Baltimore Gas and Electric Co. said Monday that it will hand out 9,000 free trees to customers — first come, first served — to help cut down on energy use.
BGE said it has earmarked $300,000 for its new Energy-Saving Trees Program, which is receiving technical support from the Arbor Day Foundation and Davey Institute. BGE said the funds are a donation and do not come from customer fees.
Customers can request up to two free trees at http://www.arborday.org/BGE. They must call Miss Utility at 811 before planting, to avoid damaging underground utility infrastructure. Some of the trees in the program don't grow tall enough to tangle with overhead power lines; others do and must be planted at a distance.
Jeannette M. Mills, BGE's chief customer officer, said in a statement that "planting the right tree, in the right place, can help customers save up to 30 percent on their energy use."
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