FirstEnergy Set to Plant More Than 25,000 Trees in 2024

Nearly 17,000 trees expected to be planted in the month of April for Earth & Arbor Days

AKRON, Ohio, April 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- In support of its continued commitment to the environment and the communities it serves, FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE) has set a goal to plant more than 25,000 trees throughout its service territory in 2024. Nearly 17,000 trees are expected to be planted in the month of April around Earth Day and Arbor Day. The plan follows a successful 2023 in which the company reached a new high of more than 25,000 trees planted.

As part of its commitment to preserving and protecting the environment, FirstEnergy launched a tree-planting initiative in 2020 with the objective of planting 10,000 trees. Since then, FirstEnergy volunteers have planted or donated more than 67,000 trees. In 2023:

• Approximately 25,500 trees were donated or planted, including 7,852 in Ohio, 4,700 in Pennsylvania, 3,724 in New Jersey, 5,239 in Mon Power's West Virginia service area and 4,035 in Potomac Edison's service areas in West Virginia and Maryland.
• Nearly 500 FirstEnergy Green Team volunteers donated nearly 2,200 hours at 95 tree-planting events.
• More than half of FirstEnergy tree-planting events were held in underserved areas, which include communities chosen based on income level, education access or environmental issues such as proximity to Superfund sites, abandoned mines or poor air quality.

Jessica Shaffer, Advanced Scientist and Lead of FirstEnergy's Green Teams: "Trees play a vital role in stabilizing the environment by absorbing carbon, soaking up stormwater that can cause erosion and preserving stream and riverbanks, while simultaneously beautifying the landscape. We're proud to support our local parks, customers and organizations through programs that support a healthy environment and make our communities a great place to live, work and raise a family."

In addition to environmental benefits, FirstEnergy's tree-planting program also enhances community landscapes through the greenery, shade and other benefits offered by trees. Native tree species are donated, and the location for each planting is selected to ensure a safe distance from power lines and to minimize the need for pruning in the future. Among the donations are various varieties of fruit trees, which will be harvested by local schools and non-profits for donations to food banks.

FirstEnergy's Green Teams will continue to partner with state park systems, watershed and recycling groups, garden clubs, schools and other environmentally-focused organizations in 2024 to support the company's commitment to building a brighter and more sustainable future.

For more information about FirstEnergy's environmental and corporate responsibility efforts, visit fecorporateresponsibility.com.

FirstEnergy is dedicated to integrity, safety, reliability and operational excellence. Its electric distribution companies form one of the nation's largest investor-owned electric systems, serving customers in Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, West Virginia, Maryland and New York. The company's transmission subsidiaries operate approximately 24,000 miles of transmission lines that connect the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions. Follow FirstEnergy online at www.firstenergycorp.com. Follow FirstEnergy on X, formerly known as Twitter: @FirstEnergyCorp.

Editor's Note: Photos of tree planting events featuring FirstEnergy Green Team volunteers are available for download on Flickr.

SOURCE FirstEnergy Corp.