Professional Surveyors and Utility Locations

Nationwide 811 calling for utility locates was designated by the Federal Communications Commission in 2007 as part of the culmination of an effort to identify best practices through the Common Ground Study. That study was mandated by the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA 21) passed by Congress in 1998.

The study was conducted by the Office of Pipeline Safety (now the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration) and involved representatives from electric, water, sewer, cable TV, oil and gas transmission and distribution, telecommunications, railroads, excavators, design engineers, regulators, location service providers and local, state and federal government. One result of the study was the establishment of the Common Ground Alliance to further the damage prevention effort on an on-going basis…(Read the full story)