Reporters Notebook: Ban on penta utility poles proposed

Remember the stinky, chemically-treated utility pole that has been driving Seward neighbors bonkers? A state legislator has proposed ban of all such poles throughout Minneapolis.

Rep. Karen Clark, who is known for her environmental activism, introduced the bill this week. It would ban installation of any pentachlorophenol-treated pole in Minneapolis.

A particularly smelly pole has been bothering Seward residents since it was installed about a year ago. Xcel Energy says the smelly pole is an anomaly and that penta-treated poles pose no significant health risk. But Seward residents who have researched pentachlorophenol, the chemical used to preserve the wood, say it is toxic. They want it banned.