III 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 656 

Supporting the goals and ideals of National Safe Digging Month. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

APRIL 18, 2024 

Mr. PETERS (for himself and Ms. CANTWELL) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 

Transportation 

RESOLUTION 

Supporting the goals and ideals of National Safe Digging 

Month. 

Whereas, each year, the underground utility infrastructure of 

the United States, including pipelines, electric, gas, telecommunications, fiber, water, sewer, and cable television 

lines, is jeopardized by unintentional damage caused by 

those who fail to have underground utility lines located 

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 having underground utility lines located often results in unintended consequences, such as 

service interruption, environmental damage, personal injury, and even death; 


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•SRES 656 IS 

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 (referred to in this preamble as the 

‘‘ ‘One Call’/811 program’’); 

Whereas the nearly 4,200 damage prevention professionals 

who are members of the Common Ground Alliance, 

States, the ‘‘One Call’’/811 program, and other stakeholders who are dedicated to ensuring public safety, environmental protection, and the integrity of services, promote the national ‘‘Contact 811 Before You Dig’’ campaign to increase public awareness about the importance 

of homeowners and excavators contacting 811 to find out 

the location of underground utility lines before digging; 

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’’/811 program by eliminating exemptions given to local and State 

government agencies and their contractors regarding notifying ‘‘One Call’’/811 centers before digging; 


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•SRES 656 IS 

Whereas, according to the 2022 Damage Information Reporting Tool Report published by the Common Ground Alliance in September 2023— 

(1) ‘‘No notification to the 811 center’’ remains the 

number 1 top root cause of damage; 

(2) failure to notify 811 prior to digging contributed 

to 25 percent of damages; and 

(3) landscaping, fencing, water, sewer, and construction are the top types of work performed when professionals cause no-notification damages; 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 the designation of 811 as the 

national ‘‘Contact Before You Dig’’ number: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) supports the goals and ideals of National 

3 Safe Digging Month; 

4 (2) encourages all homeowners and excavators 

5 throughout the United States to contact 811 by 

6 phone or online before digging; and 

7 (3) encourages all damage prevention stake8 holders to help educate homeowners and excavators 

9 throughout the United States about the importance 

10 of contacting 811 to have the approximate location 

11 of buried utilities marked with paint or flags before 

12 digging. 

Æ 


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