG&E has agreed with the city of Lafayette to cut-down 272 trees, 216 of which are "protected" by city ordinance. (UPDATE: tree removal now listed as 207 trees). In many cases, these are large heritage oak or redwood trees that loom over the public and private properties of Lafayette. In exchange, the city accepted $530K for street median improvements on east Mt. Diablo Blvd. This tree destruction would create the single-largest impact on Lafayette's semi-rural environment in its history. In addition, Briones Regional Park is in threat of losing 245 additional trees under the same PG&E program.

PG&E states the tree-cutting is necessary for access to their gas pipeline, but along the Lafayette Trail, there is clearly no access problem. PG&E says the tree roots may damage the system, but there has been no cases of gas explosions due to trees, only bad PG&E welding, and PG&E-paid research cannot confirm corossion potential. The pipeline is over 70 years old and cannot be tested with modern technology. PG&E should focus on true safety measures.

PG&E's "one-fits-all" approach to tree cutting is an environmentally short-sighted approach at the expense of communities throughout the Bay Area.

The citizens of Lafayette respectfully demand the following:

PG&E release a map showing the locations, ownership, and size of trees to the general public. (DONE in City, but not Briones Park).

PG&E place large, visible signs on each private or public tree currently in jeopardy explaining its designation for removal.

The City of Lafayette should notify each resident with impacted trees on private property that they are under NO legal obligation to sign removal agreements with PG&E per California state law.

Most importantly, the city of Lafayette, PG&E, and the East Bay parks department must come up with a plan to simply monitor trees or move the current pipeline five feet further into the trail, thereby eliminating the need for irreversible tree removal.

Lafayette's environment will be impacted for generations if this is not done. For more information, see our site at: http://www.savelafayettetrees.org/

Help fund our efforts: https://www.gofundme.com/savelafayettetrees