Trust Targets Gas Leaks That Kill Trees

By JAY LINDSAY, Associated Press Writer, General Science / Biology

This photo, provided by the Massachusetts Public Shade Tree Trust, shows a gingko tree on a residential street in Brookline, Mass., in a photo from Oct. 4, 2006. Bob Ackley, who has spent 25 years testing natural gas lines for leaks, said the tree is dying from a leaky underground natural gas pipe. He claims it's happening to thousands of trees around the state and gas companies are slow to fix the problems. (AP Photo/Massachusetts Public Shade Tree Trust, Bob Ackley)

(AP) -- Minor natural gas leaks that are no threat to people can still cause harm: They can kill public shade trees by choking off the oxygen at their roots. Bob Ackley, who has spent 25 years testing natural gas lines for leaks, says it's happening to thousands of trees around the state, and gas companies are slow to fix it.

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