Throughout the last full weekend of January, a massive winter storm brought heavy snow, ice, and freezing temperatures to a wide swath of the country — from Texas through the Midwest and into New England — leaving widespread damage in its wake. At the height of the storm, approximately 1 million households were without power, with some communities facing outages that utility officials warned could last weeks.

As families endured dangerously cold conditions and communities struggled to recover, the storm once again exposed a critical vulnerability in America’s energy system: an aging network of overhead utility lines that is highly susceptible to ice, wind, falling trees, and extreme weather.

For years, Scenic America has advocated for the strategic undergrounding of utility infrastructure as a proven way to improve reliability, safety, and resilience — while also protecting scenic beauty and community character. As extreme weather events become more frequent and severe, this latest storm underscores the urgent need for long‑term solutions that reduce outages and help communities better withstand future disruptions.

In response, Scenic America issued the following statement calling on policymakers at all levels to invest in resilient utility infrastructure through expanded undergrounding of power lines.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Winter storm’s widespread outages highlight urgent need for resilient utility infrastructure

WASHINGTON, D.C., Jan. 26, 2026 — As millions of Americans from Texas to New England endure freezing temperatures without electricity following the weekend’s powerful snow and ice storm, Scenic America is reinforcing its call for more resilient utility infrastructure through expanded undergrounding of lines to prevent future large‑scale outages.

According to poweroutage.us, the storm has left about 1 million U.S. households without power. Utility officials warned that some outages could last for weeks as crews worked to repair widespread damage.

“For families facing frigid temperatures, power outages are more than an inconvenience — they can be dangerous,” said Mark Falzone, president of Scenic America. “Our immediate concern is for those affected and for the utility workers restoring service under extremely challenging conditions.”

Scenic America, the nation’s only nonprofit organization dedicated solely to preserving and enhancing America’s scenic character, has long advocated for the strategic undergrounding of power lines and other utility infrastructure, working with utilities, regulators, and policymakers to elevate awareness of both the aesthetic and resilience benefits. Underground systems are far less vulnerable to ice, snow, wind, and falling trees, and recent research shows that investments in undergrounding can prevent outages or significantly shorten their duration during extreme weather events.

“As storms grow more severe and infrastructure continues to age, Scenic America believes long‑term planning must look beyond emergency response and toward durable, forward‑looking solutions,” Falzone said. He stressed that expanded undergrounding — particularly along transportation corridors, in densely populated communities, and in environmentally sensitive areas — can help reduce outages, improve safety, and strengthen community character.

“It’s time for public officials at all levels to embrace this solution and reduce the damage these storms inflict on our communities,” he added.

“Scenic America expresses deep appreciation for the emergency responders helping people in need and the utility crews working to restore power. We will continue to push for policies and investments that build a more resilient and reliable energy future.”

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