1,150 Free Trees Available to Customers in Howard County, Laurel, Bowie and Annapolis

BALTIMORE (April 24, 2017) – For the fifth straight year, Baltimore Gas and Electric Company (BGE) is helping customers with their landscaping and energy savings by offering free trees through the Energy Saving Trees Program. 1,150 trees will be distributed through a joint effort with the Arbor Day Foundation to customers who live in Howard County or the cities of Laurel, Bowie or Annapolis.

"Partnering with the Arbor Day Foundation allows us to support our communities and the environment while helping our customers save energy," said Valencia McClure, BGE's vice president of governmental and external affairs and corporate relations. "By giving free trees to customers this year and Baltimore City and the City of Annapolis in past years, everyone benefits from the positive environmental impacts of a healthy tree canopy."

Since 2013, BGE customers throughout the company's service area have received more than 25,000 trees through the company's joint effort with the Arbor Day Foundation. In addition, BGE donated trees to Baltimore City and the City of Annapolis in 2015 and 2016 to help maintain their tree canopies.

When planted in the right place, the trees can help reduce energy use through summer shading and slowing cold winter winds. Once trees are fully grown, they can lower energy costs by up to 20 percent, according to the Arbor Day Foundation.

Customers who live in Howard County or the cities of Laurel, Bowie or Annapolis can reserve trees on a first-come, first-served basis through the Arbor Day Foundation's website. The website also contains a tool that helps identify the most efficient location for trees in a customer's yard.

To ensure that these trees do not impact the safety and reliability of overhead and underground energy systems and the customers they serve, BGE provides these "Right Tree, Right Place" guidelines:

• Do not plant trees on electric transmission or natural gas rights-of-way.
• Do not plant trees near natural gas pipelines (marked by yellow markers), underground electric lines (marked by white or red markers) or their rights-of-way.
• The Right Tree Right Place Guide lists acceptable trees for planting near utility equipment not located on rights-of-way or near pipelines and underground electric lines.
• If you wish to plant a tree not listed, make sure it is also suitable for planting near utility equipment.
• We do not recommend planting trees and shrubs directly below power lines. However, if you choose to do so, select trees and shrubs that will grow to a maximum height of 25 feet.
• Call Miss Utility at 811 at least three days before digging to ensure that the area is safe for planting.
• Please contact BGE with any questions.
• For more information, visit www.BGE.com/TreeCare/RightTree.

According to the Arbor Day Foundation, the more than 25,000 trees planted by BGE customers have helped:

• Avoid nearly 55,000 tons of carbon dioxide
• Filter 611 million gallons of storm water
• Save more than 41,000 megawatt hours of electricity
• Save more than 1.8 million gas therms.

For more information on BGE's Energy Saving Trees Program, visit this page.

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BGE, founded in 1816 as the nation's first gas utility, is Maryland's largest natural gas and electric utility. Headquartered in Baltimore, BGE delivers power to more than 1.25 million electric customers and more than 650,000 natural gas customers in central Maryland. The company's approximately 3,200 employees are committed to the safe and reliable delivery of natural gas and electricity, as well as enhanced energy management, conservation, environmental stewardship and community assistance. The company also has an estimated annual economic impact of $5 billion of output in its service area, supporting more than 9,500 local jobs and producing $923 million in labor income. BGE is a subsidiary of Exelon Corporation (NYSE: EXC), the nation's leading competitive energy provider. Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter, YouTube  and Flickr.