MN 2017 State Damage Prevention Grant

Overview

Main Objective

Under this grant agreement, the recipient will: Enforce, educate, train, communicate, support, analyze, partner with, and mediate activities associated with its Damage Prevention program. The MNOPS staff will perform standard pipeline safety functions in addition to focusing on damage prevention efforts. MNOPS will continue to utilize a Damage Prevention team in 2017, however all MNOPS inspectors have the capability to perform damage prevention roles and duties. Activities relating to the Damage Prevention grant will be tracked separately by case number through the MNOPS program management database, OPS. (Page 3 of the grant application)

Public Abstract

Under the terms of this grant agreement, the Recipient will address the following applicable elements listed in the approved application, pursuant to 49 U.S.C. §60134 (a),(b).

• Element 1 (Effective Communications): Participation by operators, excavators, and other stakeholders in the development and implementation of methods for establishing and maintaining effective communications between stakeholders from receipt of an excavation notification until successful completion of the excavation, as appropriate. (Applicable)
• Element 2 (Comprehensive Stakeholder Support): A process for fostering and ensuring the support and partnership of stakeholders, including excavators, operators, locators, designers, and local government in all phases of the program. (Applicable)
• Element 3 (Operator Internal Performance Measurement): A process for reviewing the adequacy of a pipeline operator's internal performance measures regarding persons performing locating services and quality assurance programs. (Applicable)
• Element 4 (Effective Employee Training): Participation by operators, excavators, and other stakeholders in the development and implementation of effective employee training programs to ensure that operators, the one call center, the enforcing agency, and the excavators have partnered to design and implement training for the employees of operators, excavators, and locators. (Applicable)
• Element 5 (Public Education): A process for fostering and ensuring active participation by all stakeholders in public education for damage prevention activities. (Applicable)
• Element 6 (Dispute Resolution): A process for resolving disputes that defines the State authority's role as a partner and facilitator to resolve issues. (Applicable)
• Element 7 (Enforcement): Enforcement of State damage prevention laws and regulations for all aspects of the damage prevention process, including public education, and the use of civil penalties for violations assessable by the appropriate State authority. (Applicable)
• Element 8 (Technology): A process for fostering and promoting the use, by all appropriate stakeholders, of improving technologies that may enhance communications, underground pipeline locating capability, and gathering and analyzing information about the accuracy and effectiveness of locating programs. (Applicable)
• Element 9 (Damage Prevention Program Review): A process for review and analysis of the effectiveness of each program element, including a means for implementing improvements identified by such program reviews. (Applicable)

Relevant Files & Links