One-Call and Damage Prevention Grants

OPS provides grant funding to qualified states 1) for public education, training, and regulatory enforcement; and 2) to increase effectiveness and operational efficiency of design, planning, one-call notification, locating and marking, and safe digging around underground facilities.

The U. S. Congress found in the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21), that­­

1. unintentional damage to underground facilities during excavation is a significant cause of disruptions in telecommunications, water supply, electric power, and other vital public services, such as hospital and air traffic control operations, and is a leading cause of natural gas and hazardous liquid pipeline accidents;
2. excavation that is performed without prior notification to an underground facility operator or with inaccurate or untimely marking of such a facility prior to excavation can cause damage that results in fatalities, serious injuries, harm to the environment and disruption of vital services to the public; and
3. protection of the public and the environment from the consequences of underground facility damage caused by excavations will be enhanced by a coordinated national effort to improve one­call notification programs in each State and the effectiveness and efficiency of one­call notification systems that operate under such programs.

Under TEA-21, OPS is required to administer a program of grants of financial assistance for which states can apply. The grants are to be used to assist in improving:

• the overall quality and effectiveness of one­call notification systems in the State;
• communications systems linking one­call notification systems;
• location capabilities, including training personnel and developing and using location technology;
• record retention and recording capabilities for one­call notification systems;
• public information and education;
• participation in one­call notification systems; or
• compliance and enforcement under the State one­call notification program.

OPS reviews the State's one-call notification program to determine whether the program meets the minimum standards to qualify for a grant. The minimum standards are specified in TEA-21.

For more information regarding OPS grants, contact:

Office of Pipeline Safety
Research and Special Programs Administration
U.S. Department of Transportation
400 7th Street, S.W., Room 7128
Washington, DC   20590-0001 

Telephone: 202-366-4595
Fax: 202-366-4566