South Dakota Utility Vegetation and Tree Trimming Rules

Electric utilities operating in South Dakota must comply with the National Electrical Safety Code and SDCL Title 49 vegetation clearance requirements to prevent outages and wildfires. Utilities have easement rights to trim or remove trees threatening transmission and distribution lines, regardless of municipal ordinance. For private boundary trees, South Dakota follows common-law rules: a property owner may trim branches and roots that cross onto their property up to the property line, but cannot enter the neighbor's land or destroy the tree. Cutting a healthy boundary tree without consent can trigger treble damages under SDCL 21-3-3 for timber trespass.

Unauthorized cutting of another's trees may result in treble damages under SDCL 21-3-3. Interfering with utility line clearance can cause outages and civil liability.