reglab/housing_qa huggingface dataset:
V.I. Code tit. 12, § 692 (2019)
2019 US Virgin Islands Code|Title 12 - Conservation|Chapter 16A - Underground Facility Damage Prevention and Safety|§ 692. Notification Center Structure

 (a) There is established within the Department of Public Works a single, comprehensive territorial one-call Notification Center to provide notice of all excavations or demolitions near Underground Facilities. (b) All Operators, as defined in this chapter, shall participate in and share in the costs of the territorial Notification Center established under this section of this chapter. Costs for the Notification Center must be shared, in an equitable manner for services received, by facility Operators, as determined by the Center’s board of directors. (c) The Notification Center shall maintain and make available the name, mailing and physical address, and telephone number of the office, department, or other source from or through which information respecting the location of underground facilities or gas pipes of its participating underground facility Operators or operators may be obtained. (d) The board of directors may contract with a third party service provider to provide the services of the Notification Center provided in section 693 of this chapter.
V.I. Code tit. 12, § 693 (2019)
2019 US Virgin Islands Code|Title 12 - Conservation|Chapter 16A - Underground Facility Damage Prevention and Safety|§ 693. Elements of the Notification

 The Notification Center shall: (1) Operate in all areas of the territory containing underground facilities: (2) Receive and distribute advance notifications of excavations or demolitions to all member Underground Facility Operators for the purpose of marking underground facilities, except as provided by this chapter: (3) Develop and implement a public awareness/damage prevention program to educate the general public, excavators, and Operators about the one-call telephone number and the requirements and penalties of the chapter: (4) Provide for acceptance of “811” dialed calls 24 hours a day and 365 days a year to receive and record the information provided by excavators and project engineers and to respond to information requests from excavators and project engineers, if available. In the alternative, an existing nationally-accessible toll-free telephone number and facsimile number may also be made or kept available. (5) Establish and maintain a “Positive Response” system whereby Operators can electronically report the status of a locate request received and whereby excavators can monitor the status of a locate request it submitted. The status of the locate request may be reported as one of the following classifications: (A) No Conflict—the Operator has no facilities within the excavation area described in the locate request; (B) Facility has been marked; (C) Invalid locate information—the excavation area described in the locate request cannot be found or determined: or (D) An alternate marking schedule has been agreed to by the excavator and locator when updating a locate request using this classification must have a documented written agreement that includes: (i) Name of each part to the agreement; (ii) Date the agreement was made; and (iii) Details of the alternate marking schedule. (7) Transmit prompt notification to Operators on a 24-hour a day, seven-day a week basis; and (8) Maintain professional liability and errors and omissions insurance to cover duties established by this chapter.
V.I. Code tit. 12, § 694 (2019)
2019 US Virgin Islands Code|Title 12 - Conservation|Chapter 16A - Underground Facility Damage Prevention and Safety|§ 694. Planned excavation; inquiry; time; marking area; identification number; notification of a member with underground facilities; records

 (a) Except in an emergency, every person planning to conduct any excavation or demolition operation shall inform the Notification Center of the intended excavation at least 2 business days, but not more than 14 calendar days prior to commencing that excavation. (b) In addition to providing a clear description of the planned excavation area, when the excavation site cannot be clearly and adequately identified on the locate ticket, the excavator shall designate the route or area to be excavated by using white paint or other suitable means prior to the arrival of the locator. (c) The Notification Center shall provide an Inquiry Identification Number to the person who informs the center pursuant to this section and shall promptly notify any member who has an Underground Facility in the area of the proposed excavation. An inquiry validation number is valid for 14 calendar days beginning two business days after notification of intent to excavate. (d) A record of all notifications by excavators and Operators to the Notification Center must be maintained in accordance with applicable statutes. The records must be available for inspection by the excavator and any member, or their representative, during normal business hours and according to guidelines for inspection, as may be established by the Notification Centers. (e) An excavator shall provide the following information to the Notification Center: (1) The excavator’s name, mailing and physical address, telephone number and facsimile number, that of their employer if subcontracting and the project Operator. (2) The nature and extent of the excavation or demolition, including, but not limited to, the type of work being done, the depth if known; (3) Whether directional boring will be used; (4) The start date and time; duration of the work; and (5) The location of the work. (f) For purposes of locating the work, the excavator shall supply the physical address for the property, closest road crossing, or intersection, or such other location identifier as required by the Notification Center. (g) The Notification Center shall provide to the excavator a list of all Operators being notified of the intended notification at the time of the excavator’s notification.
V.I. Code tit. 12, § 695 (2019)
2019 US Virgin Islands Code|Title 12 - Conservation|Chapter 16A - Underground Facility Damage Prevention and Safety|§ 695. Marking Underground Facilities; noncompliance with requirement; records

