Underground Damage Prevention Authority
Alabama’s Underground Damage Prevention Law Section §37-15-10.1 created an Underground Damage Prevention Authority for the purpose of enforcing the law and reviewing penalty provisions as well as the adequacy of the enforcement process.
The Authority shall be composed of a board of underground facility protection stakeholders who are subject matter experts representing their industry.
The represented stakeholders, who are appointed by the Govenor, include:
| Alabama county engineers | Cable television industry |
| Municipal utility operator industry | Natural gas distribution industry |
| Professional excavator industry | Professional road builder industry |
| Telecommunications industry | Transmission pipeline industry |
| Water utility industry | Wastewater industry |
| Electric utility industry | One Call Notification Center |
| Professional land surveyor industry | Utility facility locating industry |
The following three Authority Board members are appointed by the head of their respective agencies:
Alabama Attorney General’s Office
Alabama Public Service Commission – gas pipeline safety
Alabama Department of Transportation
Each stakeholder representative serves a three-year term.
The Authority Board is responsible for electing an Executive Committee, made up of five representatives from the Authority Board, excluding those entities representing a state agency. The Executive Committee is responsible for levying civil penalties and taking actions as described in the penalty provisions.
The Authority Board is governed by established rules. (hyperlink rules when complete).