H. Res. 1278 

In the House of Representatives, U. S., 

May 5, 2010. 

Whereas each year there are over 200,000 incidences of unintentional damage to underground utility infrastructure 

(including pipelines, electrical, telecommunications, water, 

and sewer lines), many as a result of an individual who 

fails to have underground utilities lines located before 

digging; 

Whereas there are 2,534,000 miles of pipelines, of which 

2,036,800 are for distribution of natural gas, 323,600 for 

transmission of natural gas, and 173,500 for hazardous 

materials including oil; 

Whereas some utility lines are buried only a few inches underground, making them easy to strike even during shallow digging projects; 

Whereas failure to locate underground utility lines before 

digging may have unintended consequences such as service interruption, environmental damage, property damage, personal injury, and even death; 

Whereas State one-call notification programs allow homeowners and excavators to have underground utilities located and marked before conducting digging or excavation activities; 
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•HRES 1278 EH 

Whereas Congress first established minimum standards for 

State one-call notification programs and authorized appropriations for Federal grants to improve State one-call 

notification programs in the Transportation Equity Act 

for the 21st Century in 1998; 

Whereas Congress required a 3-digit, nationwide toll-free 

number be established to be used by State one-call systems in the Pipeline Safety Improvement Act of 2002; 

Whereas in 2005, ‘‘811’’ was designated as the nationwide 

one-call number for homeowners and excavators to call 

before conducting digging or excavation activities; 

Whereas in the Pipeline Inspection, Protection, Enforcement, 

and Safety Act of 2006 Congress authorized the Secretary of Transportation to issue civil penalties to any 

owner or operator of a pipeline facility who fails to respond to a request to mark an underground pipeline facility, any individual who fails to use a State’s one-call 

system prior to digging or excavation activities, or any individual who disregards location information or markings 

while digging or excavating; 

Whereas the one-call system has helped reduce the number 

of digging damages caused by failure to locate underground utilities prior to digging from 57 percent in 2004 

to 37.5 percent in 2009; 

Whereas the 1,400 members of the Common Ground Alliance, who are dedicated to ensuring public safety, environmental protection, and the integrity of services by promoting effective damage prevention practices, promote 

the national ‘‘Call Before You Dig’’ campaign to increase 

public awareness about the importance of calling 811 to 

identify the exact location of underground utility lines; 
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•HRES 1278 EH 

Whereas the Common Ground Alliance has designated April 

as National Safe Digging month in order to increase 

awareness of safe digging practices across the country 

and to celebrate the anniversary of the designation of 

811 as the national ‘‘Call Before You Dig’’ number; and 

Whereas April is the beginning of the peak of excavation 

projects around the Nation: Now, therefore, be it 

Resolved, That the House of Representatives supports 

the goals and ideals of National Safe Digging Month, and encourages all homeowners and excavators throughout the country to call 811 before conducting any digging or excavation 

activities. 

Attest: 

Clerk.