A smackdown between Silicon Valley environmentalists that has made national news is coming to a close, with chain saws buzzing.

Richard Treanor and Carolynn Bissett of Sunnyvale were criminally prosecuted because redwood trees in their backyard cast a shadow over their neighbor's solar panels. On Wednesday morning, they plan to have a tree trimmer chop the two redwoods that a judge ordered removed in December, in effect ending the case.

"We're out of dollars. No more money for more lawyering," Treanor said.

They've spent $37,000 in legal bills, he said, and can't afford to appeal the ruling.

Although they lost the battle, in the future tree owners may yet win the war.

On Monday, state Sen. Joe Simitian, D-Palo Alto, introduced a bill that would change California law so that anybody whose trees were planted before a neighbor's solar panels were installed can't be required to cut them back or chop them down. That would apply even if the trees grow up later and cast a shadow over the solar panels, as happened in this case.

"There are legitimate competing interests here," Simitian said.

"This is a goal to try and balance those competing interests. I think most folks will find it a fair balance."