[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 74 (Thursday, April 29, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Page S2366]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




SENATE RESOLUTION 191--SUPPORTING THE GOALS AND IDEALS OF NATIONAL SAFE 
                             DIGGING MONTH

  Mr. PETERS (for himself, Mrs. Fischer, Ms. Cantwell, and Mr. Wicker) 
submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 
on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.:

                              S. Res. 191

       Whereas, each year, the underground utility infrastructure 
     of the United States, including pipelines, electric, gas, 
     telecommunications, water, sewer, and cable television lines, 
     is jeopardized by unintentional damage caused by those who 
     fail to locate underground utility lines prior to digging;
       Whereas some utility lines are buried only a few inches 
     underground, making the lines easy to strike, even during 
     shallow digging projects;
       Whereas digging prior to locating underground utility lines 
     often results in unintended consequences, such as service 
     interruption, environmental damage, personal injury, and even 
     death;
       Whereas the month of April marks the beginning of the peak 
     period during which excavation projects are carried out 
     around the United States;
       Whereas, in 2002, Congress required the Department of 
     Transportation and the Federal Communications Commission to 
     establish a 3-digit, nationwide, toll-free number to be used 
     by State ``One Call'' systems to provide information on 
     underground utility lines;
       Whereas, in 2005, the Federal Communications Commission 
     designated ``811'' as the nationwide ``One Call'' number for 
     homeowners and excavators to use to obtain information on 
     underground utility lines before conducting excavation 
     activities;
       Whereas the 1,700 members of the Common Ground Alliance, 
     who are dedicated to ensuring public safety, environmental 
     protection, and the integrity of services, promote the 
     national ``Call Before You Dig'' campaign to increase public 
     awareness about the importance of homeowners and excavators 
     calling 811 to find out the exact location of underground 
     utility lines;
       Whereas the Pipeline Safety, Regulatory Certainty, and Job 
     Creation Act of 2011 (Public Law 112-90; 125 Stat. 1904) 
     affirmed and expanded the ``One Call'' program by eliminating 
     exemptions given to local and State government agencies and 
     their contractors regarding notifying ``One Call'' centers 
     before digging;
       Whereas, according to the Common Ground Alliance's 2019 
     Damage Information Reporting Tool (DIRT) Report published in 
     October 2020, there were an estimated 532,000 instances of 
     excavation-related damage to underground facilities in the 
     United States during 2019, a 4.5 percent increase from the 
     Common Ground Alliance's 2018 estimate;
       Whereas the Common Ground Alliance conducted a survey in 
     2020 and found that 50 percent of the more than 1,800 
     respondents were aware of 811, the highest level since the 
     survey was first conducted in 2008;
       Whereas the Common Ground Alliance estimated that the 
     societal costs of excavation-related damage to buried 
     utilities were $30,000,000,000 in 2019, including costs for 
     facility repair, property damage, medical bills, and costs to 
     the surrounding businesses affected by the resulting utility 
     outages; and
       Whereas the Common Ground Alliance has designated April as 
     ``National Safe Digging Month'' to increase awareness of safe 
     digging practices across the United States and to celebrate 
     the anniversary of 811, the national ``Call Before You Dig'' 
     number: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) supports the goals and ideals of National Safe Digging 
     Month;
       (2) encourages all homeowners and excavators throughout the 
     United States to call 811 before digging; and
       (3) encourages all damage prevention stakeholders to help 
     educate homeowners and excavators throughout the United 
     States about the importance of calling 811 before digging.

                          ____________________