 (a) Any Operator of a Underground Facility who receives timely notification of any Proposed Excavation Work in accordance with section 694 of this chapter shall, within 2 business days after that notification, or before the indicated start of the excavation work, whichever is later, or at a later time mutually agreeable to the Operator and the excavator, locate and field mark the approximate location of its facility. (b) Any Operator who receives timely notification of any Proposed Excavation Work in accordance with section 694 shall update the status of the notification request through the Positive Response System at the One-Call Notification Center. If a Positive Response System is not available, the Operator shall make reasonable efforts to communicate the status of the notification request directly to the excavator. Communication to the excavator may include one or more of the following: marking the facilities, telephone communication or voice-mail, facsimile, email. For purposes of this subsection “reasonable efforts” means 3 attempts of any of the communication methods listed in this subsection. (c) Every Operator of an Underground Facility shall field mark the location of an Underground Facility in conformance with the current marking requirements set forth by the CGA Best Practices Appendix B. (d) The excavator shall notify the Notification Center of any obvious failure of an Operator to comply with this section before any excavation commences. The excavator may proceed if such excavator exercises due care and caution to prevent damage to any Underground Facility.
V.I. Code tit. 12, § 696 (2019)
2019 US Virgin Islands Code|Title 12 - Conservation|Chapter 16A - Underground Facility Damage Prevention and Safety|§ 696. Excavating near underground facilities

 When excavating within the Tolerance Zone, the excavator shall do all of the following: (1) Plan the excavation to avoid damage to. or minimize interference with the underground facilities in and near the construction area; (2) Determine the exact location of any marked Underground Facility using non-invasive methods of excavation. Methods to consider include hand digging, pot holing, soft digging, vacuum excavation methods or any other methods with the approval of the facility Operator. For parallel type excavations, the existing facility shall be exposed at intervals as often as necessary to avoid damages; (3) Maintain 18” clearance between any Underground Facility and the cutting edge or point of Mechanized Equipment; (4) Provide such support for underground utilities in and near the construction area, including backfill operations, as mas be reasonably required by the operator for the protection of such utilities; (5) When using a trenchless excavation technique, perform electronic monitoring of the drilling head during the backream procedure as well as the pilot hole drilling; (6) Protect and preserve the markings of approximate locations of underground facilities until those markings are no longer required for proper and sale excavations. If, at any time during an excavation, an Operator’s Field Markings are no longer reasonably visible, the excavator shall notify the Notification Center. The Notification Center shall contact all known members who have underground facilities in the area of the excavation. Upon receiving timely notification or re-notification pursuant to this paragraph, the Operator shall re-locate and re-mark, as soon as possible, but no later than 48 hours, those underground facilities that may be affected by the excavation to the extent necessary, in conformance with this section; (7) As soon as any damage to a Underground Facility or its protective facilities, including grounding and warning tape, is discovered, report the type and location of the damage to the Notification Center and the Operator, if known, and cooperate to mitigate damages to the extent reasonably possible, including the provision of in-kind work by the excavator where technical or specialty skills are not required by the nature of the Underground Facility. Such in-kind work may be under the supervision and pursuant to the specifications of the Operator; and (8) Immediately report to the Operator and, appropriate law enforcement agencies and fire departments, any damage to a Underground Facility which results in escaping flammable, corrosive, explosive, or toxic liquids or gas, and take reasonable actions needed to protect persons or property and to minimize safety hazards until those agencies and departments and the Operator arrive at the scene.
V.I. Code tit. 12, § 697 (2019)
2019 US Virgin Islands Code|Title 12 - Conservation|Chapter 16A - Underground Facility Damage Prevention and Safety|§ 697. Project engineer’s responsibility; design requests

