BILL SIGNED INTO LAW - AGC SCORES VICTORIES ON KEY POLICY ISSUES

On December 29th, President Bush signed HR 5782, the Pipeline Inspection, Protection, Enforcement, and Safety Act of 2006 into law.  AGC was very pleased with how this bill turned out as well as getting it completed this Congress.  AGC worked with industry, three committees in Congress and the US DOT Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) to ensure that an equitable reauthorization was reached.   AGC played a central role in securing provisions establishing equitable enforcement of damage prevention laws for all stakeholders in the one-call process as well as funding for critical technology and awareness programs.

Key policy victories:
 
• Achieved enforcement language provisions recognizing the shared responsibility inherent in the one-call process under which facility owners and locating personnel are held accountable to the same standard that excavators have historically been held accountable.
• Elimination of Criminal Penalties from the language for more appropriate Civil Penalties.
• Inclusion of AGC-supported “Nine Points of a Successful One-Call Program” as the measure for an effective statewide system.
• Funding for technology grants to improve locating technology and to make newly installed facilities more locatable.
• Funding to continue the AGC-sponsored Common Ground Alliance, a coalition of one-call stakeholders dedicated to enhancing worker and public safety as well as damage prevention.
• A one time $1 million dollar allotment for a public awareness program for “811”, a three-digit one-call number which will work nationwide and go on line in April 2007.

For more information, contact Stu Megaw at 703/837-5321 or megaws@agc.org. [ return to top ]