Salisbury bill would help protect tree canopy for communities
Would require utility companies to plant one tree for each one they remove
Rep. Abigail Salisbury February 2, 2026 | 4:20 PM
HARRISBURG, Feb. 3 – Legislation newly introduced by state Rep. Abigail Salisbury would help preserve the tree canopy in Pennsylvania communities by requiring utility companies to plant a new tree for each one they cut down.
Salisbury, D-Allegheny, said she introduced H.B. 2161 after residents and environmental advocates in her district expressed growing concerns that trees were being unnecessarily removed, rather than simply pruned or trimmed.
“Preserving the tree canopy is critical for urban environments – not just because trees beautify the landscape, but because they provide so many other benefits, from reducing air pollution and stormwater runoff to providing cooling shade and reducing energy costs, to raising property values and increasing pedestrian traffic for local businesses.
“Residents recognize the need for utilities to trim and prune trees – and sometimes even remove them – to ensure vegetation does not interfere with power lines. But it’s critical to ensure that those management efforts are done with an eye toward what is best for residents and the environment.
My bill would do that by requiring a utility that removes a tree to plant a new one, within two years, in a location of the municipality’s choice.”
Salisbury said her bill would align tree removal by electric utilities with existing regulations that require utilities to repair damage caused by work that requires excavation or other projects that involve breaking into streets and sidewalks.
The legislation – which would also allow for municipalities to work with utilities in determining the best vegetation management plan for the community – is currently in the House Environmental and Natural Resource Protection Committee.