Power outages: Don't blame the trees

As someone who endured a five-day power outage after Hurricane Irene, I am bemused by Bill Alcarese's letter blaming trees for the downed power lines ("As Irene demonstrated, trees have their disadvantages," Sept. 1).

The problem is not with the trees but with the power lines, which should be buried underground.

Every year, this country loses hundreds of millions of dollars in lost productivity due to downed power lines that shut down businesses and keep people from getting to work.

As part of a desperately needed second economic stimulus program — the first was too cautious by far — the federal government should award grants to utility companies to bury 100 percent of their power lines underground within five years.

Such a sorely needed public works program would employ thousands of workers whose purchasing power could reduce the deficit and completely eliminate wasteful and unnecessary power outages.

Sheldon H. Laskin