 (a) Any person may submit a Design Locate Request to the Notification Center. The Design Locate Request must: (1) Describe the tract or parcel of land for which the Design Locale Request has been submitted, with sufficient particularity, as defined by policies developed and promulgated by the Notification Center, to enable the facility Operator to ascertain the precise tract or parcel of land involved; and (2) State the name, mailing and physical address, telephone number and facsimile number of the person who has submitted the Design Locate Request, and the company name of the project Operator. (b) No later than 10 business days after a Design Locate Request has been submitted to the Notification Center for a proposed project, the facility Operator shall respond by one of the following methods: (1) Designate the location of all utility facilities within the area of the proposed excavation; (2) Provide to the person submitting the Design Locale Request the best available description of all utility facilities in the area of proposed excavation which might include drawings of utility facilities already built in the area, or other facility records that are maintained by the facility Operator; or (3) Allow the person submitting the Design Locate Request or any other authorized person to inspect or copy the drawings or other records for all utility facilities within the proposed area of excavation. (c) Operators have the right to recover reasonable and compensatory costs for providing information pursuant to a Design Locale Request.
V.I. Code tit. 12, § 698 (2019)
2019 US Virgin Islands Code|Title 12 - Conservation|Chapter 16A - Underground Facility Damage Prevention and Safety|§ 698. Permit validity contingent on compliance

 Before commencing any excavation activity, an Inquiry Identification Number issued by the Notification Center must be provided to the Department of Planning and Natural Resources. No permit to excavate issued by a government agency is valid unless the excavator has also provided an Inquiry Identification Number issued by the Notification Center to the Department of Planning and Natural Resources.
V.I. Code tit. 12, § 698a (2019)
2019 US Virgin Islands Code|Title 12 - Conservation|Chapter 16A - Underground Facility Damage Prevention and Safety|§ 698a. Government agencies

 The requirements of this chapter apply to government agencies that own or operate underground facilities or that perform excavation or demolition, with the exception of underground emergency repair to traffic control devices used on any street or highway under the agency’s jurisdiction. The government agency shall notify the Notification Center of the emergency repair site at the earliest opportunity and take all reasonable precautions to protect any Underground Facility.
V.I. Code tit. 12, § 699b (2019)
2019 US Virgin Islands Code|Title 12 - Conservation|Chapter 16A - Underground Facility Damage Prevention and Safety|§ 699b. Liability; damages

 (a) Whenever a person has violated, intends to violate, or will violate any provision of this chapter, the Attorney General or any person may institute a civil court action for injunctive relief. (b) If any Underground Facility is damaged as a proximate result of a excavator’s failure to comply with the provisions of this chapter, the excavator is liable to the Operator of the Underground Facility for any cost or damage incurred by the Operator in restoring, repairing, replacing its damaged Underground Facility, and other consequential damages, including but not limited to loss of product, loss of use, interruption of service occurring because of the damage or injury to the Underground Facility, together with reasonable costs and expenses of suit, if any, including reasonable attorneys’ fees if the Operator is a member of the Notification Center. Additionally, the exactor is liable for any injury or damage to persons or property resulting from the damage to the Underground Facility, and shall indemnify, defend and hold harmless the affected Operator against any and all claims or actions, if any, for personal injury, death, and property damage or service interruption proximately caused by the damage to the Underground Facility. (c) If any Underground Facility is damaged as a proximate result of an Operator’s failure to comply this chapter, that Operator shall forfeit any claim for damages to its Underground Facility arising from the excavation against an excavator who has complied with this chapter. The Operator is liable for any reasonable cost or damage incurred directly by the excavator as a result of any delay in the excavation project while the Underground Facility is restored, repaired, replaced together with reasonable costs and expenses of suit, if any, including reasonable attorneys’ fees. Additionally, the Operator is liable for any injury or damage to persons or property proximately caused by the Operator’s failure to comply with the provisions of this chapter, and shall indemnify, defend and hold harmless the affected excavator against any and all claims or actions, if any, for personal injury, death, property damage or service interruption proximately caused by the Operator’s failure to comply.
V.I. Code tit. 12, § 699c (2019)
2019 US Virgin Islands Code|Title 12 - Conservation|Chapter 16A - Underground Facility Damage Prevention and Safety|§ 699c. Negligence per se

 Violation of this chapter by an excavator or Operator constitutes negligence per se.
V.I. Code tit. 12, § 699d (2019)
2019 US Virgin Islands Code|Title 12 - Conservation|Chapter 16A - Underground Facility Damage Prevention and Safety|§ 699d. Alternative dispute resolution

