Powerline Right-of Way Clearing Resumes in South Nags Head

Date: May 14, 2009
Contact: Outer Banks Group, [phone]

Superintendent Mike Murray announced today that Dominion Power has informed the National Park Service of plans to resume clearing the right-of-way easement along the western side of the residential area in South Nags Head from Whalebone Junction to the BodieIsland maintenance offices.  The following actions will occur:

• Additional vegetation clearing will not take place in the area that was previously cleared and stopped in March.
• On the remaining uncleared area south of where work stopped in March, a line will be flagged to within 5 feet of the NPS boundary and vegetation will be removed between the easement and the flagged line.  This will provide a temporary five foot buffer adjacent to private homes in this area. 
• Previously marked tree species, such as sweet gum, that are capable of growing into power lines will be removed between the powerline and the NPS boundary.
• An additional 10 feet of vegetation will be removed along the western side of the right-of-way.

Homeowners are reminded that the prior moratorium and any buffer zones are temporary in order to allow homeowners time to establish vegetative screening on their property.  The NPS will continue the powerline maintenance cycle with Dominion in South Nags Head with the objective of removing all woody vegetation between the power line and the park boundary, which will likely occur in 2012.

Dominion staff will begin work starting the week of May 18^th by flagging the work area and marking the selected canopy trees with florescent paint for removal.  Actual clearing work will begin the following week after Memorial Day.  Work will progress from south to north, in accordance with an earlier press release and is expected to take two weeks, depending on weather.