The Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) is an invasive insect that was discovered recently in Vermont. The bug destroys ash trees from the inside, meaning they can suddenly collapse – causing a safety hazard for customers and crews, while also creating the potential for outages. GMP proposed a proactive plan to remove ash trees along our power lines. Regulators agreed with our approach and gave approval for this temporary line item charge to pay for that work starting in October 2019. It is set to end in 2022. The forestry team is first removing ash trees along our right of ways in areas known to be infested, then moving to areas considered to be at high risk for infestation. Any money collected through this line item will be used for EAB mitigation, and any remaining EAB funds will be returned to customers.