Trees Damaged by Gas Leaks

The town of Brookline claims it has suffered $1,062,053 in damages to its urban forests.

Tom Brady, the tree warden for the town of Brookline, is working with Bob Ackley (co-founder of the Massachusetts Public Shade Tree Trust). "It's frustrating because I have a situation I can't control. We have to take out the trees, we have to remove them, replant them and start again."

"Do you think taxpayers should be paying for that?" asked Kelly. "No, I do not," answered Brady.

Attorney Jan Schlichtmann of "A Civil Action" fame agrees. He's working with cities and towns to go after National Grid for damages. "The problem goes to the leaking system that has not been addressed by the industry."

But so far, the trust hasn't had much success, even though internal documents from 2008 obtained by Team 5 Investigates show National Grid acknowledges the link between gas leaks and tree damage, requiring its employees to report it.

"The only opportunity that we have now to engage the industry, if they won't sit down with us, is to engage them in a lawsuit," said Schlichtmann.

Executives at National Grid declined Team 5's request for an interview.

In a written statement, the company said it believes the trust's claims "are grossly exaggerated." ...

BROOKLINE TREES DAMAGED BY GAS LEAKS

In Brookline, these are the streets where unrepaired gas leaks were found to cause tree damage, according to the Massachusetts Public Shade Tree Trust.

Abbotsford Rd, Allandale Rd @ Risley Rd, Allerton St, Alton Place, Amory St @ Thatcher St, Arlington Rd, Aspinwall Ave, Babcock St, Beacon St, Beaconsfield Rd, Beals St, Beverly Rd, Blake Rd, Bowker St, Brookline Ave, Buckminster Rd, Cedar Street @ Hammond St, Centre St, Channing Rd, Chestnut Hill Ave, Chestnut Hill Ave @ Channing Rd, Chestnut Hill Ave on Clinton Rd, Chestnut St, Claflin Rd, Clark Rd, Cleveland Rd, Clinton Rd, Clyde St @ Newton St, Colbourne Crescent, Columbia St, Coolidge St, Crafts Rd, Cypress St, Dean Rd, Dwight St, Eliot Rd, Evans Rd, Fisher Ave, Franklin St, Fuller St, Gardner Rd, Glenoe Rd @ Hammond St, Greenough St, Grove St, Hammond St, Hammond St @ Woodland Rd, Harvard Ave, Harvard St, Heath St, High St @ Cypress St, Highland Rd, Homer St, Hyslop Rd, Independence Dr, James St, Lancaster Terrace, Laurel Rd @ Hammond St, Lawton St, Lee St, Littell Rd, Loveland Rd, Manchester Rd, Mason Terrace, Middlesex Rd, Naples Rd, Newton St, Oakland Rd, Perry St, Rangely Rd, Rawson Rd, Russell St, Russett Rd, Sewall Ave, Shaw Rd, Somerset Rd, South St, St Paul St, Stedman St, Stetson St, Sumner Rd, Thatcher St, University Rd, Upland Rd, Valley Rd, Verndale Rd, Wallis Rd, Warren St, Washington St, Welland Rd, W. Roxbury Pkway, Winchester St, Windsor St, Winthrop Rd, Wolcott Rd, Woodcliff Rd, York Terrace