,,iii  #aahth ,,congress  #b;d ,session 
,s4 ,,res4 #fef  ,,in ,,the ,,senate    
,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states  ,april    
#ah1 #bjbd,mr4 ,peters 7for himself and 
,ms4 ,cantwell7 submitted the following 
resolution2 which was referred to the   
,committee on ,commerce1 ,science1 and  
,transportation  ,,resolution           
,supporting the goals and ideals of     
,national ,safe ,digging ,month4        
,whereas1 each year1 the underground    
utility infrastructure of the ,united   
,states1 including pipelines1 electric1 
gas1 telecommunications1 fiber1 water1  
sewer1 and cable television lines1 is   
jeopardized by unintentional damage     
caused by those who fail to have        
underground utility lines located prior 
to digging2 ,whereas some utility lines 
are buried only a few inches            
underground1 making the lines easy to   
strike1 even during shallow digging     
projects2 ,whereas digging prior to     
having underground utility lines located
 often results in unintended            

consequences1 such as service           
interruption1 environmental damage1     
personal injury1 and even death2        
,whereas the month of ,april marks the  
beginning of the peak period during     
which excavation projects are carried   
out around the ,united ,states2         
,whereas1 in #bjjb1 ,congress required  
the ,department of ,transportation and  
the ,federal ,communications ,commission
 to establish a #c-;digit1 nationwide1  
toll-free number to be used by ,state   
,one ,call systems to provide           
information on underground utility      
lines2 ,whereas1 in #bjje1 the ,federal 
,communications ,commission designated  
#haa as the nationwide ,one ,call number
 for homeowners and excavators to use to
 obtain information on underground      
utility lines before conducting         
excavation activities 7referred to in   
this preamble as the ,one ,call_/#haa   
program72 ,whereas the nearly #d1bjj    
damage prevention professionals who are 
members of the ,common ,ground          

,alliance1 ,states1 the ,one ,call_/#haa
 program1 and other stakeholders who are
 dedicated to ensuring public safety1   
environmental protection1 and the       
integrity of services1 promote the      
national ,contact #haa ,before ,you ,dig
 campaign to increase public awareness  
about the importance of homeowners and  
excavators contacting #haa to find out  
the location of underground utility     
lines before digging2 ,whereas the      
,pipeline ,safety1 ,regulatory          
,certainty1 and ,job ,creation ,act of  
#bjaa 7,public ,law #aab-ij2 #abe ,stat4
 #aijd7 affirmed and expanded the ,one  
,call_/#haa program by eliminating      
exemptions given to local and ,state    
government agencies and their           
contractors regarding notifying ,one    
,call_/#haa centers before digging2     
,whereas1 according to the #bjbb ,damage
 ,information ,reporting ,tool ,report  
published by the ,common ,ground        
,alliance in ,september #bjbc-- 7#a7 ,no
 notification to the #haa center remains

 the number #a top root cause of damage2
  7#b7 failure to notify #haa prior to  
digging contributed to #be percent of   
damages2 and  7#c7 landscaping1 fencing1
 water1 sewer1 and construction are the 
top types of work performed when        
professionals cause no-notification     
damages2 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 the    
designation of #haa as the national     
,contact ,before ,you ,dig number3 ,now1
 therefore1 be it ,that the ,senate--   
7#a7 supports the goals and ideals of   
,national ,safe ,digging ,month2  7#b7  
encourages all homeowners and excavators
 throughout the ,united ,states to      
contact #haa by phone or online before  
digging2 and  7#c7 encourages all damage
 prevention stakeholders to help educate
 homeowners and excavators throughout   
the ,united ,states about the importance

 of contacting #haa to have the         
approximate location of buried utilities
 marked with paint or flags before      
digging4