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PSE&G 'Emergency' Tree Trimming Angers Residents In Montclair, N.J.

MONTCLAIR, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- Some New Jersey residents are saying not in their backyard, or the front for that matter.

Several trees on their street have been cut without warning, and PSE&G says it had to because it was an emergency, reports CBS 2's Derricke Dennis.

There is anger and outrage over the price of progress in Montclair.

About a half dozen stately and mature trees, admittedly on the public right of way, were trimmed by PSE&G, and, in one case, stumped by surprise.

"There was not a lot of notice, correct," PSE&G engineer Todd Maccabe said. "I'm not an arborist or a tree trimmer, so I can't comment on that, but butchering is not a word that I would use."

Maccabe told a meeting of concerned neighbors the utility had to take emergency measures, planting new poles and trimming trees due to resident complaints of re-occurring outages.

"This is not an emergency. Two and a half years of people complaining is not an emergency," one neighbor said.

"You've horrified us. We're now terrified of what you're gonna do any time you come into our yards," another said.

And homeowners said there's more to it.

While Montclair was given no notice, nearby Glen Ridge had ample, including at the neighboring country club, which residents said is full of influential members.

"They run it down our block, cut down our trees, increase the cancer risk for our kids," Montclair homeowner Brad Thatcher said.

Thatcher is collecting petition signatures to fight the ultimate outcome -- a new high-voltage power line in the works. An area realtor said property values and children at play are the focus of a last-ditch letter to stop the line.

"The attraction of what this street formerly had will be severely diminished," homeowner Alan Lambiase said.

PSE&G has a lot of leverage, operating as a public service and in the public right of way. The benefit is more reliable electricity, but at a tall cost.

In all, 60 homes between Montclair and Glen Ridge will be affected by the tree-trimming and power line project.

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