AGC Submits Comments on Proposed Rule on Excavation Enforcement

On December 14, 2009, AGC of America submitted comments on an Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) on Pipeline Safety: Pipeline Damage Prevention Programs to the U.S. Department of Transportation's Pipeline and Hazardous Material Safety Administration (PHMSA).  The purpose of the ANPRM was to solicit comments in order to assess the adequacy of State's damage prevention enforcement regimes for oil, gas and other hazardous material pipelines.  PHMSA is currently reviewing industry comments and will issue a notice of a proposed rulemaking later in 2010. PHMSA will use this information to develop criteria for federal enforcement of damage prevention laws in states that are deemed to have inadequate enforcement of damage prevention laws for excavators, utility/facility owners, one-call centers and professional locaters as mandated by the 2006 PIPES Act.  To view AGC's comments on the ANPRM click here.