On the recordNovember 4, 1997
I thank leader for that assurance. Among the minimum standards required for a one-call notification program to be eligible for Federal assistance is the requirement for "appropriate participation" by all excavators and underground facility operators. "Appropriate participation" would be determined based on the "risks to public safety, the environment, excavators and vital public services." Contractors who visited my office see this as a loophole that could actually weaken State programs. The contractors are very concerned that the Federal Government would declare some situations to be low risk, and this would in turn encourage facility operators to seek exemptions from one-call requirements because their participation would be deemed no longer "appropriate".
Source
govinfo.gov
