III 

117TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 191 

Supporting the goals and ideals of National Safe Digging Month. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

APRIL 29, 2021 

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 

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, 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; 


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•SRES 191 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; 

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- 


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•SRES 191 IS 

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 

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 call 811 before 

6 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 calling 811 before digging. 

Æ 


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