Herbicide Spraying Notice

9-9-2025 NOTICE

Several residents have reported concerns about people wearing backpack sprayers entering their properties.

West Penn Power contracted with Progressive Solutions to send a crew to remove vegetation from under power lines and around power poles in the township. Due to property owner complaints, West Penn is not clearing vegetation by broadcast spraying of herbicides any more, but is trying a more environmentally friendly approach.

Instead of indiscriminately broadcasting herbicide over the tree crowns and everything underneath, these workers use machetes to cut a path through the brush to the trees that need to be killed. Then they cut the tree bark with the machete and spray a small amount of the herbicide directly into the cut. You will see dead brown leaves on the trees that have been treated and vegetation growing up the power line poles that has been sprayed.

West Penn had also contracted with a separate company that was supposed to put hang tags on the doors of property owners where the vegetation was to be killed, with a place where the owner could sign if they did not want any spraying, but a number of residents did not receive these tags. We have notified West Penn and Progressive Solutions of this error so it will not be repeated.

The Progressive Solutions crew is almost finished in Springhill Township; if any vegetation in your area was treated, you will see dead, dried up leaves. If the plants along your property line are still green and growing, they have not been sprayed.