 The Notification Center shall establish a voluntary alternative dispute resolution program in consultation with its members and all affected parties. The alternative dispute resolution program must be available to all Operators, excavators, and other interested parties regarding disputes arising from damage to underground facilities including but not limited to, any cost or damage incurred by the Operator or the excavator as a result of any delay in the excavation project while the Underground Facility is restored, repaired or replaced, exclusive of civil penalties set forth in section 699 of this chapter which cannot be resolved through consultation and negotiation. The alternative dispute resolution program must include mediation, arbitration, or other appropriate process of dispute resolution. The issue of liability and amount of damages under territorial law may be decided by the appointed arbitrator or by the parties in mediation. Nothing in this section may be construed to change the basis for civil liability for damages.
V.I. Code tit. 12, § 699e (2019)
2019 US Virgin Islands Code|Title 12 - Conservation|Chapter 16A - Underground Facility Damage Prevention and Safety|§ 699e. Exemption and exceptions

 This chapter does not apply to any individual, private owner of real properly who excavates on the property, not requiring a permit issued by a government agency, and not bordering on public rights-of-way. This exemption does not apply to a contractor or any other professional hired to perform the excavation. This chapter does not apply to making excavation or demolition during an emergency, when the Notification Center is notified at the earliest opportunity and all reasonable precautions have been taken to protect underground facilities.
V.I. Code tit. 12, § 699f (2019)
2019 US Virgin Islands Code|Title 12 - Conservation|Chapter 16A - Underground Facility Damage Prevention and Safety|§ 699f. Non-delegable duty

 An Operator or excavator subject to performance of duties imposed by this chapter may not delegate his responsibilities to any other person or related entity for those duties imposed by this chapter.
V.I. Code tit. 12, § 701 (2019)
2019 US Virgin Islands Code|Title 12 - Conservation|Chapter 17 - Oil Spill Prevention and Pollution Control|§ 701. Short title

 This chapter shall be known as “The Oil Spill Prevention and Pollution Control Act”.
V.I. Code tit. 12, § 704 (2019)
2019 US Virgin Islands Code|Title 12 - Conservation|Chapter 17 - Oil Spill Prevention and Pollution Control|§ 704. Pollution and corruption of waters and lands of the territory prohibited

 The discharge of oil, petroleum products or their by-products, and other pollutants into or upon any coastal waters, estuaries, tidal flats, beaches and land adjoining the seacoast of the territory are prohibited.
V.I. Code tit. 12, § 705 (2019)
2019 US Virgin Islands Code|Title 12 - Conservation|Chapter 17 - Oil Spill Prevention and Pollution Control|§ 705. Powers and duties of the Department

 (1) The powers and duties conferred by this chapter shall be exercised by the Department and shall be deemed to be an essential governmental function in the exercise of the police power of the territory. The Department may call upon any other department or agency for consultative services and technical advice and the said agencies are directed to cooperate in said request. (2) The powers and duties of the Department under this chapter shall extend to the boundaries of the territory described in section 2 of the Revised Organic Act of the United States Virgin Islands. (3) Licenses required under this chapter shall be issued from the Department subject to such terms and conditions as are set forth in this chapter and as set forth in rules and regulations promulgated by the department as authorized herein. (4) Whenever it becomes necessary for the territory to protect the public interest under this chapter, it shall be the duty of the Department to keep an accurate record of costs and expenses incurred and thereafter diligently to pursue the recovery of any sums so incurred from the Government of the United States under any applicable federal act.
V.I. Code tit. 12, § 708 (2019)
2019 US Virgin Islands Code|Title 12 - Conservation|Chapter 17 - Oil Spill Prevention and Pollution Control|§ 708. Duties of harbor master

 (1) The pilot and the master of a vessel causing a discharge shall be required immediately to report the discharge to the harbor master and to the nearest U.S. Coast Guard station. The harbor master, on being notified of a discharge, shall immediately notify the response team of the Department and the U.S. Coast Guard and shall keep them fully informed of the need for containment equipment and emergency action. (2) The harbor master shall have the authority to enter into any port or terminal facility during normal hours of operation and to board any vessel prior to its entry into port in order to ascertain the seaworthiness of the vessel and the presence of required containment gear. Upon being notified of a discharge the harbor master shall have authority to direct the vessel to anchor immediately or move to a specific dock and deploy containment gear or to move to the open seas and to take such other measures as he deems necessary. The harbor master shall have the additional duty to inspect any terminal facility in his port to determine that adequate containment gear is on hand at the terminal facility. (3) A harbor master who refuses entry of any vessel into the port under his charge shall be required to notify all other ports in the territory of his refusal of entry of that vessel.